AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Briggs sets the table with our plates and pours us each tall glasses of orange juice while I watch. Pulling my lip between my teeth, I stifle a grin.
“What’s that look for?” he asks.
I shrug. “This is nice. Breakfast together, living together.”
And it has been. Sharing a space with Briggs has been even better than I imagined, and even though it’s only been a few days, I know that I want this for the long run.
Briggs joins me at the table, and after a quick breakfast, we prepare to leave. His black duffle bag is already by the back door. As he rolls Olive and my bags to the back door, I get her into a clean outfit and ready for the trip.
“Can you tell me now?” I ask, giving him my best impression of puppy dog eyes.
He shakes his head in a firm no. “Get your sweet ass in the car.”
Fine. Ugh. This man is not budging.
Once Olive is settled in her seat, I climb into the passenger seat next to Briggs and he pulls us out onto the highway. I try to pay attention to the street signs to get any indication of where we’re going, and it takes me a solid twenty minutes to realize that we’re leaving Chicago behind, and not in the direction of the airport.
“Are we going to the Brickside? To see Grams?” I ask excitedly.
A grin spreads on his lips. “I wanted to take you back to where it all started, and your grams may have strong armed me into coming up for the weekend, so she could spend time with Olive. I figured it was a chance for you to see her, and for us to have time together. I specifically remember how much you loved when I-”
I lean over and press my fingers against his lips to silence him, all while my cheeks flame with embarrassment.
The mouth on this man. A sin, I tell you.
We get to the Inn just after lunchtime. When we pull into the long, winding driveway to my favorite place, my grams meets us outside, wearing her signature apron and the biggest smile on her face.
I’m so happy I could cry. It’s been months since I was able to come here to visit her.
The second my feet hit the pavement; Grams is at my side.
“My darling girl! I have missed you so.” She pulls me into a tight, warm embrace that feels like home.
Home.
Something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately, even more now that my and Olive’s home is with Briggs.
“Hi Grams. We’ve missed you so much.”
She holds me for a moment longer, then turns back toward Briggs and pulls him into her arms too, further warming my insides.
“Hi there,” she says.
Briggs circles his big arms around her, holding her against him.
“Hi Grams.”
I think back to last night when Briggs and I talked about family being who you choose, and I realize that I hope…Ihope after this trip, and after everything that happens, I hope he still chooses me.
