“Tell me I’m not dreaming. Because if I wake up and this all a dream, I’m going to be one horny, pissed off woman.”
Letting out a chuckle, I turned Grace to face me. “I don’t want to leave tomorrow.”
Grace’s eyes turned sad and I knew she was thinking the same thing I was. After tomorrow, I’d be back in Austin and she’d be here in College Station.
Grace opened her mouth to talk when the front door opened.
“Grace!” Alex called out before seeing us in the kitchen. “Oh hey, Noah!”
Smiling, I nodded and said, “Hey, Alex.”
Will came walking in, talking on the phone to someone. “If you update the server, we’re sure to be able to . . . um . . . we ah . . . hey, Luke, I’m gonna have to call you back.”
Will swiped his phone and I knew by the way he was looking at me, he wasn’t all that thrilled to see me standing in his kitchen. Alex must have kept it to herself that I was here.
“Will, how are you doing?” I asked.
Will looked at Grace and then back to me. “I’m doing good. What are you doing here, Noah?”
Feeling Grace begin to pull away, I dropped my arms and followed her out of the kitchen.
“Down, cowboy. Stow the daggers you’re shooting Noah,” Grace said as she made her way over to Alex and Will.
Will relaxed some as he looked at Grace. “Want to explain?”
Grace stopped and Alex whispered, “Oh hell.”
Placing her hands on her hips, I fought to keep my smile back. Grace was spit and fire wrapped up in a sweet and beautiful package. I wasn’t sure where this was going to lead.
“Do I care to explain what, Will?”
Will swallowed hard, but stood firm as he looked at me. “I thought he was married?”
Clearing my throat, I walked up next to Grace and placed my hands on her shoulders. “Misunderstanding. It was my sister Grace saw me with. The reason I left A&M is my mother is . . . um . . . well she has cancer and I needed to be back home in Austin.”
Alex looked into my eyes with sympathy. I had told her about my mother, but asked her not to tell anyone. I wanted to be the one to tell Grace myself. I wasn’t surprised to see she had kept that promise, so much so, she didn’t even tell her husband.
“Shit, Noah, I’m sorry. I didn’t . . . I didn’t know,” Will said.
Giving him a weak smile, I nodded slightly. “Don’t worry about it, Will. I wouldn’t have expected you to know. I came as soon as I could to talk to Grace and well . . . she was kind enough to make me a home-cooked meal.”
“Uh-huh,” Alex and Will said at once as Grace smacked Alex on the arm.
“Why are you both home so soon? I thought it was dinner and a movie?”
Alex chewed on her lip as Will lifted his eyebrows and pushed his hand through his hair. “Yeah, I don’t think we’re going to be allowed back into Joey’s Pizza anytime soon,” Will said as Alex glared at him.
“Why?” Grace asked as she leaned her body into me. God, I loved the feeling of being with her. It allowed me to forget everything else going on in my life.
“Do you want to tell them, Will? Or should I?” Alex asked, hands snapping to her hips as she narrowed her eyes at Will.
Will walked to the kitchen as he lifted his hand and said, “You go right ahead, I’m getting a beer. Noah, want one?”
As much as I wanted one, I had given up drinking after I went on the drunken binge a few months back.
“No thanks, I don’t drink anymore.”
Grace looked up at me and gave me the sweetest smile.
Alex made her way over to the chair and sat as Grace took my hand in hers and led us to the sofa. Sitting, she motioned for Alex to begin with her story.
Alex cleared her throat and took a quick peek at Will. “Well, I’ve been having morning sickness, but it seems to come and go. It came tonight at Joey’s Pizza. I was feeling nauseous. Will here, he decides it’s funny seeing me gag when I see this guy . . . picking his—”
Alex covered her mouth and made a gagging sound as Will attempted to hold in a laugh as he walked up.
Dropping her hand, Alex yelled, “Stop it, Will!”
Holding up his hands, he shook his head. “I’m sorry! I can’t help it.”
Letting out a frustrated sigh, Alex continued on. “Anyway, Will here kept talking about it, even when I begged him to stop. We were standing in the buffet line and Will told me to look at the guy. I did.”
“Oh holy hell,” Grace whispered, “you didn’t?”