Page 70 of Saving Grace

He sinks to his seat and swallows his drink down like a man dying of thirst. Everyone stares at him, some faces confused, a few with goofy smiles. Reed’s, mostly.

First mate?

I don’t get it. What’d I miss?

“To Mack’s saving grace!” Reed quips. “Punabsolutelyintended.” A megawatt smile stretches his face. Ruby side-hugs his arm, her face strained to stem emotion.

Louisa stares at me, wonder claiming her face.

Harry smiles over his drink with an all-knowing look before he picks up the dish in front of him and passes it to Ruby. When nobody speaks, Reed salutes me and plucks the next dish before piling food onto his plate. Dishes circulate, food covers each plate, and Ruby swipes up a small remote, pointing it to the back porch.

Country music begins to play, and chatter starts up.

I take up my cutlery, my mouth watering at the amazing looking meal. Cheryl sits in the center of the table, already half gone. Poor girl. I guess it was always her fate. There’s a bowl of pasta with some kind of red marinara sauce that Ruby is devouring. A salad that Addy brought and Hudson is shoveling onto his fork.

I load up a forkful of the potato dish and some salad. Flavor explodes in my mouth, and I stifle a groan. Wow. This family really knows their food. Oh my... This is divine.

Woodsy caramel closes in. I open my eyes and Mack is leaning close. “Happy birthday, Gracie,” he whispers. I smile at him, letting the warmth that floods my chest with his gorgeous smile take me under. I don’t even care if everyone can see whatever it is that hangs between Mack and me.

We finish the mains and Hudson and Reed collect the plates and head inside to grab more drinks. Louisa follows.

I push to stand.

“Stay put, Grace—there’s dessert,” Addy says.

“Oh, how am I supposed to fit another bite in?”

Lawson leans forward. “Trust me, you’ll manage when you taste Ma’s?—”

Addy slaps him, hard.

“Jesus, Adds. Ashushwould have done. Vicious woman.”

“Not our Addy.” Harry laughs.

“Pretty sure you’re thinking of me, Laws.” Ruby gives him a sly expression followed by raised brows. Lawson holds his hands up in adon’t shootpose.

This family is incredible. Sometimes I can’t believe I got so lucky as to end up here. It makes me wonder if I will ever find this again. If I move on, what would I find? I’m guessing my odds of finding a man like Mack and a family like his would be slim to none.

“Hap-py bir-th-day,” Harry starts singing in a low melody, “to you.” The rest of the table joins in as Hudson and Reed return. Reed is holding bowls and spoons, and Hudson holds the tallest, most decadent layered chocolate cake I have ever seen with sparklers blazing. The song continues and Mack stands and moves behind me. Hudson sets the cake in front of me. A21.5is piped onto the top with hearts of white chocolate adorning the circumference. I slap a hand over my mouth.

Mack leans down and whispers against my ear. “Make a wish, gorgeous girl.”

“I don’t think I can blow out sparklers.”

He raises a brow, so close. Every set of eyes is homed onto us. My face flushes.

“Grace, ask for what you want. I promise I’ll do my best to make it happen.”

I turn to face the sparklers. Their glittering bursts fill my vision, and it blurs a little. Warm hands rest on my shoulders. I grip them both with mine and close my eyes. I make my wish. One I would do anything to have come true.

After the last six months, it’s all I want.

Opening my eyes, I tilt my gaze up at Mackinlay. “Done.”

Louisa hands me a large knife.

“You hit the bottom, you kiss the nearest boy,” Reed hollers, hands cupping his mouth.

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