AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Ugh.” She toyed with the hair at the nape of his neck. “I don’t want any bad news, but you might as well give it to me fast. And hard. And—”
“Careful.” He pinched her ass. “I’m only giving you the good stuff fast and hard. The bad news is that my father wants to go deep-sea fishing, which means I have to spend a whole day on a boat with him.”
“Okay, that sucks, but the silver lining is that he obviously enjoyed fishing with you today. That’s why he wants an upgrade.”
“Butthatmeans you’ll have to entertain my mother while we’re off hooking salmon.”
She shrugged. “Still not devastating news. We had a good time shopping this morning. Did you know she owned a consignment store after she and your father graduated from college? She’d been a nanny for this wealthy San Francisco family, and when she said she was going to open a shop, the wife gave her a bunch of expensive stuff she was going to throw away. So your mother’s shop gained a reputation for high-end goods, and that was where she started learning about things like antique china and collectibles.”
“Wow.” Grant lifted his eyebrows. “You two get along better than I’d hoped.”
“Underneath her manipulative streak, I think she does mean well.” Rory patted his chest. “I’m sure that what she really wants is for all of you to mend this rift. She just had to find a way to do it that involved a lot of subterfuge.”
“Yeah.” Guilt flashed across his features. “I know something about that.”
“You’re doing everything right.” Rory’s heart twisted, and she stood on tiptoe to kiss him again. “What’s the good news?”
“That to make up for a day of fishing, my father wants to spend the weekend alone with my mother.” He pulled her lower body against his. “And you know what that means for us…”
Rory lifted her hand to stop him from kissing her. “Grant.”
His forehead creased. “What’s wrong?”
“Kind of a long story, but it’s getting around that you and I are an…um, item. Madeline figured it out, and she told Brooke, who told Aria, which means…well, everyone else in town will find out sooner rather than later.”
“So?”
She blinked. “You’re okay with that?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?” He slipped his hands down to cup her ass. “It’s no one’s business, but we’re not trying to hide anything.” He paused, consternation darkening his expression. “Are we?”
“No, but I know you guard your privacy.” She bit her lip. “I’m not really sure how to explain this to my mother and sisters. Obviously, I’m an adult and can do whatever I want, but I don’t want to give them reason to think…”
Her voice trailed off.
“That you intend to stay,” Grant finished.
“God.” She shook her head with a hollow laugh. “I’m sorry. One night together…okay, one night and one morning…and I’m worried my mother will think you and I are serious about each other.”
“Aren’t we?” He curled a lock of her hair around his finger.
Rory’s heart thumped. “Um…I don’t know?”
“Rory.” He cupped her neck, lifting her face to look at him. His eyes were serious but tender. “What I said about you being the only woman who could change my mind about relationships…I meant it. But not for a second do I expect or want you to give up your new job and stay in Bliss Cove because of me. I’d guess that your family wouldn’t expect that either. You’re headstrong, loyal, stubborn as hell, and you do what you say you’re going to do.”
He pressed his lips against her forehead. “Those are just some of the reasons I’ve always liked you. And you don’t need to tie your brilliant mind into knots over this. We’re going to get through the rest of my parents’ visit, and we’re not going to worry about gossip or what anyone else thinks. Because this is about you and me…and sort of Bob, but we’ll deal with him later.”
Rory smiled, the tension easing from her shoulders. “That sounds easy enough.”
“It is easy.” The late-afternoon sunlight glinted gold in his eyes. Rory wanted to lose herself in them. Maybe she already had.
As they returned to the tavern, she remembered something her mother had once said in response to a question from Aria.
“Before you married Dad, how did you know he was The One?” Aria had asked.
“It was easy,” Eleanor had replied matter-of-factly. “If it’s right, it’s easy.”
So if it was easy…then it must also be right.
