Page 66 of Milkshakes and Mistletoe

She kept her face hidden in his neck when she spoke again. “I didn’t forget you, but you’re more like my daddy. I wish you were my daddy.”

Hannah’s heart ached for him as she watched Grady close his eyes. “I try to be as good as a daddy for you, Pixie, you know that.”

“I know. I just want you tobemy daddy … and I want Hannah to be my mommy.”

Hannah’s hand came up to cover her mouth and tears pricked behind her eyes. Grady shot her a panicked look, but she met his gaze and smiled. He smiled back and raised his eyebrows, and she nodded. It was too big of a conversation to have right now, but the thought didn’t scare her. She loved it.

Ava lifted her head and looked into Grady’s eyes. “Maybe someday?” she asked.

Grady looked at Hannah again, and she nodded. He smiled and pressed a kiss to Ava’s cheek. “Maybe someday. But right now, we need to get going. Otherwise, Uncle Jacob will worry what’s happened to us. I think he’s scared to turn the lights on by himself.”

With that, Ava wriggled to get down. “He said he was nervous, but that we’d be okay together. I’d better go and help him.”

She ran to the door, and Grady took hold of Hannah’s hand as they followed her. “You think you could stand a ready-made family?” he asked quietly.

She squeezed his hand. “I think I’d love it. As long as you don’t want to stop there.”

His head jerked toward her. His eyes were huge as he asked, “You want babies?”

Her heart hammered in her chest. She had no idea if he did. She might be signing the death warrant on their relationship with her answer, but she had to tell the truth. “I do.”

His eyes grew even wider, and he almost crushed her fingers, he gripped her hand so tightly.

“Don’t you?” she asked.

“I can’t say I’d ever thought about it.”

Her heart sank. She should have known that. He hadn’t been interested in having real relationships in the past. Why would she think that he might want to have children?

“Come on, you guys! We have to go,” Ava called from the doorway.

Hannah started toward her with a heavy heart, but Grady tugged her hand and drew her back to him. He landed a soft, sweet kiss on her lips. “I’ve never given it any thought before but …” his eyes twinkled as they looked down into hers, “I think Ava might be onto something. I think we might make a pretty awesome Mom and Dad.”

Her heart leaped into her mouth. “You do?”

He nodded. “Not this week.”

She laughed. “Definitely not this week.”

“But I think we should add it to the someday pile.” He nodded as if he was getting used to the idea. “Someday in the not-too-distant future.”

“Wow! I would have been okay with maybe someday.”

He kissed her again. “Nah. It seems to me that every day we spend together brings someday a whole lot closer – and makes it look less like a maybe.”

“Come on!”

They both laughed at Ava’s irritated tone.

“Sorry, Pixie, we’re coming.”

~ ~ ~

Grady drove past the vans parked around the side of the big house. It seemed like Jacob had quite a crew out to string up the lights. They’d come over here early. Slade wouldn’t open the front gate to start letting people in for another half hour yet.

Grady parked the Honda where Hannah directed him to, around the back of the house. As soon as they got out, Ava squealed in delight when the entire back side of the house lit up with Christmas lights.

“Oh, my gosh, look, Uncle Grady! Isn’t it beautiful?”

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