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Tess swallowed the stupid words and kissed him, her heart breaking apart and knitting back together at the sheer rightness of this man kissing away her fears.
Pulling away slightly, he smiled at her. “You can shut up now.”
“Is that all you have to say?”
“No, I got tons to say, but I’m only going to say two key things. Are you ready?”
She nodded.
“First, tonight we are going to have a real date. I’m going to take you out for a nice dinner, we’re going to drink wine, maybe dance beneath the stars then go to your place and make love until the sun comes up.”
“Sounds good,” Tess said. “But I need to remind you, I have a new job to start tomorrow.”
“Sleeping with the boss has benefits,” he joked, before becoming serious. “I’m not really your boss, you know.”
“I know. You’re my partner. My dad ordered you up for me. I just didn’t realize it.”
Graham kissed her hard and fast.
“Now, two.” He held up two fingers, making sure she focused on him.
“I’m listening.”
“Therese Ullo, I want to spend the rest of my life loving you. I’m not talking about a fling. I’m talking about forever. My partner in every way. I love you.”
Tess’s heart burst, and she tried not to cry because she didn’t want to mess up her makeup. It really looked good for once. Sweeping her bottom lash with a finger, she stopped the tear from falling. “You do?”
Graham grasped her face between both hands and kissed her before looking deep into her eyes. “You make me crazy, but I love it. This is a forever thing.”
Tess smiled. “You don’t know how good that sounds.”
“You don’t know how good it feels.”
They smiled at one another, laughing as they heard Ron tell someone how he’d brought them together one rainy night months ago. And how he totally knew they were meant to be when he saw them together. And about how he was certain his daughter would be just old enough to be a flower girl when they wed.
“He’s got plans for us,” Tess said.
“They sound like good ones,” Graham said. And then she kissed her forever guy again.
Three months later
GRAHAMPROPPEDHISFOOTon the ottoman holding a stack ofGlamourmagazines and moved his arm so it wouldn’t go numb. Tess sighed in her sleep and shifted so her head dropped into his lap.
Her tear-streaked face was slack and peaceful in the late afternoon sun streaking in the loft windows. Across the room Emily, also asleep, curled in an armchair with her new kitten’s head tucked against her.
Frank’s funeral had been held earlier, and they were all worn out from the grief. Frank had passed peacefully three days ago with the family gathered around him—a family that now included Graham. Tess’s father had been at home and in good spirits, his hospice nurse close by, rolling her eyes at Frank’s bad jokes and monitoring his pain.
At one point when everyone had gone to the kitchen for tea and cookies or whatever else Maggie had baked, Graham borrowed a moment alone with Frank.
“Frank, can I talk to you a sec?”
“Quick. That’s all I got,” Frank cracked, gaunt and pale in his bed, but smiling nevertheless.
“Bad joke.”
“I’m full of ’em,” he said. “Is this about business? ’Cause if it is, I want you to know I trust you.”
“No, it’s about Tess.” Graham swallowed the sudden tears that pricked in his eyes. “I wanted to ask your permission to marry your daughter.”
