Chapter 30

Leo

“Are you sure you don’t want anything to remember her by? What about this?” I ask, holding up a gold-plated necklace with a leaf-shaped pendant dangling from it.

“Nope. Nothing. Everything goes,” Grace says without even glancing up.

She is sitting on the floor of her mother’s bedroom, going through the bags that had been stuffed underneath the bed.

We’ve been staying in the bedroom the past three nights. Grace wanted to be near her sister and the kids to give them as much support as possible.

The funeral was yesterday, so Grace decided that today is a good day to clear out her mother’s bedroom. She knows it’s really soon after the death to do that, but it’ll be one less thing for Charity to have to do after we leave.

Plus, Brandon can move back into the room. It was his old bedroom before his grandmother moved in with them, forcing him to share the cramped room with his two sisters.

I lay the necklace into the box of jewelry that’s destined for the Salvation Army. Most of her clothes from the dresser and closet have already been stuffed in two trash bags for donation, although there is another entire trash bag full of clothes Grace deemed unworthy of anything other than the dump.

“What if I take Brandon down to the store and buy some paint? I can paint this room before we go,” I say, rummaging through the mother’s jewelry box for anything else good enough to donate.

Grace stands, and wipes her hands on her thighs. “I’m sick of doing this, I’m just going to put the rest of the stuff straight in the trash. And then I don’t have to open any more bags from under the bed. I’m terrified of what I’m going to find. The last thing I need to see is my mother’s sex toys.”

“Go for it. I say we’re done here. Anything else can be chucked out.”

She smiles at me and closes the distance between us. I abandon the jewelry box and pull her against me. It’s been a draining week for everyone.

“Painting the room is a great idea. I want to help Charity as much as possible before we go. You been so helpful and supportive the past few days, I can’t thank you enough.”

“Of course I’m going to help the two of you,” I say and kiss the top of her head. I let my lips linger and inhale her sweet scent.

Ever since Grace told me how and why her mother died, I’ve felt partly responsible. After all, she drank more than she normally does because of the idea of going into the Betty Ford Center. And Charity kicked her out because she was being abusive about the fact that I was giving Charity a house immediately, but not giving her one until she was clean.

Maybe I was stupid to walk in here without knowing them and make all these promises without understanding what the repercussions might be. I should have talked to Grace first.

But I can’t change what happened. All I can do is help out as best as I can now.

“I am going to feel so guilty when we leave here. Part of me thinks that I belong here and shouldn’t be going to New York,” she says and sighs.

My brow creases with worry.

“A month ago you lived on the West Coast,” I say defensively.

“I know, I’m just grateful I came back here and saw my mother.”

She’d probably still be alive if I hadn’t made my naïve promises.

“Living in New York City is only temporary. Once I sell my company, we can move anywhere we want.”

Grace tilts her head back and raises her eyebrow in a questioning manner. “You, Mr. Bigshot, are going to move to Hicksville, Tennessee?”

“I’d like to live somewhere rural and have a big piece of land with horses.”

“Excellent, we can go real estate shopping while we are here.”

Her expression hasn’t changed, and I can’t tell if she’s being her sarcastic self or not. Whenever I’m stressed I picture myself far away from any city, relaxing on a big piece of land where no one can bother me. But now that I’m faced with the sudden reality of it I’m not so sure it’s as good as I’d imagined it to be.

“Why don’t we start with painting the room?”

Grace bursts out laughing, and playfully smacks my chest. “Thought so.”

“Hey, I’m happy to go real estate shopping right now. If you are telling me that this is the town you want to raise our child in, then that’s fine with me.”

“Nice try, but no,” she says laughing.

“When do you want to get going to New York?” I ask. As much as I’ve understood and supported being here, I’m ready to leave.

All week I’ve watched Grace’s and Charity’s relationship blossom and I can’t stop thinking about my brother George and the relationship I wish I had with him. As soon as I get some time, I’m going to reach out to him and try to heal our relationship. After all, we are brothers and the only real family that each other has.

We need to put the past behind us and act like siblings are supposed act. Seeing Grace and Charity overcome their past is inspiring, and there’s no reason George and I can’t do the same.

“I guess we can go tomorrow, there’s no reason not to,” Grace shrugs.

Instantly, all the things I want to do to her flash through my mind. I’ve restrained myself while we were here, given the circumstances, but as soon as I have her on my own I won’t be able to be so restrained.

“Perfect. We can paint the room in the morning and then go,” I say.

“It shouldn’t take long to paint, it’s only a tiny room.”

Once again, I take a backseat for the rest of the day while Grace and Charity rely on each other to cope with the sudden loss of their mother. I don’t mind, I’m happy to help out with the children, meals, paperwork and anything else I can do.

It’s not exactly the way I’d planned the start of our real relationship, but it’s been a privilege to see this side of Grace. Every minute that passes makes me more grateful that she is the mother of my child.

I take the dresser and nightstand out of the room and to the Salvation Army. Charity and Brandon can find new ones for him after we leave. I take the bed apart and stack the rails with the mattress outside, ready for the trash. We’ll take it to the dump in the morning.

We have one more night here, so we sleep on the floor. For the last time, I crawl under the covers of the most uncomfortable place I’ve ever slept in, in the smallest room I’ve ever slept in and picture how different tomorrow night will be.

“I’m exhausted,” Grace says as she enters the room, smelling fresh from brushing her teeth and washing her face. My dick twitches, but I suppress my urges, the same way I’ve been doing the entire time we’ve been here.

She closes the door behind her. Without pause, she strips off her top, bra and pants and climbs under the sheets.