Page 116 of Grace on the Rocks

“Are we going to dance, or what?” she asked, wiping her eyes and snatching a powdered cookie off the table.

ChapterThirty

WhenGracehad first stepped outside withDiegoandWesley,Bryan’sheart all but stopped in his chest.Upuntil that moment, he’d been half-afraid he’d misread the situation, misread her book and all she’d shared with him, as well as all the things she hadn’t.

Nervous she might be furious with him for the surprise double quinceañera—for his interference, for askingDiegoto fly out—he had taken the risk anyway, to show her what she’d come to mean to him.Onelook at her in her big brother’s arms, resplendent in the dream dress his auntie had turned into reality, and it was all worth it, especially after a glimpse of her face.

Lùc had made sketches of the dress based on descriptions inGrace’sbook, andDiegohad helped with as many details as he could over hurried text messages as he scrambled to make the trip over fromLA.Thathad been worth it, too.Insome small way, giving the two of them this moment felt like it made up a little bit for missingDiego’swedding all those years ago.

While she and her brother danced,Bryanbusied himself at the dessert table, cutting the cake his sisters had baked to feed the whole town.Ithadn’t been easy to swallow his pride and ask them for help, but all in all, his family had really come through.Maybethey’d been waiting years for him to ask them to.

Returning home with the decorations only to find his grandfather’s worry stone on the counter beside his mess of a speech had felt like a nod of approval from the old man.Bryanshivered, recalling the split second when he thoughtGrandad’sghost must have rescued the stone from the airport and left it on the counter for him to find.

But no.ItwasGracewho had found his worry stone,Gracewho had saved it just as she saved him, just as she was still trying to help, unaware he’d forgotten—actuallyforgotten—his investor was arriving today of all days.Unawareof what the precious stone meant to him.

She tried to slink up next to him, almost impossible in the massive skirt, and she bumped his shoulder. “Prettynice party,MacNeil.”

He wanted to make some witty reply, but all he could do was grin like an idiot.

“Are you going to dance with me, or doIhave to beg?”

Bryan didn’t need to be asked twice.Heswept her up in his arms and attempted a traditional waltz, though he was pretty sure the music was all wrong for it.

“You looked up these steps online, didn’t you?” she teased.

“Guilty.”

“Thank you.”

“It wasWesley’sidea,” he demurred.

“It absolutely wasn’t.”

“No, but she was going to take the heat for me if you hated it.”

“I don’t hate it.Thankyou, truly,” she said again, resting her head against his shoulder as they danced.

What god did he have to pray to, to stay just like this forever?

“Jules seems to be having a nice time,” she said, and he followed her gaze to see the investor dancing together withEòghannandWesley.

“At least they won’t have made a completely wasted trip.”

Grace pulled back and stared up at him. “Wastedfor whom?”

“The town doesn’t want me or my distillery.Theyonly agreed to stop picketing ’causeIoffered them cake.”

“Speak to them.Givethem a chance to surprise you.”

“I’m not going to be the asshole who makes your day about me.”

Grace stopped dancing. “Todaywas always supposed to be about you.Stoptrying to hide your trauma behind mine.”

He stared at her. “That’snot whatI’mdoing.Isit?”

“It’s a good speech,Bryan.Theyneed to hear it and you deserve the chance to speak it.”

He shook his head. “It’sgrand thanks to your changes, onlyIhaven’t had time to memorize it.”

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