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“I didn’t know how. I wasn’t sure how you’d take the news. It seemed easier to stay there and get a sense for who you are first, and then after your problems started, I could never get you alone to talk in private.”
That, I could understand. We’d done as much as we could to make sure I was always with someone. I hadn’t anticipated that he might want to see me privately for a legitimate reason.
“Will you try to find my parents to meet them?” I asked, then corrected myself. “Ourparents, assuming you’re right.”
“Maybe one day, but not now.” He shrugged. “For whatever reason—perhaps they weren’t ready, or maybe it was something else—they chose not to have me in their life. You never got that choice, so I’m more interested in you.” He gave me a shy smile. “I know I haven’t made the best first impression, but I’d like to get to know you better if you’re interested.”
“I’d like that too.” A thought occurred to me. “Oh, we’ll have to tell Desdemona as well. She’d be thrilled to welcome you to the family.”
His smile relaxed. “She seems like a character.”
“She is.” I maneuvered myself into a better position and faced him. “I’d love to hear more about your adoptive parents. Hopefully, they were more nurturing than our birth parents.”
59
NATE
Grace dozedas we drove back to Destiny Falls. She’d been discharged from hospital this morning, but she needed plenty of rest and more time to heal. Ever since I’d picked her up, I’d been trying to figure out how to ask her to move in with me. I wanted to be able to look after her properly, which would be easier if she shared my home. Besides, we were engaged now, so it would make sense to live together.
Still, I knew she was proud of her own home and rental cottages. She’d bought the property while she’d been in college, with a little help from Desdemona, who she’d long since paid back. She’d put a lot of care into them and might not want to leave. If that was the case, I’d gladly move in with her, but I didn’t want to just invite myself to do so.
As we passed the turnoff road to Destiny Peak Ski Field, Grace’s eyelashes fluttered open. She made a sleepy sound and stretched, then winced.
“I keep forgetting,” she said. “Ouch.”
“It won’t be forever,” I assured her. “You’ll feel better before you know it.”
Especially if she allowed me to coddle her.
She gazed out the window, admiring the view of the snowy mountain. “You’re taking me to your place, right?”
I glanced at her, surprised. I’d assumed we were going to her place. I’d even hired a cleanup crew after the crime scene team had finished there to make sure it was presentable.
“Uh, why?”
She turned to face me, wearing a breathtaking smile. “I finally have you. Why would I want to be without you?”
I tilted my head in acknowledgment. The lady had a point. “My place it is, then.”
“I’d like that.” Her smile grew sad. “With everything that’s happened at mine, I think I need some distance from it until the memories fade. Between everything Alice did and what happened to Kennedy, it feels like there’s a lot of bad energy there. I know I sound like Desdemona, but maybe there’s some truth to what she says.”
I reached across the space between us and clasped her hand. “You’re welcome to stay with Tess and me for as long as you like. If you eventually want to return home, we’ll come with you, if you’re open to that.”
“I am.” Her eyes twinkled, the green flecks brightening with excitement. “We’re moving in together.”
I laughed. “Damn right, we are. And not a moment too soon.”
She bit her lip. “By the way, I might have called Summer and asked her to gather the family at your place. I want to see everyone, and I figured it could be an impromptu housewarming if you said yes.”
I laughed again, my heart lighter than it had been in ages. “That’s absolutely perfect. I love you, Grace Smith.”
“I love you too, Nate Braddock. Every day of my life.”
60
GRACE
I wastired and achy but had no regrets as we pulled up opposite Nate’s house and saw several other vehicles already there. My heart was whole. A little bruised by Alice’s betrayal, but full of love for the kind, caring people who’d shown up for me. My family, both those by blood and by choice. As I got out of the car, the front door opened, and Heather raced toward us.
