Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 66323 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66323 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
“I plan to do things,” Gray says and licks icing from the cinnamon rolls off his thumb.
“Look, I don’t mind staying at the hotel,” I insist. “I just showed up here.”
“I invited you,” Maya reminds me, earning a frown from her brother.
“Wait. You invited her?”
Maya just rolls her eyes and then smiles at me. “You’ll stay here. Trust me. Now, I have to go get a shower in so I can go see Mom.”
“Sid will be here soon,” Gray calls after her, then turns to me. “So, coming here wasn’t all your idea.”
“No, Maya mentioned it when she stole your phone, but then I saw you, and I wanted to be here with you. Mostly so I could hug you.”
“You haven’t hugged me yet.”
I stand and cross to him with a smile, wrapping my arms around his middle and pressing my face to his firm chest, holding him close. His gray sweater is soft against my cheek, and he feels warm and safe.
After just a moment, his arms come around me, and he hugs me back until it feels like he just might break me if he tightens his hold any more.
It’s not a bad feeling at all.
He presses his lips to the top of my head, and I let out a long breath that I didn’t realize I’d been holding.
“Are you going to the hospital with Maya?” I ask him without pulling away.
“I’m going to wait for Sidney and take her after she gets settled.”
“If you all don’t mind, I’ll cook dinner. I know it seems like I just sit around and cook for people, which I usually don’t. But I don’t want to meet your mother at the hospital because that feels weird, so let me do something to feel helpful.”
“It all depends on what you plan to cook.”
I look up into his face and smile at him. “Lasagna? It’ll keep for as long as it needs to.”
“Sounds delicious. But you should do more than sit here and cook, Stella. Book some time at the spa at the resort. On me, of course.”
“It feels weird to get pampered while you have to be at the hospital, worried about your mother. Selfish, really.”
“It’s not selfish at all. You came a long way. Get a massage, take a nap, relax a little. I’ll come home a bit before the others and help with dinner.”
“Maybe I shouldn’t have come. I feel like I’m in the way.”
Gray’s eyes narrow, and his jaw tightens as he cups my cheek in his hand. “You’re never in the way. I want you here. I’m so fucking grateful that you came. I understand that you don’t want to go to the hospital, but I want you here. So, get pampered a bit, and I’ll be here with you a little later.”
“Sid’s here,” Maya calls out as she runs down the stairs and to the front door.
“Looks like I’ll be going to the hospital with both of them, after all,” he says with a smile. “And if you truly are uncomfortable here and want to stay at the resort, I understand.”
“Where’s Stella?” Sidney demands as she walks inside. When her gaze finds mine from across the room, she stomps directly to me and nudges her brother out of the way before wrapping her arms around me for a hug. “Hi. Maya told me everything she knew when I was driving here. We already like you.”
“Well, hi.” I look at Gray over Sidney’s shoulder. “Wait. You’re Sidney Sterling.”
“The one and only,” she says as she pulls away and smiles at me, then wraps an arm around her brother’s waist and leans her head on his shoulder.
“Gray said you were a singer in Nashville, but I didn’t connect the dots. I love your music.”
A slow smile spreads over Sidney’s gorgeous face. “You do?”
“Hell, yes, I do. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Same goes. We’ll definitely talk later. But first, I need to go see Mama.”
“I’m ready when you are,” Maya says and turns to Gray. “Ready?”
Gray looks down at me with uncertainty. “I’m fine,” I assure him. “I’m going to go to the resort and check in. Wait.”
I hold up my hand to stop Maya’s protest.
“This isn’t my home; it’s yours. And I’m grateful that you invited me to stay, but for today, while you’re all at the hospital, I’ll be at the resort. I’ll get a nap in and maybe a massage, and I have plenty of work that I can do. And then I’ll meet Gray here later so I can cook everyone dinner, and we’ll go from there.”
“Get an extra massage for me,” Sidney says, shifting her shoulders in a stretch. “That red-eye almost killed me. Okay, I’m going to the car.”
Maya follows her sister, and Gray reaches for me.
“You’re incredible. You know that, right?” he asks.
“I’m just okay.” I laugh and kiss him back. “Go be with your family. I’ll see you later.”