Grace (The Family Simon 5)

He glanced out the kitchen window just as another gust of wind slammed snow and ice against it. “Let’s get you bundled up and you can find out for yourself.”

Dory tapped her toe against the tiled floor. She glanced back to her fridge. She rearranged a few things and then with a sigh, slammed the door shut. “You got food?”

“Only the best damn chili in the state of Michigan.”

Lips pursed, she pushed past him. “We’ll see about that. Grab some buns from the bin on the counter while I gather a few things.”

Ten minutes later Matt had Dory bundled up on the back of his snowmobile and they headed into the darkness. He’d wrapped her up but good, glad to see she had sensible, heavy duty boots and snow gear.

The going was a bit rough. First off it was dark as hell. And with the blowing snow and biting wind, it made finding the trail through the bush difficult. Luckily, he’d run this particular one many times over and he was able to get them back to his place in just under thirty minutes. Even so, by the time he helped Dory off of his sled, his hands were half frozen and he was feeling a bit lightheaded from lack of food.

He helped her up the steps to his porch, surprised to see that the small drifts he’d noticed before he left had been cleared. Grace had been asleep on the sofa and he hadn’t bothered to wake her, but she must have been outside in the last hour or so.

Matt took one step closer and was just about to reach for the door handle when it flew open and slammed back against the wall. Somewhere, something inside his house crashed to the floor—he just hoped it wasn’t the Shane Gallagher painting. Damn thing had cost him a small fortune.

Grace stood there, cheeks rosy, hair all over the place, and a temper lighting up her eyes that was something to see. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, and her hands were fisted at her sides.

She was pissed.

“Where the hell have you been?” she snapped, taking a step forward.

He opened his mouth to answer but she didn’t give him a chance. She took another step forward, out into the elements no less, and thumped him in the chest. It appeared to be her MO when she was upset, and he was damn lucky there was no ice underfoot or he would have ended up on his ass.

“I’ve been alone in this house, looking after your dog and her puppies all day. Do you know how hard it is to carry a full-grown animal outside so that she can you know, do her duty?”

“Her duty?”

“Her duties, Matt! She had to pee, and yes, had a poop as well.”

He tried not to smile, but couldn’t help it. She looked so damn adorable.

“Don’t you dare,” she warned, taking a step back. “I had no idea where you were. It’s like the freaking end of the world out here and you just left me.”

Okay. He felt bad about that. “I…you were sleeping and…”

“Seriously? I was sleeping? What are you? Like five? Real adults have real conversations, and when one of the adults decides to take off for parts unknown, in a freaking blizzard no less, letting the other adult know is usually the responsible thing to do. You left nearly two hours ago.”

“Grace.”

“Two hours Matt.” Her chin trembled and her fists balled again.

He braced himself, pretty sure she was going to hit him again.

“For all I knew, you could have gotten lost or been in an accident or...”

The look in her eyes made him feel like crap. “I’m sorry Grace. I wasn’t thinking.”

“Damn right you weren’t thinking. I should lock you out of your own house or make you sleep in the shed. Who does that?”

“A young man in need of manners is who.” Dory cleared her throat and stepped out from behind him. “But maybe we can discuss this inside? It’s a little cold out here, dear.”

To say that Grace was surprised to see the little woman pop out from behind him would be an understatement.

Her mouth fell open. “Oh,” she stammered, taking a step back into the house. “I didn’t see you there.”

Dory smiled. “I’m glad that you didn’t. I quite enjoyed the show. Been a while since someone has put Mathew in his place.” She turned to Matt and winked. “I like this one.”

Dory sailed past him and when he attempted to speak to Grace, she held up her hand—actually put it in his face—and shook her head. She stomped off after Dory and disappeared down the hall.