Three Reasons To Wed

There wasn’t anything he could say to himself that would convince Grady that having Marissa over for dinner was in any shape or form a sensible idea. But the girls had begged him to invite her and he couldn’t refuse them. They rarely asked for anything, particularly Breanna, who he knew missed her mother deeply. So if it meant being around Marissa for a few hours every now and then, he was happy to do it.

Sunday afternoon came around way too quickly, and by the time the girls were bathed and dressed and waiting patiently for her to arrive, it was past five o’clock. They could barely contain their excitement at seeing Marissa again.

She pulled up in the driveway at precisely three minutes to six, and as soon as she walked through the door his daughters bounced around, twirling and laughing, showing off their now-chipped nail polish. Once again he marveled at how easily and completely she captured their attention. Since their mom died, no one else could reach them the way Marissa did. She had a certain kind of magic when it came to his daughters. Even Liz had known it. But he was pretty sure Marissa had no idea how much she meant to his family.

“Hi,” she said when he greeted her in the hall.

“Hi yourself,” he replied and stepped aside to give her room to pass. “We’re eating out on the back veranda tonight,” he explained. “The girls have already set the table,” he said and winked slightly. “To celebrate your homecoming.”

“Don’t tell her that, Daddy,” Breanna said and tugged at his shirt. “It’s a surprise.”

She laughed. “A surprise? I look forward to seeing it.”

Grady grinned. “Don’t say you weren’t warned.”

Tina grabbed his leg and begged to be held, and before he could pick her up Marissa held out her arms. “I’ve got her,” she said and lifted her up. “I don’t want to interrupt the cook,” she said and pointed to the bright pink apron he had around his waist.

“Are you laughing at me?” he asked good-humoredly.

“If you want to walk around in that getup, you need to deal with the consequences.”

“True enough,” he said and plucked at the pink and silver sequins on the small apron tucked into his jeans. “But in case you were wondering, it actually belongs to Breanna and she insisted I borrow it while I cook on the grill.”

Marissa raised a skeptical brow. “And it’s not emasculating in anyway whatsoever.”

“Gee...thanks.”

She laughed again and the sound hit him directly in the solar plexus. She looked lovely in a knee-length soft denim dress and silver sandals. Her hair was down, flowing over her shoulders and down her back, and he remembered how he’d touched some strands the day before. He had no idea why he’d done it. He never overstepped the bounds of their often fraught relationship. She was Liz’s friend. Not his. And he didn’t think about Marissa like that. He’d dismissed all those thoughts long ago, when he’d started dating Liz and fallen in love with her. But for some reason, one he couldn’t fathom, right in that moment, with her beautiful hair flowing and her cheeks bright with color while she held his child as if she was a precious gift, Grady was thinking about it. And attraction, white-hot and completely unexpected, coursed through his blood with the speed of a freight train.

No! It can’t be!

But he couldn’t deny it. Couldn’t do anything but let it wash over him and settle behind his ribs. He wasn’t sure what to do with it. What to make of it. Or if he should or could do anything.

It will pass...

Of course it would. It was a fleeting fancy. Simply a matter of geography. Marissa was beautiful and familiar and suddenly near. Of course he would notice her. It didn’t mean a solitary thing. And it didn’t mean he’d be prepared to do something about it. If she knew what he was thinking, she’d probably get all outraged and call him a bunch of well-deserved names.

If and when he started dating again, it certainly wouldn’t be with Marissa Ellis. They had too much history between them. They had Liz...and he wouldn’t dishonor the memory of his beloved wife like that. Even if Liz gave the whole idea her blessing, which knowing Liz, she probably would have. The last thing she’d told him before she passed away was to be happy, to make another life, to not be alone. But he wasn’t ready. Not just yet. And when he was, he’d find someone who didn’t have a window into his past. Marissa was not for him. She might wield magic with his daughters, but he wasn’t about to turn that into anything else. Anything more.

“Are you okay?”

Marissa’s soft voice jerked him into the moment. “Sure...” he said and waved a vague hand. “Let’s go out to the patio.”

She followed him outside, Tina still locked in her arms. Grady watched her expression change to one of pure delight when she saw what Breanna and Milly had done to the long table. Dolls and colorful toys decorated some of the chairs. Bunting made from colored paper was stretched between the porch beams, and the table was decorated with glitter and colored glass ornaments.

“Oh...wow,” Marissa said as she walked out onto the patio. “This is amazing.” She looked at Breanna and Milly. “Did you do this for me?”

“Yes,” Milly said excitedly and twirled a little. “We did it today. Daddy helped, too.”

Marissa sighed and adjusted Tina on her hip. “Well, I have to say, this is just about the best decorated table I’ve ever seen. You’ve made me feel very special.”

“You are special,” Breanna said adamantly and grabbed Marissa’s hand. “You’re Mommy’s best friend. So you’re our best friend, too.”

Grady fought back the lump in his throat. Of course. It made perfect sense. Through Marissa, his daughters stayed connected to their mother. They still felt as though they had her in their lives. Sadness lodged in his chest, sitting there like a heavy weight.

Marissa met his gaze and he knew immediately that she knew what he was thinking. Because she was thinking it, too. Her eyes shimmered a little, as if she was trying to hold her emotions at bay. He’d seen her cry once before—the day Liz had died. She’d gone into his wife’s hospital room for a few minutes and emerged stoic and breathing deeply, until she’d made her way into the corridor. That’s when she broke down. Grady was coming from speaking with the doctor and had watched her for a moment. He hadn’t offered any comfort, because he didn’t have any to offer. There were no words. His wife was dying and he had children he had to prepare to lose their mommy. But he’d felt Marissa’s despair in that moment, right to the core of his being. At Liz’s funeral she’d held it together, as he had. She’d given the eulogy and spoken about her love and admiration for her best friend. During that day, through his grief and sense of loss, he’d appreciated how she’d kept everything running smoothly—the wake, the funeral, even putting the girls to bed with a story.

Later, after everyone had left and his daughters were finally asleep, she’d made coffee and sat at the kitchen table. He’d joined her there, sitting opposite, sipping coffee he didn’t want, wondering how he was supposed to go on, but knowing he had to for the sake of his children. In that moment, Marissa had shared his anguish as no one else could. She’d gripped his hand from across the table and held on and told him everything would be okay. And he’d believed her, trusted her, absorbed her words as if they were tonic. He owed her a lot for her strength that day.

Grady gathered his thoughts and ushered the girls away from her a little. “How about you give Marissa some space so she can relax.”

“But, Daddy, I want—”

“No buts,” he said to Breanna. “I’m going to cook dinner, so why don’t you go and get that pitcher of lemonade from the refrigerator, okay?”

His daughter looked serious, but happy to do the chore, and took Milly with her.

Grady looked at Marissa. “You okay?”

She nodded and held the baby close before she placed Tina down so his youngest could play with the dolls strewn across the play mat. “Fine. Only...only I...”

“I know,” he said when her voice trailed off. “They just about break your heart.”

She nodded and sucked in a deep breath. “They miss her so much, Grady. I don’t think I realized how much until this very minute. I’m in awe of how well you’ve managed these past couple of years.”

He shrugged and moved toward the grill. “I’ve had help. My mom has been great and my cousin Brooke helps out with the girls when she can. And my best friend, Tanner, was always on hand right after Liz died.”

She shook her head ruefully. “And I went back to New York.”

“You did what you had to do,” he said and placed the steaks on the grill. “Don’t beat yourself up over it.”

“I should have helped more. I promised Liz I’d—”

“You had your own life, Marissa. We all did. And Liz didn’t expect you to hang around town. The girls are my responsibility, not yours or anyone else’s.”

Her expression sharpened. “Is that meant to put me in my place?”

Grady felt irritation weave down his spine. He always seemed to say things she took the wrong way. “It’s meant to let you off the hook.”

* * *

Maybe he did have the right intentions. And maybe he did have a point. But Marissa was still annoyed by the arrogance of his words. As if he knew what was best for her. The inference wasn’t missed.

You should have stayed in New York...

“If you’d rather I didn’t spend time with the kids, then just say so.”

He put down the tray in his hand and turned. “You’re here, aren’t you?”