Page 144 of Give Me Redemption

“Y’all got here just in time,” Emily says when we walk into the kitchen. She’s in dark jeans and a light blue shirt with the sleeves rucked. Country living has been kind to her, but you can see the thousand lives she’s lived in her eyes. I can’t imagine how it was raising Bryce and Jace. Both are complicated men. She picks up a dishcloth and dries her hands. “Give me a hug,” she says to Jace. He lets me go and I place my hands on the island in the enormous kitchen. I love this place.

I’ve always lived in the city. I’m a city girl through and through, but there’s something calming about this ranch. It wraps you in comfort and says,“Welcome home.”

It’s odd that I’m thinking this.

Really odd.

I love the hustle of Atlanta.

But I find myself being able to breathe better out here.

My guy wraps his arms around Emily, and she laughs when he picks her up and spins her.

“You’re making me dizzy,” she says.

He puts her down and reaches behind her, snatching a roll from the stove.

“Jace Grant, you know we say the blessing first around here.”

He winks at her. “Praise be.”

I grin. I love seeing this. He fits in here so well. In the city, Jace almost seems out of place. But here, it’s as if he’s at peace with everything.

She shakes her head at him. She adores him, and it’s so obvious. But how could you not adore this man? He’s tall, funny, in incredible shape. He’s scarred on the inside and outside, but that makes him human. He’s got the most amazing personality. Beautiful blue eyes and a smile that’ll knock you off your feet.

And he’s mine.

Lucky me.

Emily looks to me. “Harlow?”

I lift a brow and nod. “Yes.”

“I like that better,” she replies, relating to Michelle.

“Me too,” I agree.

“Jace, will you give us a moment?” she asks him as he chews his food. He looks from her to me.

I nod, telling him I’m fine with it.

I prepare myself for the worst. This woman is the axle that these boys’ worlds spin on. She could tear me to shreds.

Jace rubs his hands against each other before walking toward me. He quick-kisses my forehead and exits the kitchen.

I slide my glasses up the bridge of my nose and straighten my back.

Emily takes a deep breath. “You don’t know me,” she begins. “And I don’t know you.” She pulls a stool closer to her and takes a seat. “When the boys first came here, I saw two extremely damaged kids. Bryce was older and more jaded of the world than Jace. He fought us for a long time before finally giving into his new life.” She runs her hand over the leather watch she wears, shaking her head slightly as if she’s seeing it all over again.

“He had this wall built up around him that was tougher than pig skin. He acted out, started drinking at an early age, and fighting. It wasn’t easy to watch, but we did the best we could.

“Even still, he had a hard time letting people in. He went from being a father figure to a kid in a matter of hours. He took full advantage of his new freedom. But he was self-destructive.” She links her fingers and rests her elbows on the countertop, looking at me.

“Jace, on the other hand, was quiet. He was like a sponge absorbing everything. He watched his brother spin out of control from afar. He hurt because of it, because like Bryce went from father to kid, Jace went from having his brother always by his side to hardly having him at all.

“He lost his parents, which to Jace were neverhisparents, and then he lost his brother. Bryce was Jace’s whole world, and then one day he wasn’t.

“He hid his emotions well, but we saw how Bryce hurt him. He was always a happy kid, smiled all the time, and laughed with such lightheartedness.

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