Grace

I can do this. I can do this. I can do this. If I repeat it to myself enough, maybe I’ll believe it.

It’s the morning after the party, and I’m standing outside Miles and Alex’s condo, working up the nerve to ring the doorbell. I’m still on their guest list, so I was able to park, and come upstairs, without being announced, but I can’t bring myself to do the final thing I need to do.

The door opens, and Alex pulls me into a hug. “I was trying to wait for you to work up the nerve, but I needed to hug you more.”

“I’m sorry I left.”

“Nope. You don’t get to do that.”

“Do what?” I ask with a laugh.

“Apologize for standing up for yourself.”

“I over-reacted.”

“I shouldn’t have ever put you in that position to begin with,” Miles says.

I didn’t notice him sitting on the couch, because Alex had all my attention, but I can’t ignore him as he gets to his feet. “Hi.”

“I’ll leave the two of you alone, but you better come find me before you leave,” Alex tells me, hugging me once more.

“Do you want some water?” Miles asks me, once she’s headed upstairs in their elevator.

“Sure.”

I follow him into their kitchen, sitting on one of the stools at the island. He puts the glass in front of me, and takes a seat at my side. “I’m sorry, Grace. You have to know I didn’t do it because you’re a woman, or even because I was trying to exclude you.”

“Why did you do it?”

“I saw how hard it was for you to be around Keir. I saw how much that press conference took from you. And mostly, I saw how you worked harder than everyone to make my life easier. I wanted to give something back to you, and I thought taking the hotel pictures off your plate was that thing.”

“And his choice of pictures was better.”

“There’s that too,” he agrees with a smile.

“I was completely unprofessional.”

“You wouldn’t have let us use your pictures.”

“You don’t know that.”

He smiles again. “When someone quits, the IT team goes through their computer, and email. I saw the draft email you’d composed, telling me you’d changed your mind about the pictures.”

“I didn’t send it. I don’t even know if I ever would have.”

“Well, I’m choosing to believe you would.”

“I put you in a bad position, and while Matt said I could have my job back, I want you to be sure.”

“Grace, your job has always been yours and yours alone. HR doesn’t even know you quit.”

“But the computer, and going to New York…”

“Ainsley went through your computer for me,” he admits. “As for New York, you were just on another trip for me.”

“I don’t know what to say.”

“Say you’ll forgive me for being an ass, and give Keir another chance.”

“It would be his third.”

“So, he’s not out yet.”

“No, Mr. Baseball, he’s not. And you’re forgiven.”

“Perfect. Are you hanging out?”

“Just for a few minutes. I have some boys to see.”

“And their dad?”

“And their dad.”

We hug it out, before I find Alex in her library and fill her in on everything. She tells me to go for everything I want, and that’s exactly what I intend to do.

The next door I find myself outside of also opens before I can ring the bell, but this time, it’s because they were watching for me. I know, because Connor tells me, and it makes me hug them even tighter.

“Grace is here,” Trevor tells Keir as we walk inside.

“I heard. Hi, Gracie.”

“Hi, Kei. Thanks for inviting me to lunch.”

“Dinner too, Pretty?”

“We’ll see,” I say, but Keir’s twinkling eyes let me know he’s fully aware I won’t say no to more time with them. All of them.

I’m led into the kitchen, where every kind of sandwich fixing is laid out on the counter. Meats, cheeses, different breads and rolls, and a variety of toppings and condiments. I wasn’t sure what they were going to do for the lunch they promised me, since they can’t cook, but this is perfect.

“Someone remembered I like cucumbers on my sandwiches,” I tell them with a smile.

“Daddy! Daddy remembered,” Connor informs me.

“I remember everything you like, Gracie.”

“Daddy can make you a grilled cheese too, if you want. We bought a thing,” Trevor explains, pointing to an electric sandwich maker.

“If anyone wants a grilled cheese, I’ll make one on the stove.”

“Nope. You are not cooking for us today,” Keir insists.

“Even if I stay for dinner?”

“Even then. We can order in.”

“Or you could cook with me tonight.”

“If that’s what you want.”

Want? I want to shove him up against the fridge, and run my hands up his tight t-shirt, and down his loose jeans. That’s what I want.

“Yes.” It comes out a little breathless, and I watch his eyes darken.

“Yay! You’re staying, Pretty?”

“I’m staying, Con.”

Keir

After lunch, I bring Con’s presents from Grace into the family room, and we all sit on the floor while he opens them. The gifts are a mix of educational toys, games, and Wonder Woman stuff. He loves it all, especially the sword and shield. He got seven of the sets from other party guests, but he insists this set is his favorite, because it’s from Grace. I totally get it, kid.

“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” he says, climbing on her lap, and giving her a kiss.

“You’re welcome.”

“My birthday is in four months, and three days,” Trevor tells her.

“I can’t wait.”

“You’ll be there?”

“Where else would I be?” she asks, leaning over to kiss his forehead.

It takes every ounce of self-control I didn’t know I had to not just pick her up and slam her into the wall for a mind-blowing kiss. Even with my kids here, I want to do it, and honestly, I think they’d cheer me on. But, I’m always going to be a father first, so kissing will have to wait until later.

“What are we having for dinner?” Con asks.

“You daddy knows how to grill, so he can make us steaks, and I’ll make mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese. If that works for you, Keir.”

She works for me, especially when I know she’s giving me an out on the kitchen cooking. “Sounds perfect.”

“I’ll go to the store, and get everything while you guys clean up, and maybe take a nap.”

“I could go.”

“Nice try, but you’re not getting out of the cleanup.”

“I wasn’t trying to.”

“Uh-huh.”

We both laugh until Connor stops us. “Daddy, come over here and give Grace a kiss. You haven’t given her one today.”

“Yeah, Daddy!” Trevor adds.

“I’m not sure Grace wants a kiss from me.”

“One kiss would be nice.”

I crawl across the floor as Con scrambles out of her lap. I know the boys are watching, and it’s actually pretty amusing. Taking her face in my hands, I give her a quick peck on the lips.

“Just one,” I whisper.

“Maybe two.”

Smiling, I kiss her like I mean it, but don’t let my tongue out to play, because of the kids. She grips my forearms, and tilts her head, kissing me back. I could stay right here forever, and be happy.

“Later.”

“Kisses only.”

“You’re the boss.”

“Only at work, Kei. Here we share the job.”

“Whatever you want.”

Grace

My trip to the grocery store is easy enough, and I get back to Keir’s house in less than an hour. Using the key he gave me, I let myself in and put the groceries away. I go upstairs to check on the boys, and find then both in Trevor’s room. They’re curled up on his double bed with Keir between them. The scene is too cute not to record, so I pull out my phone and take a pic.

After quietly making my way back downstairs, I decide to take my own nap. Stretching out on the comfy couch in the family room, I tuck my hands under my head, because there are no throw pillows around here. It doesn’t take long before I fall into a deep sleep.

I wake up to whispers, and different sets of feet trying to walk carefully nearby. When I crack my eyes open, Keir is trying to quietly get the steaks ready. He glances over when he makes a little more noise than he planned on, and smiles when he sees I’m awake.

“Hey there, Gracie.”

“Hi.”

“She’s awake!” Connor yells.

“I am,” I reply with a laugh.

“We tried to be quiet,” Trevor says.

“You could’ve gone in my room to sleep, Pretty!”

“Or mine,” Keir adds.

“I didn’t want to invade your private spaces without permission.”

“You don’t need permission to go anywhere in this house.”

“Unless we’re peeing. Other people shouldn’t watch you pee,” Connor informs me.

“I agree.”

“Can I help you with the food? Daddy says only Trev can help him with the grill, because he’s bigger.”

“I would love some help, Con.”

Once Keir has the steaks ready, he heads outside with Trevor. Connor helps me fill the two pots we need with water, and then we wait for them to boil.

“My daddy’s sorry, Pretty.”

I still the glass I was raising to my lips, and look over at him. “For what?”

“For making you cry, and not letting you come over. He misses you. Did he tell you that?”

“Not exactly.”

“Did he tell you he was sorry?”

I think back to our conversation on the patio, and shake my head. “No.”

“You let him kiss you, so I know you still like him.”

“Yes.”

“He needs to say sorry, and tell you he misses you, and then you can be his girlfriend, and come over every day again.”

“It might not be that easy.”

“Why not?”

Keir chooses that moment to open the door. “Are you interrogating Grace?”

“I don’t know what that means.”

“Are you asking her lots of questions?”

“Not lots. Just if you said sorry, but you didn’t. If you tell her you’re sorry, and miss her, she might be your girlfriend again.”

He looks at me with his brows scrunched together. “I apologized.”

“No. I did, but you didn’t.”

“I didn’t? I thought I did.”

“You explained everything, but you never said the words. But, it’s okay. I don’t need the words.”

“You deserve the words. I’m sorry, Gracie, for everything I did and didn’t do.”

“Apology accepted.”

“Now, tell her you miss her,” Connor reminds him.

Trevor opens the door to tell him the grill is smoking, so he looks at me with a smirk. “Later.”

“I’ll be waiting.”

“He’s almost got it done,” Connor tells me, rubbing his hands together.

I ruffle his hair, because he’s too damn cute. “We have dinner to finish, kiddo. No more talk about your daddy right now.”