Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 126850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 634(@200wpm)___ 507(@250wpm)___ 423(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 634(@200wpm)___ 507(@250wpm)___ 423(@300wpm)
“Getting its MOT. I called Martin to bring me home,” she answered, referring to her brother. “It’s passed, but I can’t be arsed to go all the way back there today.”
“In other words, you want me to drop you off in the morning.”
“Thank you for offering,” she replied cheekily. “Now, William, grocery shopping. Where do you stand on it?”
“I can take it or leave it,” he answered. “I don’t mind it, but I’ll do it if I have to.”
Amber bobbed her head. “What about when grocery stores move their items around? Change the aisles and whatnot?”
“It should be illegal.”
“I like this one,” she declared, coming over. “Ooh, tea. Thanks.” She took her mug and grinned at William. “I look forward to us grouching about Tesco moving the yoghurts when we’re sixty and I’m hiding my latest husband’s body in your castle basement.”
“I can’t wait.”
I buried my face in my hands, laughing silently.
“Do you have any hot, single friends? Like you, but without the castle and the ability to make my best friend tie herself up in knots?” Amber continued. “I’m in the market for someone who can pay someone to grocery shop for me.”
“Amber!” I laughed, peering at her through my fingers.
“What? If you don’t ask, you don’t get.”
William couldn’t stop laughing. “I do.”
“Excellent. I’ll invite you to my birthday party and give you a plus four for extra guests,” she said, sipping her tea. “It’s in October. That gives you and I plenty of time to bond over Grace’s idiosyncrasies and for you to discover all my good qualities. Don’t blame me if you fall in love with me, though.”
Oh, for fuck’s sake.
“Thanks for the tea.” She grinned at me, turning and leaving the room.
“I like her. She’s chaos,” William said, grinning at me.
“Not usually what I hear when I introduce people to her, but yes. Like Granny, but forty years younger,” I replied.
“I heard that!” Amber yelled from upstairs.
With a laugh, he walked over to me and wrapped his arms around my shoulders, spinning me to face him. “Do you think I passed her test?”
“The moment you said it should be illegal to change the aisles around in stores.” I smiled up at him. “She insists there’s something wrong with people who aren’t bothered by it.”
“Are you bothered by it?”
“No. It’s a bit annoying, but I wouldn’t say it bothers me.”
He scrunched up his face. “Hmm. Maybe she’s onto something.”
I laughed and tried to push him away from me, but he only pulled me in closer. He tightened his grip on me as he slid his arms down and pinned mine to my sides, holding me in place against him.
I tilted my head back and peered up at him. “I can’t drink my tea like this.”
“It’s hot. It can wait a minute while I do this.” He lowered his head and brushed his lips over mine oh-so-sweetly.
I melted into him, slowly bringing my hands to his waist and burying my fingers into the fabric of his shirt.
I didn’t know where this would end.
I didn’t know if this was the right thing to do or if we would still be here in one, ten, thirty years’ time, but I did know that it felt right.
It always had, from the moment we’d collided in the grocery store to his grandparents assuming we were dating. From him introducing me to his mum to her rumbling my secret to me catching Freya’s bouquet.
And this…
It was just right.
Wherever, however, whenever this ended, I knew this was the right choice.
I would never regret taking a chance on William.
On us.
The problem with us pretending to be in a relationship was that there was always a chance we’d end up with something a little more real.
From where I was standing, wrapped in his arms, smiling against his lips, that wasn’t such a problem at all.
EPILOGUE – GRACE
Thirteen Months Later
I threw myself into William’s arms, and he wrapped them tightly around my waist, spinning me in a circle. “I did it!”
“You did! I’m so fucking proud of you, Grace.” He put me down, beaming at me. “Or should I call you Dr Grace now?”
I pressed my face into his chest, laughing. “Oh, my God. I can’t believe I did it.”
Dad smiled at me from behind William. “I never doubted you.”
I went from my boyfriend’s arms to my father’s, and Dad squeezed me just as tightly.
“Your mother would be so proud of you, Gracie,” he whispered in my ear.
“I know.” The lump in my throat thickened my words, but I’d never felt her absence quite as firmly as I did just then.
Looking over and seeing William, Amber, Dad, and Granny, plus Morag, Angus, Katie, and Stuart sitting there as I’d defended my thesis and finally earnt my PhD, the gaping hole of where Mum should have been had hit me hard.