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But now they were. Sort of. The reality of what they were was still a bit fuzzy.
Her sister’s eyes sparkled at Alexander’s assertion. “That’s good to know. Isn’t it, Grace?”
Grace couldn’t believe her sister was doing this. “Yeah.”
Alexander squeezed her leg, offering comfort. It was Grace who should be comforting him. She couldn’t believe her sister.
He tilted his head toward Taylor. “If I remember correctly, Grace told me your little one was three, correct?”
This seemed to please her sister. “Yes. She’ll be four in March.” Her sister ran a hand over the top of Taylor’s head. “She’s growing up so fast.”
“They do that,” he said.
Taylor was almost finished with her yogurt, so Grace thought this was as good a time as any to try and get her sister out the door. “Did you need me to help you take any of Taylor’s things out to the car?”
“Trying to get rid of me?”
“I—”
Her sister waved her hand in front of her face in a dismissive gesture and stood. “No, it’s fine. I’ll get out of your hair. I’m sure you want to spend some quality time with your man.” She scooped her daughter up and walked to the sink to wipe her face and hands before addressing Alexander. “It was nice to finally meet you.”
“Likewise.”
“Walk me to my car?” Gabby asked Grace.
Grace nodded, and then to Alexander she said, “I’ll be right back.”
Gabby didn’t say much on their way outside. She waited until Taylor was secured into her booster seat before drawing Grace in for a hug. “I like him.”
“Thanks.” What else was she supposed to say?
Her sister looked her in the eye, her face serious. “I know this last year has been hard, but you seem to have found a good man. Don’t push him away because you feel some sort of obligation to Kurt. He’s not coming back. And you’ve got a living, breathing”—she grinned—“hunk of a man in there who seems to adore you. Don’t mess it up.”
Grace’s throat constricted as a flood of emotions washed over her. She couldn’t speak even if she wanted to.
Gabby gave her another hug and left her standing on the sidewalk as she got in her car and drove away. Her sister’s words were fresh in her mind. Don’t mess it up. Grace looked back to the house knowing Alexander was inside. He wanted them to be a real couple. At least she was fairly sure he did.
Could she do it? Could she let go of her doubts and just let things happen naturally, as he’d suggested?
A cool breeze came from the north and she pulled her coat tighter around her as she headed back inside. She didn’t know if she could be what Alexander needed, but she knew one thing: she was going to try. Gabby was right—Alexander was a good man, and for good or bad she wasn’t willing to let him go.
***
Alexander made his way into the living room when he heard the door open. From what Grace had shared with him about her sister, he’d known Gabby was direct and she hadn’t disappointed. Gabby’s line of questioning had made Grace uncomfortable, but it hadn’t bothered him. She had a right to know about the man who was dating her sister.
He’d been reluctant to talk about the future when it came to him and Grace, but it wasn’t as if he was hiding it either. Alexander just didn’t think it was something Grace was ready for. She seemed content to live in the moment for now and he was okay with that. He could wait.
Grace stopped when she saw him standing there. It was as if she didn’t know what she should do or say. He had to wonder what her sister had told her because he had no doubt, given what little he knew of Gabby, that she would have given her opinion, good or bad.
He crossed to where she was standing a few feet from the door. She still had her coat on, so he reached for the zipper and helped her remove it.
“Thanks,” she muttered as he hung her coat up for her.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
Grace took a step closer to him and placed her hands palm down on his chest. It was a bold move for her. “I didn’t mean to ambush you.”
Placing his hands on her hips, he pulled her against him. “I know you didn’t.”
