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There’s a look on Grant’s face that I can’t read. Preparing myself for the worst, I steel my spine. I put the mug down that I had been gripping between my hands and stand tall. The kitchen island is between us, but it doesn’t provide any barrier for the words that hit me. Unexpected, jaw-dropping words.
“I love you Lexi Lee-Anderson. And I can say that now, and promise that I won’t leave, because I know with every fiber in my body that you’re it for me.” He takes a step to the side, not breaking eye contact. “Your crazy work schedules don’t frustrate me because mine are just as crazy. And we’ve made our relationship work even with the odd hours.” He takes another step, rounding one side of the island. “And yes, some days are full of spontaneity, but you’re also a planner.”
I make a sound of protest. Not understanding where that is coming from, but he doesn’t stop. “You may think that taking temp jobs is wild and unpredictable, but you plan for those moments. You make them work around what is most important to you: Luna and the bakery. And me.”
I’d never thought about it that way. My eyes start to burn as his words start to really hit home.
“I love you Lexi. For all that you are and everything we’ll be together. I don’t care about your past. All I want is a future with you.” With those final declarations, he rounds the last corner of the island and steps into my space. I fall into his arms just as a sob erupts from me. For the first time in years, I cry.
Piece by piece I can feel the walls I’ve kept up to protect my heart crumble down. Bit by bit I feel the weight that I’ve been carrying alone, lift from my shoulders. My nails dig into Grant’s skin as I cling to him, letting all these feelings wash over me.
“Oh God,” I hiccup into his shoulder. Oh God, I couldn’t believe this was happening to me. When did I get so lucky? When had fate decided to drop this marvel of a man in my path? He called me on my shit. Comforted me in times of trouble. Loved me…for me. This was too good to be true, but I would hold onto it with both hands.
His hand comes to the back of my head, fingers intertwining with the purple strands. He holds me as I let out years of pent up emotions. When I have no more tears to cry – and no more water in my body probably – only the occasional sniffle comes from me. There’s just one more thing I have to do before I can move forward.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you what was going on with me. I thought I could handle it.” Rubbing my face on his shirt one last time, I pull back so that I can look into his mint green eyes. “I love you too.”
He kisses me. Slow and long, the kiss is a lingering one, full of love and endless possibilities. Grant breaks the kiss long before I’m ready, but the smile on his face fills me with joy. Swiping away the last lingering tear with the pad of his thumb, he cradles my face. “Come on Pixie, let’s get you back to bed.”
I wiggle my eyebrows at him.
Turning me around and marching us back to his bedroom, he laughs. “Baby, don’t test me. You’re still sick and I can only restrain myself for so long.”
As much as I want to feel his strong body over mine, he’s right. This is the first time I had been up and active in three days and I am feeling tired even on the short journey to the kitchen. Climbing back into his bed, I faceplant into the pillow. The bed dips as Grant gets in beside me, his hand comes to my back and rests there.
“Now, tell me what’s been happening.”
My stomach drops. It’s just like him to get right down to business. Too bad it isn’t the usual in-bed business. Not wanting to, but knowing I had to, I roll my body so that I’m lying on my side, facing him. His hand is propping up his head as he patiently waits for me to begin my story.
“Fine,” I mutter, petting Prince as he saunters up between us to rest against my chest. “The day we were featured on that gossip blog I started getting calls from an unknown number. I think they’re my mom.” As I tell him everything that I’ve been silently dealing with the last two weeks, Grant tenses. His eyebrow furrow, his lips turn down and I swear, if it’s possible, his chest puffs out in indignation.
“Do you think she was the one that broke-in to your apartment?” Pressing my lips together, I agree with a tiny nod.
“Yeah. She’s done it before, in our old apartment. Every lidded can we had in our cabinet was opened and tossed until she found what she was looking for. I used to hide extra cash in an old coffee container but learned my lesson after the last time.”
My blinks are becoming longer as exhaustion hits me. I want to stay awake and answer more of Grant’s questions but I’m fading fast.
“Here, take this.” Grant hands me another day-time flu tablet. Reaching for the old glass of water beside me, I swallow the pill and reach for the sheets to cover me. “Rest Pixie. When you wake up, we’ll solve this problem together.”
“Okay,” I sigh, snuggling deeper into my pillow. “Love you.” I fall asleep to Grant rubbing my back and Prince purring beside me.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Moving In, Moving On
Lexi
I didn’t think life could get anymore crazier. Then this morning happened.
It had been a week since the summer flu from Hell had hit me and I’d spilled all my secrets to Grant. A week of pure happiness. Every day I wake up and think, man, things can’t get better than this. Yet they do. Grant makes everything better.
So that’s why this morning, when he casually asked me a question, I responded without thinking.
“Move in with me.”
“Okay.”
Okay. I’d said okay. To moving in with him. Three months and a crazy ton of drama later, we were taking a giant leap. As quickly as the panic had come at my impulse response, it was gone. I really did want to move in with him. We had only a couple weeks left before his season started and his schedule went from crazy to absolutely bonkers. Home games, away games, sponsored events. Grant’s time was going to be in very high demand soon. Moving in with him meant more time together, more opportunities to build our new normal together. It also meant I could slow down a little, focus on the baking school idea I had and possibly lead it if I got the all-clear from Harrison and Cassidy.
