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At the moment life was good. Such as it was.
So here she was a week after basically moving in to Matt’s home, and she had no idea what she was doing—what they were doing. So when her mother called out of the blue, she found it hard to answer her questions. To be fair, her mother didn’t say one thing about the fact that her daughter was still in Michigan—and for that Grace was grateful. But still, to be discussing Thanksgiving when she had no clue what her plans were, was not exactly a comfortable conversation.
“The entire family will be up north, Grace. Even your cousin Cooper is gracing us with his presence.”
“Coop?” Grace smiled at the mention of his name. “What’s he done now?” It was a known fact that Cooper Atticus Simon only came up north to escape something or someone.
Her mother sighed and Grace settled onto the large round seat in the family room. Rosie’s smallest pup was on her lap and she stroked the little guy’s head, eyes on the large floor-to-ceiling window where she could see Matt outside chatting with a potential client.
The sight of him still had the power to send her body for a loop, and Grace’s chest tightened while her heart took off like a rocket. Dressed casually in jeans, boots, and a thick, navy blue turtleneck sweater, Matt took her breath away. He was just so big and masculine and…
He smiled at something the potential client said, and even from in here, nearly twenty feet away. she felt its potency.
“Grace!” Her mother’s voice was sharp and she snapped her eyes back to the pupp
y.
“Sorry? What was that?”
There was a long pause and she knew that her mother was annoyed. “We were discussing your cousin.”
“Right. What did he do this time?”
“I don’t know and I’m pretty sure that I don’t want to know, although no doubt it involves a woman. His mother is in a state and that’s enough for me.”
There was a pause, a long uncomfortable pause, in which time Grace searched her mind for something intelligent or entertaining to say. Kind of hard to do when all she really wanted was for Matt to march his butt into the house and have his way with her.
“So about Thanksgiving.” Her mother really was like a dog after a bone. “I need an answer so that I can plan accordingly.”
That was bull and Grace knew it. Their lake house in Canada could accommodate a small army, and besides, her brother Teague lived up there in a big house with lots of room.
“I’m just not sure yet,” she finally admitted, wincing as she awaited her mother’s response. Thanksgiving was a big deal in the Simon family and anyone missing it better have a damn good excuse.
Another pause.
“Are you planning on spending the holidays with Matt?” Her mother’s voice was sugar sweet, but Grace wasn’t fooled. And hearing her ask the question, the same one she’d been asking herself for the last few days—the same one she couldn’t bring herself to ask Matt—did nothing for Grace’s state of mind.
“Why are you grilling me?” she snapped. “Jesus, I’m a grown woman, not a child. And really, Mom, it’s just a turkey dinner. What does it matter if I’m there or not?”
Shit. Grace clapped her hand over her mouth, instantly filled with regret. She was just about to apologize when her mother spoke and this time Eden Simon didn’t bother to hide her displeasure. It was enough to make Grace feel like a naughty child, and rightly so.
“First of all, you will not use that kind of language or that tone when speaking to me.”
“Mom, I—“
“You also will not interrupt me, Grace Bluebell Simon.”
Grace squeezed her eyes shut and held the puppy close. How had she managed to screw up a simple conversation?
“Will you or will you not be spending the holidays with your family? That’s all I want to know, Grace. That’s not grilling. That’s a mother wanting to know if she’ll see her children.”
Okay. The guilt was pretty bad. It clogged her throat and made for another uncomfortable silence. What did she say to that?
“I’m sorry,” Grace whispered. “I…I just…”
“I take it you and Mathew haven’t discussed Thanksgiving as of yet.” Of course her mother would get to the heart of the matter.
“No,” she replied slowly. “We haven’t really talked about anything like that.”
