“Daddy, there is no reason to be concerned. Noah and I love each other and this is a big step for us. I would have rather have brought him home to the ranch to meet everyone, but I guess if he had to meet anyone first it should be you. On a surprise visit. Where you interrupted what clearly was going to be a romantic lunch.”
My father balled his fists together as Matt started clapping. “Noah likes Grace and Grace likes Noah!”
“So it seems,” my father spoke between gritted teeth, “how romantic.”
Tilting my head, I glared at my father as I dropped Noah’s hand and placed my hands on my hips.
“Oh shit. This is going to turn out bad . . . for me,” Noah said under his breath.
“Oh I don’t know, Dad. Maybe Noah might have proposed to me.”
My father’s jaw dropped open as he and Noah both asked, “What?”
Smiling, I continued. “Or, maybe some foreplay.”
Noah reached for my arm and gently tugged on it. “Ah . . . Grace what are you doing?”
My father’s face was turning red. “But, if I was really lucky, Alex and Will would have left and I would have gotten screw—”
Noah stepped in front of me and held up his hands. “Okay! Well, since the picnic is no longer, I don’t think we need to talk about it in front of your dad.”
“No. Let’s talk about it. I’m curious to see where this would have led,” Daddy said as he pushed Noah out of the way and stood in front of me.
Shaking my head, I spun on my heels and stormed into the house. I could feel my father following behind me. “Grace Hope Johnson, don’t you walk away from me.”
Stopping, I quickly turned around. “Daddy, I’m a grown woman and you can’t come into my house and start questioning my life.”
My father pulled his head back and laughed. “The hell I can’t. I pay for this house. Therefore, I’m pretty damn sure I have a say.”
Tears threatened to spill, I was so angry.
“Then I’ll leave.”
“Grace,” Noah said from behind my father. Walking up, Noah stepped in between us. “Mr. Johnson, I won’t be the reason for a fight between you and Grace. I love Grace; I’m not going to lie about that. If me being here or Grace coming home with me this weekend makes you uncomfortable, I’ll gladly go ahead and take off.”
My father looked at Noah and nodded. “Bye,” he said as he waved his hand at Noah.
“Dad!” I shouted. “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. I’m so angry with you right now. I . . . I have to take a time out!”
Spinning around, I ran upstairs to my room and slammed the door. Taking a quick look around, I saw Noah had a few things in my room. I quickly picked them up and threw them into my duffle bag. If I knew my father, he would be up to talk to me in less than five minutes.
Making up my bed, I turned and sat on the edge and waited.
Almost twenty minutes later, I made my way downstairs. I heard laughter coming from the back yard. Opening the back door, I stood there stunned. Everyone was sitting around the table, eating out of the picnic basket, listening to a story Noah was telling. Alex was sitting on Will’s lap, Matt was between my father and Noah, and my father was popping grapes into his mouth, laughing.
Letting the screen door slam, Noah stopped talking and everyone looked at me. Noah jumped up and made his way over to me. Stopping just in front of me, he placed both hands on my face and smiled that brilliant smile of his. Butterflies danced in my stomach and I wanted to throw myself into his arms.
“Are you okay, baby? I would have come upstairs, but I’m pretty sure your dad would have murdered me.”
Nodding my head, I looked into his eyes. “Did you drug my father?”
Letting out a chuckle as he dropped his hands, Noah shook his head. “No, but we did have a heart to heart.”
My finger came up to my mouth where I began chewing on my nail. Noah pulled it from my mouth. “Was it bad?” I asked.
Giving me another brilliant smile, Noah said, “No. It wasn’t bad.”
“What were you talking about?”
Noah took my hands in his as my heart rate increased. I’d never felt this way with anyone before but Noah. His touch, his smile . . . everything about him had my body reacting in some form. Even my father’s presence hadn’t lessened it any.
Letting out a chuckle, Noah answered. “I was telling them about a time I went on a fishing excursion with my father. It’s pretty amusing.”
My father appeared at Noah’s side. “Hey, pumpkin. You feel like talking now?”