Page 65 of The Sugar Maple Inn

“Thank you,” she said quietly.

Something softened in his expression. “You’re welcome.”

He settled in the chair across from her with his own plate, and they ate in comfortable silence. The food was good: perfectly cooked eggs, crispy bacon, toast with actual butter. Grace couldn’t remember the last time she’d had breakfast that wasn’t grabbed standing up between shifts.

“So,” Reese said eventually. “About last night.”

Grace’s fork stopped halfway to her mouth. “Yeah. I guess we should talk about it in the clear light of day. Look, I—”

A voice echoed up from outside then, through the window Reese had cracked open slightly. Loud and booming. Unmistakably Abe.

“Hello up there! Everyone alive?”

Grace and Reese looked at each other.

“We’re fine!” Grace called back, trying to sound like she wasn’t sitting next to her competitor wearing only a blanket, a nightgown and the afterglow of the best orgasm of her life.

“You’ve seen the fog?” Abe continued. “Thick as soup out here. No chance any boat or chopper’s gonna be risking lake nor sky. Your rescue might be delayed even more.”

“Oh no,” Reese said, his voice absolutely dripping with mock disappointment. His eyes found Grace’s. “What a tragedy.”

Heat bloomed in her stomach. Spread outward.

Damn him and that look.

“Mom?” Another voice. Zach’s. “You all right?”

Oh God. Her son was out there and she was up here and—

“I’m fine, baby!” Grace called out, forcing brightness into her voice as she walked to the window and looked out at him. He was standing there with Abe, his hair all mussy. “Totally fine! Have you had breakfast?” she called down.

“Margaret made pancakes,” Zach called back. “They were so good. Better than yours, actually.”

“Hey!”

“Just being honest.” She could just about see his grin. “Love you, Mom.”

Grace turned and mouthed a wow to Reese. He smiled.

“Love you too, sweetheart,” she called back.

“There are board games in the cupboard if you need some entertainment,” Abe called up. “Wood for the fire too, along with extra sweaters and blankets. Might get colder later. You two just…stay warm.” A pause. Then, with unmistakable amusement: “And Grace? Reese? Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do. Now come on, boy, let’s find you that sword my grandad used to show us.”

Grace watched as they walked back into the inn, then she came back and sat down, dropping her head into her hands. “Oh my God.”

“Abe knows,” Reese said.

“Of course he knows! Everyone probably knows! Was I loud when…you know?”

Reese laughed. “They wouldn’t have heard, Grace. But even if they had, does it matter?”

Grace looked up at him. At this man who’d made her breakfast and held her hand and looked at her like she was worth something. At this impossible, complicated situation that was only getting more impossible by the minute.

“To my son it might,” she said quietly.

“Grace.” Reese cupped her face, made her look at him. “You’re a solid mom. Best I’ve seen, next to mine anyway. Don’t beat yourself up for having a night that was just yours.”

“But—”