Page 67 of Trusting Fate (Hope Falls: Brewed Awakenings 2)

“How long is a while?” her eyes narrowed.

He almost said a year, that was what his plan was. But he looked up at Grace and knew that wasn’t his answer anymore. “I’m moving here. Permanently.”

His mom threw her arms back around his neck and he felt her tears again on his shoulder.

“Hi, I’m Grace.”

Easton heard Grace introduce herself.

“James Bishop,” his dad replied as Easton pulled back from his mom.

“Sorry, Mom, Dad, this is Grace Wells. Grace this is my mom Connie, and you already met my dad, James.”

Grace smiled and held herself with her usual class and, well, grace. It was actually a very fitting name for her since that is what she exuded. “So nice to meet you both.”

Easton was pretty sure that inside she was freaking out, but on the surface she looked completely calm. And fucking adorable in his shirt that hung down almost to her knees and his slippers that were about three times too big for her.

After his mom said hi to Grace, she turned back to him. “And what is this about a show?”

Easton walked over to Grace’s side and slid his arm around her lower back. “Grace and I are competing on a reality renovation show hosted by Lauren and Ben.”

“Ben and Laur—” His mom stopped mid-sentence and pointed toward him and Grace. “Wait. Are you two…together?”

Easton flexed his hand on Grace’s hip, tugging her even closer to him. “Yes.”

His mom’s mouth flew open and then she rushed to Grace and threw her arms around her neck just like she’d thrown her arms around his.

“How did you two meet?” his mom asked after releasing Grace from the bear hug.

Grace looked at Easton.

“I was actually on my way here and saw a car on the side of the road and pulled over. Grace had gotten a flat tire and when I was fixing it a tree fell on my truck.”

“A tree fell on your truck?” his dad asked.

“There was a snowstorm,” Grace explained.

“Yeah, it was a bad storm. The tree fell and we were stuck there until morning. The rest is history,” he felt a little bit bad giving his parents the same answer that he’d given the production crew, but it was how they met.

“That’s so romantic.” His mom clutched her chest and sighed. “It’s right out of the pages of one of my romance novels.”

You have no idea, Easton thought to himself.

His mom pointed at him. “That’s why you were so cagey when I asked you about where you were going to be for Thanksgiving.”

Easton nodded.

“And that’s why you didn’t want to meet Jana!” His mom pointed at Grace. “Because you have Grace.”

Grace smiled and to anyone else it would look like a perfectly happy smile, but he could see that she was freaking out behind it. He slid his arm around her back again.

A ding sounded from the kitchen and Grace’s face lit up. “Coffee’s done. Does anyone want coffee?” Easton could see she was desperate for an escape, probably thinking this would be her way out.

She obviously didn’t know Connie Bishop.

“Yes, and you can tell me all about the show!” His mom threaded her arm through Grace’s.

As his mom ushered Grace into the kitchen his dad pulled him into a tight bear hug. “I’m glad you finally came home, son.”

Easton felt tears prick his eyes. Like his oldest brother, his dad was a man of few words. But when he did speak, it mattered.

“I’m glad you finally came home,” his dad repeated.

So am I.

---