Page 48 of Keeping Katie

Wrapping his hand around the back of my neck, he gives me a light squeeze. “It’s all going to be okay. Let’s go slow. We’re going to be great together.”

“Okay.”

“Good girl.” He closes the front door behind us, and the light click of the lock settles me.

I’m not sure what I was expecting Grady’s home to look like. I guess I didn’t think about it too much, but as I look around atthe soft gray walls and muted décor, it feels perfect for him. He leads me down a hall, and we pass a set of stairs.

“Upstairs, there’s an entertainment room, several guest rooms, a couple of linen closets and bathrooms, and an empty room that you can turn into whatever you want. Our bedroom is down here, along with the library and a couple of offices. And, of course, the kitchen and living room.”

I nod and glance at the pictures hanging on the walls. All of them look to be of Ireland. When I come to a photo of four people, I stop. A man and a woman have their arms around two young boys, smiling like they’re all so happy just to be together. It’s beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time.

“That’s my parents and my brother. It was taken only a few days before they were killed.” His voice comes from right behind me. I lean into him, finding comfort in the warmth of his body.

“I’m so sorry, Daddy,” I whisper as tears fill my eyes.

I’m not sure if I’ll ever be able to think about what Grady went through without feeling the overwhelming urge to cry. It’s amazing that he turned out to be so wonderful and kind.

He slides an arm around me and pulls me back so his chin rests on top of my head. “Thank you, baby. I’ve had a hole in my heart for a long time, but now I feel like you’re filling it and making me whole again.”

Wow. I could say the exact same thing about him. It felt like the moment I met him, my world was right again.

“Come on, I want to show you the rest of the house.” He holds out his hand and leads me into a huge, open living room and kitchen. The granite countertop sparkles under the black metal chandelier that’s hung over the large island. Sheesh. The kitchen is a baker’s dream come true.

“Your house is gorgeous. It’s so comfortable and homey. I love it.” I turn in a circle, taking everything in, and when I face him again, he grins.

“It’s yours too, baby girl.”

My heart flutters, and a flush rises to my cheeks.

He takes my purse and small backpack, setting them on the counter. “My realtor is going to meet you at your parents’ house tomorrow morning. She’s already done a drive-by of the place and thinks she knows a buyer who would be interested.”

Relief floods me. Oh my God. That would be a huge weight off my shoulders. But…

“Really? I haven’t gotten everything done to get it ready, though.”

He shakes his head. “She said the list that asshole gave you is a bunch of bullshit. She’ll walk through with you tomorrow and tell you what she thinks.”

My lips tremble, and my tummy twists in the best way possible. If I get one more collection call from the insurance company before I have a resolution for them, I might have a full-on breakdown.

“Thank you,” I say, my voice wobbly.

I’m not sure what I did to deserve a man like Grady, but I’m not going to keep questioning it.

“You’re welcome. If you’d like me to be there with you, I’m happy to go.”

I quickly shake my head. “No. Thank you. I need to do this myself. It’s the closure I think I need.”

He keeps his gaze on me, studying me for several seconds before he nods. “Okay, baby. But I’m here if you need me. It doesn’t matter what I’m doing; I’ll drop everything and come.”

Unable to resist, I fling my arms around his waist and let out a huge sigh. “You’re the best man,” I murmur into his chest.

Chuckling, he wraps me up in his embrace and squeezes. “We’ll see if you’re still saying that after I punish you for disobeying me.”

My butt tingles, and I take a quick step back. “But I didn’t do it on purpose.”

He moves closer, and I take another step away.

“It doesn’t matter. I gave you explicit instructions, and you didn’t listen.”

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