Emma hugged and kissed Simone. “Be good for Molly and Linc, and go to bed when they tell you to.”

“She’ll be fine,” Molly said. “Go have a good time.”

“Thank you,” Emma said, filled with anticipation for more time alone with Grayson.

“Night, Simone,” Grayson said.

Simone crooked her finger at him.

He went to her and squatted in front of her.

“Thank you for the sleigh ride and the pizza. It was a lot of fun.”

“You’re very welcome.” He stood and then leaned in to kiss her forehead. “Sweet dreams.” To Molly and Linc, he said, “Sleep tight, guys.”

“We’ll sleep like zombies after this day,” Linc said.

“Congrats again on the new granddaughter,” Emma said. “And thanks again for having Simone.”

“Our pleasure.”

Chapter 14

Love is a friendship set to music.

—Joseph Campbell

With his hand on her back, Grayson guided Emma through the kitchen to the mudroom, where they donned their coats. He looped her scarf around her neck and drew her in close to him for a kiss. “Bonus time.”

“I was thinking the same thing.”

“I’ve never loved my aunt Molly more than I do right now.”

“I was in full-on girl crush with her before she offered to keep Simone.”

“She is pretty damned awesome.” He opened the door and gestured for her to go ahead of him into the icy night.

When they were in the SUV, he said, “So we’re going to Will’s?”

As she did every time she got in his vehicle, she immediately turned on the seat warmer. “I thought so. Where else would we go?”

Grayson answered her saucy question with a grin. “I can’t think of a single other place we might go.” He reached across the center console for her hand. “How do you feel about a brief visit with Will, Cameron, Lucy and the others?”

“I feel like that might be rude.”

“So?”

Emma laughed at the impatient way he said that. “They’ll talk about us if we do that.”

“Um, newsflash, sweetheart, they’re already talking about us.”

“Does that bother you?”

“Not even kinda. Let them talk.” He glanced over at her. “Does it bother you?”

“No, not really. It’s been a long time since I’ve been involved in anything worth talking about.”

“The teasing is all in good fun in my family. I hope you know that.”

“I do. Of course I do.”

“I won’t let it get out of hand. Don’t worry.”

“I’m not worried.” What she thought but didn’t say was that there wouldn’t be much for them to talk about after tonight.

They pulled into Will and Cameron’s driveway, which was full of trucks and SUVs. The cabin was lit up, and smoke curled from the chimney into the darkness. Above them, the night sky was full of more stars than Emma had ever seen before.