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She watched him for a long moment, trying not to let herself get distracted by how endearing he was and remember the truth of the situation. When he turned to look at her, she let out a shaky breath and whispered, "I need some time to think."
He masked it quickly, but Grace didn't miss the disappointment in his eyes. He nodded, stepping toward the door. "Of course. Just do me a favor while you're thinking, will you?"
She pursed her lips, waiting.
"Remember that you haven't known me for long, but you doknowme, Grace. It's surprising, yeah, but it's true. And you already know I would never hurt you. You're safe with me."
Heart heavy, she sniffed, nodding once. "Maybe... but I've had a lifetime of intense, complicated feelings thanks to the people I loved most hurting me without even meaning to. And I don't know if I'm ready to sign myself up for more of that."
Tommy's eyes filled with determination. "Even if you already did, but you just won't admit it?"
Grace felt her mouth pop open, but she hadn't consciously done it.
This man is too much.
"One more thing," Tommy said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small box. "I've been carrying this around with me since the beginning, but I just haven't had the nerve to give it to you." Hearing her sharp intake of breath, he lifted a brow with a wry smile. "Easy, tiger. It's not the right shape for an engagement ring. Don't get nervous."
Grace attempted to laugh, but it came out sounding strangled as he handed it over. She started to unwrap the box, but he cleared his throat, and she paused.
"Open it after I leave."
"Why?"
He shrugged, opening the door. "Because I'm pretty sure it won't go over well."
"Then... why even give it to me?"
Pausing just outside the door, one hand on the frame and the other on the doorknob, Tommy sighed. "Because I'm the kinda guy who lays all his cards out, I guess."
"Okay," she said hesitantly, clutching the box. "Thank you for the gift... whatever it is."
"You're welcome," he said, hesitating.
He seemed to be wrestling with whether to say something else, so Grace huffed out a breath. "You might as well lay out the rest of those cards if you're still hanging onto some."
His lips twitched, and he hung his head for a moment. "It's just that... if you're gonna love snowflakes because they're unique, you need to fullyownthat. What we have isn't what your parents had, and it isn't like anything either of us has had before. So, I guess what I'm saying is... you can either embrace that without lumping it in with the things that scare you, or... Well, or you should probably stop loving snowflakes so much."
Grace was stunned into silence by his words, and she could only watch as he left.
Wide-eyed and staring, she waited until the door shut behind him before tearing the wrapping off the box. As she gazed down at the gift nestled in a soft bed of red velvet, a disbelieving laugh—one that may or may not have been a little hysterical—bubbled out of her.
She let her head fall back as her eyes watered.
It was the ornament from the shop. The same one she'd loved, but hadn't purchased because she didn't have a tree to hang it on.
And if Tommy had been carrying it around since the beginning, that meant he might have purchased it that very day. He might have snuck it from the shelf when she wasn't looking, and when he'd bought the gingerbread man for Sofia... he'd also purchased the snowflake for her.
I've been falling for you from the moment I met you, Grace.
His words echoed through her mind, barely audible over the roaring in her ears as she realized he'd been right tonight—about a lot of things.
But was she strong enough to let herself embrace what they meant to each other? Could she stop running from love so she could have that life he said he wanted with her?
If not, that meant she'd probably never stop letting her fears hold her back…
And that right there might be the scariest thought of all.
CHAPTER16
