“Clearly he won the bet. What did he do to make you laugh?”
“He said, ‘Kyle! Hurry up and grab my pussy!’” She giggles. Her hair isn’t as long now. Her earrings are usually hoops instead of diamond studs like in the picture, and her freckles aren’t as widespread, but the smile is the same, and her eyes nearly close when she can’t control her laughter.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Her hand flies to her mouth, eyes wide. “Um … sweetie? Are you two … uh … done?”
Gracelyn grabs her watch off the dresser. “Oh my god … it’s almost midnight.”
“We were thinking about turning in. Gabe is asleep.”
“Go!” she whisper yells, pointing to the door.
I silently chuckle and hold up the photo and mouth, “Dibs.”
She rolls her eyes and pushes me to the balcony door. I step out, but before she can close the door, I reach back inside, grabbing the back of her head and pulling her to me for one last kiss.
“You and your stolen kisses.”
“Night.” I turn and make it down two steps.
“Nate?”
I turn.
Her smile is gone. Time for more bad news, a heavy dose of Gracelyn reality check. “Tonight was …” Her forehead wrinkles as she fights for the words. “It’s just going to get harder …” She dances around the actual words.
I nod. “Tonight was the last time.”
She ghosts her fingertips over her lips and nods.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Gracelyn
I open the bedroom door with a deep cringe resting on my face. “I am so sorry.”
“He didn’t have to leave out the balcony door.”
I grin, turning to retrieve a nightshirt from my dresser. “Yes. He did. I feel so bad for missing the fireworks. Are his parents mad? Morgan? Mr. Hans? Gah! We just ditched the party. We just had a lot to talk about.”
“Talk huh?”
My cheeks bloom crimson. “Yes. We talked.”
Mom glances in the bathroom with towels on the floor and probably some sand too. “Is he a good talker?”
“Night, Mom. Maybe get Dad off the sofa so I can turn in too.” I slip into Gabe’s bathroom and shut the door after grinning at my dad conked out on the sofa, snoring.
After brushing my teeth, I sneak into Gabe’s room, slide his blankets up a few inches, and press my lips to his head. “Love you,” I whisper without waking him. Then I make up my temporary bed on the sofa and fall asleep with a smile on my face and an aching heart in my chest. It’s a healthy balance.
The next few days fly by with me working and my parents spoiling Gabe with attention, new games for his PS4, and all kinds of baked goods. I don’t find time alone with Nate again. Even after our parents go home, we manage to avoid each other with the exception of small talk with the kids in the same room or out on the deck sipping iced tea with Mr. Hans.
It just … hurts too much.
Days pass and I can’t slow them down.
By moving week—things start to get real. Morgan doesn’t spend as much time playing with Gabe because she’s packing and helping Nate clean the house.
“Are you going to miss Morgan?” I ask Gabe while we eat breakfast with Mr. Hans at the kitchen table.
Gabe shrugs. “I don’t know.”
No means no. I’m pretty sure “I don’t know” means yes, but he sure as hell won’t ever admit it.
“Well, I’m going to miss them. Present company excluded, they have been my favorite renters. Kind of felt like extended family,” Mr. Hans says.
After a small nod, I sip my coffee as he eyes me. He’s been eyeing me for the past week. I know he’s figuring out what to say. There’s really nothing to say.
In just over two months, a stranger and his daughter crawled into our lives and left a permanent mark on all of us. We made each other smile, laugh, and cry. We shared good food, endless days of playing on the beach, and drinking lemonade on the deck at sunset.
“Well …” I blow out a long breath; it’s insane how many times a day I have to remind myself to just breathe. I haven’t had to do that since Brandon died. “I need to get to work. Are you going to Tyler’s or are you old man sitting?”
Mr. Hans winks at Gabe.
Gabe grins. “Better keep an eye on the old man. And I might see if Morgan needs help.”
I knew it. He’s going to miss her too.
I stand and carry my plate and cup to the dishwasher. “You know what a good going away gift would be for Morgan?”
“What?” Gabe asks.
“You should follow her on TikTok.”
Gabe frowns. It’s not a no. It’s a frown. I shrug and head upstairs, letting him mull that over for a while.
It ends up being a crazy day at work after Jennifer calls in sick. No one else is available to fill in, so I just buckle down and keep working. My last client cancels, so I take a long sigh as I seat my last one for the day. I’m hungry and a little dehydrated.