Page 137 of Always Been Yours

Knox is already there with his family, along with both of my brothers. The team captain Jeremy and Lexi’s brother Johnny were handling the dart booth for the team, allowing the coaches to walk around and check on things throughout the night. So, this is the first time I’ve seen them since the event started.

I slip between my brothers and wrap an arm around each of their waists. “Thank you,” I whisper and lean my head on Asher. “This means everything to me.” I make eye contact with Knox, so he knows my appreciation extends to him as well.

“We were happy to help, Viv,” Knox amends.

“Still,” I breathe, a little watery from my growing emotions.

Hudson places a kiss on my head before both of my brothersdisentangle from my clutch, but Grady slips right in to hold me close again.

“I need you to stay right here,” he leans down to murmur into my ear.

Turning my head into his chest, I nod and take a big whiff of his musky amber scent I’ve missed. We stay there with my siblings and friends until Daisy and Matty both won a cake, then we move to Santa as a group—where we find Blake and our moms. And the rest of the evening goes similar to that. We make our way from booth to booth as a group, sometimes breaking a part—but never me from Grady and the girls—and always make our way back to each other.

When it’s time for me to take my shift at the photo booth, Grady insists on coming with me after Knox assures us that he’ll take over with the baseball team for the remainder of the evening. We offer to let the girls go with Blake, but neither of them seems ready to let me out of their sights just like their father.

And after almost two weeks of the horrible distance between us four, I only want to be here with them.

By the time we got to Grady’s house, it was almost midnight. We tried to get the girls to go with Selena while we cleaned up but neither of them was having it. Daisy even started to cry, though I think that had more to do with exhaustion by that point.

We stopped by my house so I could grab their gifts and bring Cinnamon and Vanilla with us. After onesmallpiece of the funfetti cake Daisy won, the girls are now in their own beds, eachwith one of my cats curled up to keep them company. I even went to tuck them in with Grady for the first time. Daisy told me that he doesn’t dosnug as a bug in a rugnearly as well as me. As if that wasn’t one of the best compliments I’ve ever gotten.

Grady’s standing next to me in his bathroom as we brush our teeth. Even though his arm is resting along my shoulders, we keep making googly eyes at each other through the mirror like two kids with a schoolyard crush. We’ve been mostly quiet since getting home, both content to be in each other’s presence again. I can’t speak for Grady, but I’m feeling more relaxed than I have in weeks.

When we’re finished, I let Grady guide me to my side of the bed and he already has it set up with the extra charger, glass of water and a hair tie waiting. Once we’re settled next to each other, I turn so he has full access to my long, wavy locks and he instantly starts to work the knots out.

I can feel myself drifting off to sleep when Grady lazily starts to place soft kisses along the exposed skin of my neck and shoulders as he finishes off the braid. I lean back into him, letting his safe arms and warmth wrap around me.

“Grady…”

“Hmm?” He hums in between kisses.

“I don’t want you to think Idon’twant this because I do… I just—I’m so tired,“ I admit, taking a shaky breath.

His hand wraps around my jaw and tilts me to look at him. “Have you been sleeping?”

I shake my head truthfully. “Not very well… and I’m just so tired, Grady.”

His eyes redden but he holds me tighter and settles us on the mattress. My legs tangle around his and my hand lazily strokes over every bare inch of him. “All that matters is you being here, in my arms and my bed. Everything else can wait.” I nodagainst his chest and let my eyes close, already feeling sleep wash over me. “Get some rest, baby. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

“Mm, I love you,” I mumble sleepily.

“I love you so much, Genevieve.”

Chapter Fifty-One

Grady

Waking up to Vivi’s familiar vanilla berry scent and soft curves wrapped around me, feels like I’m in heaven. Even though I know we aren’t there yet—and my daughters definitely aren’t either—I know without a doubt that this is what I eventually want every day.

But I know I still owe her a conversation first.

So I lay back and enjoy the feeling of her body tangled with mine while she sleeps a bit longer. I’m careful to not wake her up as I pull her closer, needing the physical contact I always crave from her. Yesterday was a long day for both us but from what Vivi said last night, I know that anxiety of the last week and half has been weighing heavily on her.

I never want to be the reason she can’t sleep again.

I want to be the person who calms her mind and heart, that gives her a space to always feel safe and loved.

Closing my eyes, I listen to the sound of her breathing and the low hum of the neighborhood waking up outside my window. At some point, I must have fallen back asleep because I wake to featherlight touches along my chest. Glancing down, I see Vivi watchingher fingers make patterns that feel like words but I can’t distinguish what she’s trying to write along my heart.

---