Page 161 of Eight Years Gone

“Thank you for saying so.”

Aunt Maggie patted her back. “I’ve never spoken truer words. Am I right, Asa?”

Asa nodded. “Indeed.”

Grace hugged him next. “You guys are the best.”

Asa hugged her back. “We’re always here for you guys. You know that.”

She kissed his cheek before she eased away to walk around the table again. “I do.”

Aunt Maggie changed how she sat to be more comfortable in her seat. “So, I take it you’ll use the next few days to get Colton settled in.”

Grace nodded. “But I can always come in if you and Jen need a hand.”

Aunt Maggie shook her head. “Take a couple of days, Grace. You’re supposed to be on vacation. Spend some time with your brother. Get to know each other.”

She nodded again. “Thank you.”

Aunt Maggie pushed back in her seat, clearly ready to get back to the dinner they had interrupted. “Go spend what’s left of your evening with Jagger. Parenting is going to keep you both busy.”

Jagger stood. “We’ll see you guys soon.”

Asa helped Maggie gain her feet and walk them to the door.

“Have a good night,” Aunt Maggie and Asa called.

Moments later, Grace waved as she sat in the passenger seat, exhaling a breath. “That went so much better than I was expecting.”

Jagger shrugged as he started the Sorento. “Aunt Mags and Asa are awesome.”

“They are.” She took his hand, kissing his fingers as she held his gaze in the dark. “You know, I’m feeling far more relaxed, and it’s still pretty early.”

He wiggled his brow. “I remember you mentioning something about wild sex. And wherever we wanted in the house.”

She grinned. “I did.”

He pulled away from the curb. “I say we hit every room. Where should we start?”

“Maybe the living room?”

He nodded. “Couch, chair, or floor? We’ll get to all three, but where first?”

She laughed, certain that he would deliver on his promise. “How about you decide? I’ll let you surprise me.”

“Oh, I’m gonna surprise you, baby.”

Butterflies rushed through her belly as he took his eyes off the road long enough to hold her gaze.

Within moments, he took a right onto Main Street. “We’ll make it up as we go along, but it’s a good thing we had a lot of carbs at dinner tonight. We’re definitely going to need them.”

She laughed again as they drove closer to home, more than ready to get crazy with Jagger.

Forty

Grace headed toward the bedroom with a basket of clean laundry on her hip as she ran through her mental to-do list for the upcoming week.

She hadn’t stepped foot in the shop for more than a handful of minutes over the last four days, which she already knew would cause her several headaches in the morning.

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