Page 83 of Falling Into Forever
Poor Grady. He means well, but he needs to learn not to step on momma bear’s toes.
“And sometimes, it’s okay to take a gift,” he grumbles while standing and taking Poppy with him. He rests her on his hip like it’s the most natural thing in the world.
Saylor makes a choked sound next to me, and it expresses everything happening inside my head. Damn it, Grady. Back down! Mayday, mayday, mayday. I try to signal him, but he’s already zeroed in on Lena.
Well, now. That’s—interesting. I haven’t seen Grady pay this much attention to anyone since I’ve been home, and that includes my girl. I quickly look to my left and find the same bewilderment on Saylor’s face.
“I appreciate that,” Lena says through clenched teeth.
Oh, shit. It’s my turn to interrupt.
“Ah, Grady, this is Lena. She greatly appreciates your kindness. Lena, this is Grady. Compromises are hard-fought with him, but you’ll work it out.” I don’t hide the mirth in my tone as they stare at each other.
If looks had a temperature, theirs would be nuclear.
Something haunts Grady’s expression as he studies Poppy’s features.
“My butt wiggle giggles when I faht. Does your butt wiggle giggle when you faht?” she asks.
His nose wrinkles, and Poppy’s entire body shakes with laughter.
Saylor snorts but holds in a laugh. “Why are farts so funny?” she asks, clutching her stomach like it hurts.
Lena’s face is a horrifying shade of red, but it’s my niece who saves us all from having to say anything.
“Gwody? I gots to pee.”
Grady splutters and practically sprints up the stairs to the apartment, with the rest of us scrambling after him.
He opens the apartment door, sets her on her feet, and points across the room to the bathroom. She takes off running, and Lena pushes through, saying, “Excuse me,” and follows Poppy to the restroom.
It’s only been two days since I was here dropping off new linens, so I immediately notice the changes he’s made in here too. Grady finds me taking it all in but cuts me off before I can say anything. “Do not say a word. I needed to update the place anyway. This merely sped up my timeline. Plus,” he says grumpily, “she doesn’t have to do everything herself.”
“No,” I say gently. “But it’s all she’s ever known, so take it easy with the pushy neighbor bit, okay?”
Poppy runs full speed out of the bathroom and attaches herself to Grady’s leg. Lena returns a moment later.
“False alarm. Poppy has a strange fascination with restrooms. I’m still hoping it’s a phase,” Lena says while attempting to detach her little girl, but it only makes Poppy cling harder.
“It’s okay,” Grady says in a low, controlled voice. “I’ll, ah, show you the place.” He reaches into his pocket and produces a key that he quickly shoves into her hand. She pulls back from his touch like a rocket, and Saylor’s smirk practically shines from across the room.
“Yeah, okay. Thank you. Grady.”
He studies her face for a fraction of a second before he goes real estate agent on us and shows them both around the apartment. At this point, I’m not even surprised to find Poppy’s room decorated with ponies and flowers. But again, Grady glares at me, the warning clear: don’t say a word.
Lena is still trying to pry Poppy off Grady, so she misses the entire interaction happening above her head.
I mime zipping my lips shut, but humor must spark in my eyes because he growls. And because Poppy is sitting on his foot and clinging to his leg as he walks through the apartment, she hears it and growls back.
He stops short and looks down at my niece. “Did you growl at me?”
“You’s started it, Gwody.” She shines her magic on him, and the miracle of all miracles happens. Grady Reid smiles.
“I did, didn’t I?” I can’t read his expression, but there’s an unexpected kindness in his tone.
Poppy shrugs, releases his leg, and runs into her room to touch everything, so I stand beside Grady. Lena’s and Saylor’s voices are a low murmur as they walk back into the living room. Appreciation hits me hard as I glance around the apartment. It’s above and beyond anything I ever expected. But that doesn’t mean I won’t rib him a little.
“If I knew that all it takes to get you to smile is to call you Grody, I would have done it a long time ago, but if you tell me your butt wiggle giggles, I’m officially calling us friends.”
