Page 103 of Say I'm Yours
Hannah runs out and hugs Grace. “Hi, Mama!”
“Hi, sweet girl. I see you’ve already had dessert for the week with Daddy.”
“Yeah.” She smiles and gives me up. “He lets me have candy when you’re gone. Says it keeps me on his side.”
“Hannah!” I yell at my traitor child as she runs away. “I thought we had a deal.”
“You know you’re in charge, right?” Grace asks as she leans against the doorjamb. “I mean, you’re the parent and there are no sides.”
I never know with these women. “You say that now, but one day, she’s going to be a teenager, and I’ll be really freaking old.”
“You’re old now.” Grace points out.
“You’re no spring chicken, either, sweetheart.”
I probably shouldn’t have said that.
“That’s not going to help you win an argument.”
“She’s just so cute. I can’t help it. It’s like lookin’ at you, I can’t say no.”
I try to play to her sweet side.
“You say no all the time.”
“Not when you give me the lip,” I remind her. I’m a sucker for it.
She walks over and does the look I referred to. Her eyes get all gooey, her bottom lip juts out a little, and she tilts her head to the side. I melt. I can’t help it. “This face?” Grace asks as she comes closer. Her hands travel up my chest and rest on my shoulders.
I wrap my arms around her and hold her against me. “I’ll give you anything you want.”
“You’re a mess.” Grace laughs a bit and her fake pout breaks into a smile.
“But I’m your mess.”
“Lucky me.”
I kiss her lips and smile. “You had your chance to walk away, but you couldn’t resist me. I’m an irresistible man to you, Grace Hennington. You love me and wouldn’t trade me for the world.”
Life with Grace has shown me so much about myself. I never realized that I could be this happy. I drive her nuts, and she nags me, but I wouldn’t trade a minute of it. That isn’t to say there aren’t times I enjoy escaping with my brothers for a week, but I’m always anxious to get home.
She leans back, and her blue eyes hold mine. “Yeah, I’ve always had a soft spot for strays.”
“This is why people warn you not to feed the animals.”
Grace giggles and gives me a kiss. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
And I do. More than I knew was possible. When I promised Grace I would give her my heart, I did. I’ve tried to make each day with her special. I didn’t deserve another chance with her, but she gave me one. I don’t take that for granted.
“How did I get so lucky?” she asks completely rhetorically, but I’m going to let her know anyway.
“Well, one day, you realized how perfect I was.” She smacks my arm. The only thing that comes to mind is something my father said to me. “I don’t know the how or why, I’m just glad that it is. Because if it wasn’t, we wouldn’t be.”
I may not be good at many things, but I try damn sure to be good at loving her.
