Until Now (Not Yet #2) by Laura Ward Page A

friends, my mind racing. Jon straightened and glared back. Emma and Landon exchanged worried glances. “She told me this morning she was getting ready for Thanksgiving dinner with her family.”
    Amy touched the base of her neck and paused. “Oh no. Maybe I should not have said anything. I am sorry.” She looked at Emma, and Emma walked over, wrapping her arm around Amy’s shoulder.
    “I think you need to tell Dean what you know, Amy.” Emma looked down at her friend and then at me. Pity. She had pity in her eyes. “Dean cares about Grace and Finn, so if they’re sad, he’ll want to know.”
    Amy nodded. “I do not know why, Dean, but Grace has no family but Finn. She never sees her parents. I know she and Finn are alone on all the holidays. Finn told me one time at school. He cried and asked Santa to bring him a family. Last year all he asked for was a daddy and a grandma and grandpa with white hair.” Amy’s chin wobbled at the end.
    My heart slammed in my chest. “FUCK!” I roared, slamming my beer can down on the ground.
    Amy jumped, and Emma hugged her. “You did the right thing saying something, Amy.”
    Landon stepped forward. “What’re you gonna do?”
    I reached into my pocket and grabbed my keys. Thank God I’d only had one beer. “What am I gonna do? I’m gonna go be with them!” I shouted, running to my truck.
    “Drive safe!” Emma yelled, and as I passed, Landon squeezed my shoulder. His silent nod made my chest tighten.
    I was going to take care of my girl and her boy.
     
    ***
     
    BLOOMINGTON WAS ONLY sixty miles away, and that was a good thing. The campus was dead with everyone gone for the holiday, so I parked close to Grace’s building. The smell of turkey filled the hallway, and I stopped to catch my breath before knocking on her door. I didn’t want to scare her, but I was feeling out of control. I was devastated that she and Finn were alone. I was destroyed she hadn’t trusted me enough to tell me this. And I was furious that I didn’t know how to fix the problem.
    I knocked on the door. I heard Finn call to his mom and her ask him to wait. Then the door opened, and there she was.
    She took my breath away. She was dressed simply, in jeans and a gray sweater, her hair piled on her head in a messy bun, and her brown glasses on her face. Beautiful. Perfect .
    “Dean,” she gasped and immediately blushed. As overwhelmed as I felt, I couldn’t hold back a smile. Her skin turning pink or red was one of the most adorable things in the whole damn world.
    “Can I come in?” I asked, and she opened the door wide.
    “Dean!” Finn ran over and wrapped his body around one of my legs. “Mama! We have company for turkey dinner!”
    I swallowed against the rock in my throat. Why was life so fucking unfair sometimes? I looked up into Grace’s eyes. They shone with tears behind her glasses.
    I grabbed on to her hand and squeezed. “You have room for one more at the table?”
    She choked back a sob and nodded. “Of course.” I enveloped her in a hug, and she wrapped her arms around my neck.
    I moved my mouth to her ear. “You and I need to talk later, okay?” I felt her head nod, but she didn’t speak, nor did she let go.
    I didn’t want to let go either.
     
    ***
     
    “WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE food to eat at Thanksgiving?” I asked Finn as Grace sliced the pumpkin pie. Her dinner was nothing like the one my family had. My mom cooked for days, and she fed thirty people. Grace had cooked a turkey breast, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, stuffing, and a pumpkin pie. Everything was from scratch and completely delicious, but it was simple. Instead of a prayer, Grace had asked us each to say what we were grateful for.
    “My mama. She loves me and feeds my belly.” Finn proclaimed.
    I cleared my throat. “I’m grateful to be here with both of you.” I looked at Finn first and then at Grace, hoping she could see how much I meant those words.
    Grace took a sip of the wine I