Page 19 of The Corner of Heartbreak and Forever
His lips curved up in a cocky smile, and his fingers brushed the back of her hand. “And like I said, I can think of plenty of places this can lead.”
“Holster your hammer, playboy.”
“I’m no playboy, Grace. Never was, never will be.” He leaned closer, his minty breath filling her senses. “But you already know that.”
“I knew that before, but I have no idea what your personal life is like now.”
“Then it’s time we changed that. Go out with me.”
She glanced at his tool belt. “You’re working, and I have scripts to read through.”
“Tonight, Grace. We always wanted to go to the fair together. Now we can.”
“Grace!” her mother called from the yard, where she and Grace’s father were working with the dogs. “Come see how good the pups are doing!”
Had they been watching her the whole time? Grace took a step away, and Reed put his hand on her arm, his invitation hanging between them like the apple in the Garden of Eden.
“Tonight, Gracie,” Reed said, as if it were already decided.
She sighed, knowing she didn’t stand a chance of turning him down. “Okay.”
“I’ll pick you up at seven.” His gaze coasted down her body, bringing rise to goose bumps. He pressed a kiss to her cheek and said, “Something else hasn’t changed. I still love your legs.”
And you still make them weak as noodles.
She kept that tidbit to herself as she went to join her parents. Reba and Dolly bounded toward her, and she crouched to love them up. They were all snarfs and slobbery kisses.
“Hi, darlin’,” her father said as she rose to her feet and he embraced her. Cade Montgomery was careful by nature, meticulous and detail oriented like Grace, Pepper, and Amber, and when it came to his daughters he’d always been a tad overprotective. Not overbearing, just stern enough to set guys in their places before they took any of them on dates. “You look nice. Do you have plans?”
“Just working, making phone calls. You know, the norm.”
“I thought you gave up M&M’s for breakfast,” her father said, motioning toward the king-size bag in her hand.
“Oh, um…I did, when I’m in the city. But here, you know.” I’m hoping chocolate will make me forget how much I want Reed. “Nostalgia, I guess.”
Her mother made ahmsound. “You and Reed looked pretty friendly. He’s a nice man, Gracie.”
Grace sighed, feeling the age-old guilt that had plagued her as a girl when she’d hidden their relationship from her parents and friends. “Yes, he’s very nice.”
“You know, you’re here for three weeks,” her mother said as she tossed a ball for the dogs to fetch. “That’s long enough to go on a few dates and have some fun. You never know what might come of it.”
“Mom, I’m not moving back.” Her mother was always trying to get Grace and Pepper to move back home. She’d given up on Axsel moving back, at least for a few years. According to her mother, he was still sowing those young-twenties wild oats.
Her mother shrugged. “A mama can hope. What’s so bad about living here, anyway? You could do theater right here in town, where the people who love you could be part of it.”
“Mom.” Grace shook her head, unwilling to have this discussion again.
“Marilynn, if you’re not careful, she’ll stop visiting,” her father warned. He smiled, and it brightened his blue eyes. “And, Grace, you can’t blame your mother for trying. She misses you.”
“I know, but I’ve got a life in New York and an amazing career.”Even if it drives me batty most of the time and sucks away my free time.It’s what she wanted, what she’d chosen. What being a top producer required. “I’ve moved past community theater and small-town productions. You know that.”
“I’m proud of you, honey,” her mother said. “You had a dream when you were just a girl, and you followed it. But what if you miss out on the best dream of all by living your life in a cycle of work? You’re always saying the men in the city are too prissy or materialistic. I thought spending time with Reed would be a refreshing change.”
The single men Grace knew were exactly as her mother described, or worse. The actors were divas, and often worse than the actresses. She knew it was a gross generalization to say “men in the city,” but she worked in the arts, and meeting men outside of that industry was difficult when she worked most of the time.
“Then you’ll be happy to know that Reed and I are going to the fair together tonight.”
Her mother’s eyes widened, along with her smile. “Really? That’s wonderful!”
