Page 76 of The Corner of Heartbreak and Forever
“I’ve always said I’d do anything for you. And I meant it.”
She fell deeper into love right that very second. “And my father knew all this time?”
“Crazy, right? We’re meant to be together, Gracie. I knew it from the moment I saw those mossy-green eyes of yours.” He pressed his lips to hers and said, “Take it all in, baby. Our families and friends are all here.”
His gaze moved over the crowd, and the shine in his eyes dimmed just enough for her to notice. She knew in her heart what was eating at him. Even though Frank wasn’t his real father, they’d had a breakthrough of sorts, and she felt Frank’s absence in Reed’s life tonight even more than she had when they were kids.
“Are they all here?” she asked carefully.
“You know me so well. You feel it too, don’t you?”
She nodded.
“There’s so much love in this room, and Frank’s just down the street, probably sitting alone. I think I’m kind of all he has, and I wonder if I should have invited him.”
She placed her hand over his heart and said, “That special body part is sure getting a workout lately. Frank’s visit taught you that life is short, but didn’t he also teach us—didn’tweprove to the world—that it’s never too late to make things right? You can still invite him. I think we’re going to be here for a while.”
His breath whispered over her lips. “You don’t mind?”
“Not at all, but first I have something for you.”
He waggled his brows.
“That’ll come later.” She leaned closer and whispered, “Hopefullymanytimes.” That earned a luscious kiss that made her entire body wishlaterwasnow. “This isn’t as glamorous as diamonds, and it’s kind of silly, but…”
She lifted her bangles, revealing the girlfriend-boyfriend beaded bracelets with their names on them that Morgyn had made. Reed’s infectious grin told her it wasn’t silly at all.
“I didn’t know you could still get these,” he said as he took the one that had her name on it off her wrist. “I love that you got these, and I’ll wear mine everywhere.”
“I asked Morgyn to make them for us.” She helped him put it on his wrist. “You don’t think they’re ridiculous?”
He pushed his hands beneath her hair and brushed his soft, warm lips over her cheek. “I happen to have an affinity for history—and our history is anything but ridiculous.” As he lowered his lips to hers, he said, “And we’ve only just begun.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
“I NEVER WOULD have guessed Gracie wasthe bad girl,” Axsel said over a joint Skype call with Pepper and the rest of the family Saturday morning at Grace’s parents’ house. He raked a hand through his dark hair and yawned. It was only seven o’clock in Los Angeles, and he’d gotten up just for their call.
“She might have been sort of bad,” Brindle said, “but I hold the bad-girl title, and I’m proud of it.”
“That’s my girl,” their father said sarcastically, giving Brindle’s shoulder a loving squeeze.
Brindle blinked innocently up at him from her perch on a chair at the kitchen table. “I love you, Daddy.”
He kissed the top of her head. “I love you, too, pumpkin. I have you to thank for most of my gray hair.”
“Good thing you’re such a silver fox,” their mother said, and the girls all agreed.
“Y’all are going to make my head swell,” Cade said, leaning down to kiss Marilynn.
Reed realized he’d been staring at Grace as she chatted with her sisters, and when he shook his head to break the spell, he noticed Pepper watching him.
Cade must have noticed because he said, “What is it, princess?”
“I was just thinking how rare of a breed Reed is,” Pepper said.
“He’s not a horse,” Morgyn said.
“He might be hung like one,” Sable said under her breath, earning a harsh glare from her father.
