Page 84 of Falling Into Forever
“She didn’t say Grody. She said Gwody. It’s different.”
“Sure it is, pal. Sure it is.” I clap him on the back, and he turns, trying to shrug me off. “Thank you, Grady, for all of this. Whatever ghosts forced your hand, I appreciate that you made the effort more than you could know. I owe you one.”
He brushes past me in the hallway. “Don’t hurt Sassy, and we’ll call it even.”
It’s not, but I’ll file his favor away for another time. Something tells me he’ll need it at some point.
He pauses in the hall but doesn’t turn back to me, and I can tell he’s trying not to laugh when his shoulders shake. “Everyone’s butt wiggle giggles. I’ve just never heard it put quite that way.”
My unexpected bark of laughter fills the space between us. “My new goal in life is to get you to say your butt wiggle giggles as often as I can.”
A growl vibrates in his chest, then he stalks off, but I’m happier than I’ve been in a very long time. This is family.
With one last kiss to the top of Poppy’s head, I join the adults in the family room.
Grady is explaining how the alarm system works, and I drop my hands to my hips because that’s definitely been upgraded since I stopped by the other day.
What are you hiding, Grady Reid?
By the time he leaves, Lena’s exhausted, so I quickly check the fridge to make a list for the store, but it and the cabinets are already fully stocked. Fucking Grady.
“Are you okay?” I ask. Lena’s a little shell-shocked, and even Saylor is showing concern on her face.
“Yeah, thank you, both. I didn’t mean to sound ungrateful. It’s just. And I…”
“Shh, it’s okay,” I say gently, pulling her in for a hug.
“I’m so tired, Dante. Bone-crushingly tired.”
Guilt gnaws at my throat. “You’ve been through a lot, Lena. But you’ve got us. Let us help, okay?”
She nods, then pulls away.
“We’ll let you get to bed,” Saylor says. “But I saw Grady left his number by the toaster, so I wrote mine down, too.”
“If you need anything, call us,” I say. “We’ll come by in the morning to get whatever else you’ll need.”
“And, um, Lena?” Saylor shifts her weight from foot to foot, and her voice wobbles a little. “Grady might be gruff and pushy, but he’s one of the best men I’ve ever known. You will be safe here.”
Lena nods thoughtfully. “I’m not used to being in someone else’s care.”
Saylor’s gaze cuts to me. “Neither am I, Lena, but I’m—trying.”
Lena charges Saylor and wraps her in a hug, but she stands like a statue, and when she can’t take the affection anymore, she pulls away and shakes a shiver from her body.
I hug Lena too, and then we wait outside to hear the lock engage. When it does, I follow Saylor down the stairs. “How come she got sweet Saylor, and I get Oscar?”
My girl stops at the bottom of the stairs wearing a haughty grin. “You said you wanted to get to know me again. All the pieces of me, right?”
“I did say that, didn’t I?” I ask, stepping into her space.
“You did, so you get all of me, Dante.” Her smile falters. “If you can’t handle that, tell me now.”
I sweep her into my arms and carry her to the car. “Oh, I can handle it, Oscar. And I will. Over…” My lips touch the shell of her ear. “And over and over again.”
“You can make anything sound dirty, can’t you?”
I wiggle my brows. “Jealous?”
