"I don't think it." Grandma patted my hand and started walking away. "I know it. So what are you going to do? Are you going to risk it all for him? Or are you going to walk away from an opportunity to do the one thing that fairytale books don't teach."
"What?"
"Fight for your man."
"I thought he was supposed to fight for me?"
"How can he when you won't even show up for the battle?"
My eyes narrowed as Grandma sauntered off toward the crowd. I wiped my tears, pinched my cheeks, and followed. Jace lifted his head and gave me a breathtaking smile. With the ocean crashing behind him, he looked like some sort of Greek god on vacation. Smile still in place, he stalked toward me, his muscles glistening in the sun.
"Holy Thor," I whispered. "I'm going out guns blazing." I smiled to myself. Good Thor, I'm going out with a fight.
The number of steps I took? Three.
The number of seconds I waited before my lips touched his? Two.
The amount of time it took for Thor, god of Thunder to respond? One.
I wrapped my arms around his neck and held on for dear life as he lifted me in the air and twirled me around.
"What was that for?" He set me down, his blue eyes sparkling.
"My fairytale isn't over yet." I kissed his mouth again.
"Who said it was?"
I shrugged.
His forehead touched mine. "I gave my word. I don't go back on my word."
"I know that now."
"I'm sorry about… everything. I'll find a way to fix it. I swear."
"Even if you don't." I shrugged. "The fun's in the adventure, right?"
"Right." He cupped my face and kissed me lightly across the lips. "But you deserve more."
"I have more," I answered honestly. "And it's time you realized you can have more too."
With a deep breath, I took a step around him and joined everyone else for drinks, wondering how in the heck I was going to survive another three days without getting my heart broken. Because after making the decision I've made, I was going to fight until I couldn't fight anymore. And if he still walked away in the end, I would let him.
Chapter Twenty-seven
"Interesting logic. Trickery and then seeds of wisdom." The agent nodded thoughtfully.
"Well, I'm not so bad." Grandma shook her head. "Had I set them to their own devices, they would have taken years to get together. Now look at them."
"Right. Look at them. Both missing."
"I didn't say I had all the kinks worked out. I am eighty-six."
"So you keep saying."
Jace
"I'm going to hell."