Page 98 of Trusting Fate (Hope Falls: Brewed Awakenings 2)

He looked at the truck then back at Grace. “You did this?”

“Well, Josh mostly did it.”

“Hey, I just found it.”

“But you bought me this?” Easton asked outright.

“I replaced your truck after it was totaled because you helped me.”

He pulled her into his arms and instead of tensing up, she molded against him. “Thank you,” he whispered into her hair.

It wasn’t the truck itself that meant so much to him, although he had to admit he did love his old truck and he had missed it, it was knowing that Grace had known that the truck was important to him even after he said not to worry about it and that the insurance would take care of it. She hadn’t replaced his truck with some new one with all the bells and whistles, which he knew she could have done. She’d got him the truck she knew he would want.

The sweet moment was cut short when Sue Ann Perkins, who owned the café in town and was organizing the parade started barking orders at everyone to get into place. As Grace was getting into place, he walked up to Josh to talk to him.

When he got into the bed beside Grace, she asked, “What was that about?”

“I was just thanking him.” Technically, Easton had thanked him. After he asked him for a favor.

As they drove through the town and waved at people, Grace was cuddled up beside him. He wasn’t sure if it was because it was freezing or not, but either way he didn’t care. He would enjoy every second of it.

When they came to a stop and carolers were singing, she turned to him. “I got you a present.”

“I know, we’re sitting in it.”

Grace smiled and shook her head as she pulled out a wrapped package. “No that was just me replacing your truck.” She handed it to him. “This is your Christmas present.”

“Do you want me to open it now?”

She looked around and lifted her hands. They were in the middle of town in front of a huge Christmas tree, there were lights and wreaths hanging on every possible pole and carolers were serenading them singing Silent Night. “I mean, if not now, then when?”

He smiled as he tore the paper open, feeling like a kid again. When he lifted it out, he couldn’t even speak. “Is this…”

“It’s a first edition, original print, signed copy of Charlotte’s Web. I thought since you put your writing on hold for me, I should give you something to inspire you to make up for it.”

Easton didn’t know what to say. No gift had ever touched him more than the one he was holding in his hands.

When he didn’t say anything, Grace said, “I know you’ve read it but—”

He set the book down, cupped her face and cut her off with a crushing kiss of fiery possession. The kiss started out urgent and demanding. Everything he’d been feeling, all of the frustration and fear of not knowing if things were going to work with her, he poured in that kiss.

Then something happened, she put her arms around his neck and the kiss turned slow and sensual. He melted into the velvety warmth of her mouth as they shared something tender and smoldering.

He could have stayed like that, kissing her forever but the truck started moving. When they broke their kiss, he realized that around them people were cheering. And he saw people had their phones out.

“Sorry.” He apologized, not sure of how she would feel about the fact he’d kissed her so publicly.

She smiled, with a twinkle in her eye. “I’m not.”

He wasn’t sure what had changed in the past few days, but something definitely had. Maybe she had just needed some space. He was starting to second guess his plan when the parade came to an end and Josh took the turn on Pine View instead of going back down Main.

“Where are we going?”

“I have something I want to show you.”

Her entire face lit up. “A surprise?”

He nodded. A big surprise.

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