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Yeah, well. He needed to do exactly that.
* * *
Breathe. She needed to breathe. After several missed attempts, Grace pushed the key into the lock, pushing open the front door to her house and stepping inside. She closed it behind her and leaned against it, tipping her head back and inhaling deeply.
She needed to focus. Think this through.
She knew this day was a possibility. He had family here, after all. Even if he hadn’t spent any time with them in the last god-knew-how-long. Maybe if she’d known before tonight about her Aunt Mia’s diagnosis she could have prepared herself. Her mom had only told her about the lump in Mia’s breast tonight. Non-invasive with a good prognosis, but still, if only she’d known earlier. She’d have guessed he’d be coming home.
What kind of son would he be if he hadn’t flown here to spend time with his mom?
She needed to get it together. Pulling her sneakers off, she shucked the sweater from her shoulders, putting it on the chair to put away later. She’d take a shower and head for bed, then maybe she could think of an excuse not to go to her Aunt Mia’s cookout.
But then there was a knock on the door. More of a slam, really. The sound of a fist connecting with wood in a way that made her shiver.
“Who’s there?”
“Me.”
She would have laughed if there was any humor in it. Grace knew who ‘me’ was, just as she knew that when she opened the door, she’d have to finally face the music. She wasn’t surprised he’d found out where she lived. Hartson’s Creek was a small town and everybody knew everybody else.
“One moment.” She looked at herself in her hall mirror. She loved this house. It belonged to another uncle – Tanner. A real estate mogul in Hartson Creek, he owned a lot of houses. This place had been free when she moved back, and she really hadn’t been wanting to live with her parents.
So here she was. In her own little home, safe and sound.
Or maybe not.
Curling her fingers around the knob, she turned it fast, like ripping off a Band-Aid. He was standing on the doorstep, his dark hair illuminated by her porch light.
“Can I come in?” His voice was low.
For a moment she thought back to thatLost Boysrerun she saw years ago at the local drive-in movie theater. Vampires can only cross the threshold if you give them permission.
Her lips twitched because this was stupid. He wasn’t a vampire. He was a man who rocked her world for one night.
“Sure.” She held the door open, and he stepped inside. His arm brushed hers and it took everything she had not to jump. She’d forgotten how tall he was. How much space he took up.
How her body reacted to him.
This was a small, modern house. He looked out of place here. Too big. Too angry.
Exuding way too much masculinity.
“You didn’t look surprised to find out who I was,” he said, when she finally looked at him.
Grace shook her head. “I already knew who you were.”
“How long have you known?” he asked.
So he was throwing himself right into this. He looked pissed, and she knew he had every right to be. The man wasn’t exactly having the best evening of his life.
“The morning after we spent the night together,” she told him. “I came down to the lobby and saw you talking to my parents. Then my mom messaged and told me you were joining them for breakfast.”
“You didn’t know the night before?” He didn’t look like he believed her.
“No.” She shook her head vehemently. “If I had, I wouldn’t have… we wouldn’t…”Oh God.“I didn’t know.”
“Is that why my calls didn’t connect? Did you block me?” There was no emotion in his voice.
