In the kitchen, Callum immediately stuck his pinky into Grace’s gravy and tasted it. “Needs more fresh pepper.”
Grace swatted his arm. “Go find somebody else to bother!”
Callum moved to the counter, surveying the spread of dishes. “You did remember to make things Zandra can eat, right?”
“I promise I’ve been very careful. Even used gluten-free flour in the gravy.”
“Thanks, Grace!” Zandra called out from the dining room. “You’re amazing!”
I laughed as Callum opened his mouth to say something else, and Grace pointed a wooden spoon at him in warning. Callum wisely retreated to the living room.
Grace nudged me with her elbow, her voice dropping low. “Do you think, by next year, it could beallof us together? Teller and Ayla, and…”
She swallowed, as if just saying the rest of that sentence was a big step.
“Grayden too,” Grace finished, almost in a whisper.
I rolled my tongue against my teeth, considering. It was not a straightforward question, and there were a lot of big feelings attached to it.
Notmybig feelings, of course. But for Grace and her brothers.
Grayden hadn’t been back to Silver Ridge for well over a decade now. More like a decade and a half. After his guilty plea and all that had happened during that awful time, it was almost like he’d died.
For year after year, there’d been no contact. Grayden had been completely gone from our lives.
Then last year, Dane hired a private investigator to track down the oldest O’Neal brother. Apparently, Grayden lived in Seattle now. He’d served his time in military prison, and fromwhat Grace told me, Grayden had thought none of his siblings wanted anything to do with him.
Where Ashford was concerned, that was still true.
But Grace and Callum had both forgiven him. They spoke to him at least once a month, even though Grayden continued to stay away from Silver Ridge so long as Ashford didn’t want him here.
When I’d mentioned the situation to Teller, he just said we should stay out of it. Let the O’Neals figure this mess out for themselves. My older brother wasn’t chief of police anymore, but he was still a cop part-time.
It was hard to imagine straight-laced Teller, a decorated war veteran, reconnecting with a dishonorably discharged ex-con. Even if they’d once been best friends.
But as for me… I wasn’t sure.
I knew how much heartache Grace had suffered over losing her oldest brother. And how much relief she’d felt after finding him again.
My long-ago schoolgirl crush was irrelevant.
I squeezed Grace’s shoulder. “I really hope so. It would be great to have everyone together again.”
“If Ashford lets that happen. He’s still so angry with Grayden over everything.”
“Ashford just needs time.” I tapped my finger against my chin, pretending to think. “And we’ll need a bigger table. Especially if you and Dane start popping out adorable tots. Or maybe Teller and Ayla will. We’ll have to rent out the entire rec center.”
She smiled and laughed, though the sound was tinged with sadness.
We all gathered around the dining table. A bounty lay before us. Platters of turkey, bowls of mashed potatoes and gravy and roasted veggies, my green bean casserole next to Grace’s rice stuffing and rolls.
Callum and Zandra’s pumpkin pie waited on the sideboard, along with my coffee and Ashford and Emma’s cherrypie and chocolate-chip cookies. The whole house smelled like roasted meat and herbs and home.
Ollie sat with Maisie at one end of the table, the two of them giggling as they sneaked a bit of turkey to Stella. Ashford and Emma sat across from each other, that easy partnership they’d built on full display. Dane kept his hand on Grace’s back, while Callum and Zandra shared a private smile.
My phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out under the table and glanced at the screen.
Danny
