She and Damon had just stepped outside with her mother when Robert thrust giant, burning sparklers into their hands. Then he winked at Damon and slapped his shoulder.
"They're coming." Ben, Paige's older brother, shouted. "Make an arch."
The photographer walked backward through the arch followed by Gabe and Paige. When they reached the end, Gabe dipped Paige and gave her a passionate kiss while the crowd cheered.
Mom again wiped tears from her eyes as Gabe helped Paige into the back of a limousine, courtesy of Jake and Emily. Grace had to blink away a few of her own. Paige was good for her brother.
The moment the car drove away, Mom gripped Grace's arm and sank against her. She let out a cry of alarm as she fell off balance and stumbled into Damon.
"What's wrong?" His gaze darted to her then to her mother. "Oh." With lightning-fast reflexes, he swept her mom up in his arms.
"Oh dear." Charity stepped in front of them followed by Hope. "Best get her home to rest."
"But..." Grace didn't know what she'd planned to say because concern for her mom erased all thoughts from her mind.
Was this just exhaustion? Or was there something else wrong with her?
Hope put an arm around her. "Don't worry about a thing. We've got plenty of family here to help clean up. You just take care of your mom."
"Should I take her to the h-hospital?" Grace's voice trembled with fear and concern as she scanned the crowd. "Where's—”. Her words died when she spotted Dr. Young behind her.
He motioned to Damon. "Take Marisol inside and set her down."
Damon did as he was told, and Dr. Young dropped to one knee in front of her. "Can I check your pulse, Marisol?" He took her mom's hand as Grace sat beside her mother.
Riley, Dr. Young’s nurse practitioner, hovered close as well as Faith, who was a retired nurse.
"I'm okay. I'm just tired." Mom protested while he studied his watch.
Grace almost missed her mom's quiet words. Unfortunately, they didn't fill her with relief like she'd hoped.
"Her pulse is a little slow, but it's steady." Dr. Young looked up. "I'm sure your mom's right; she's just worn out. It has been a long day." He patted her mother's hand. "It was a beautiful day, wasn't it?"
"Yes, I couldn't ask for a better family for Gabe to marry into."
"He's a wonderful addition to our family. We're glad to have himandyou and Grace." His gentle smile encompassed her.
"Thank you." Mom pointed a finger as she looked at the crowd surrounding them. "Not a word of this to Gabe or Paige. I don't want to spoil their honeymoon, short as it is."
Gabe and Paige were spending the long Labor Day weekend at her family's cabin near the lake. Then next month, during Paige's week-long Fall Break, Gabe planned to take Paige on a Caribbean cruise.
When Paige's family all nodded, Mom turned to Grace. "Take me home."
"Okay, let me pull my car up to the door."
Charity tapped Damon's shoulder. "Go with them and help get Marisol into the house."
"I plan on it."
By the time Grace pulled her car as close as she could to the entrance of the rec center, Damon stood there waiting with her mom in his arms. He gently set her into the car and buckled her seat belt.
He looked at Grace. "I'll follow you home."
Grace felt like she should protest and tell him they'd manage on their own, but she wasn't ready to say goodbye yet, and she needed his comforting presence.
She nodded. "Okay, thanks."
It was strange how the sight of Damon's headlights in her rear-view mirror brought relief and comfort, unlike two weeks ago when he scared her to death by following her home. Now the depth of her feelings and the thought of him leaving scared her.
