Hometown Love (Love on the North Shore #2)(13)

Reaching for his coffee, Mack took a long gulp. “Next week you start school and won’t have to see him anymore.” As much as he wanted her to start school, it would be odd not having her just floors below him. Ever since he’d gone to work with the FBI, Grace had attended the day care and preschool located on the second floor of the building.

Grace considered his words. “Why can’t I stay with Grammy or Auntie Erin?”

They’d already gone over this. “Auntie isn’t back yet and Grammy is getting ready for the start of school. Next week you’ll see Auntie Erin and Brianna everyday afterschool.” Earlier that year, his sister had decided to leave her part-time position and be a full-time stay-at-home mom. When Mack told her his plan to move back, she’d offered to watch Grace after school.

“I still don’t want to see Noah.” Grace dropped her elbows onto the table and propped her chin in her hands. “He makes fun of everyone.”

Mack, as well as a few other parents, had spoken to the teachers, and while Noah’s behavior had improved, he still sometimes bothered the other children. “Just a few more days, buddy.”

“Here we go,” Nicole, their waitress said, appearing at their table. “One waffle for you, Grace.” Nicole placed a Belgian waffle down. “And a Mediterranean omelet for you.” One of the biggest omelets he’d seen appeared in front of him, along with toast, sausage, and corn beef hash.


“Is there anything else I can get you?” Nicole asked, her hand coming down onto his and he felt paper slip under his palm.

He stared at the hand covering his, unable to respond at first. Hadn’t Nicole been at the block party with Striker? “Just some more coffee, Nicole. Thanks.” He gave her a tight smile. The last thing he wanted was to encourage her or make her think he was interested. Even if he were on the look-out for a girlfriend, Nicole wouldn’t be on his radar. At least four or five years younger than him, she reminded him too much of Bethany.

Nicole gave him a bright smile. “Coming right up.”

“Can I stay with Jessie today?” Grace asked between bites of her waffle her mind still fixated on the day ahead.

Without being obvious, Mack glanced at the note under his hand. Sure enough, it contained Nicole’s phone number and a message for him to call her. Moving his plate so it covered the note, he got ready to dig into his own breakfast. “She’s probably working today, too.”

“You could call and check.”

“I take it you liked staying with Jessie?” He covered his toast with strawberry jam as he waited for an answer.

With her straw in her mouth, Grace could only nod until she finished. “I want to stay with her again.”

“Is that my Grace I hear?” Rose Ellsbury appeared at their booth interrupting their conversation.

Breakfast forgotten, Grace jumped out of her seat. “Grammy!”

Rose smiled and hugged her granddaughter. “Now this is the perfect way to start a Monday morning.” She kissed Grace and then gave Mack a hug. “If I knew you two were going to be here, I would’ve come sooner.” She sat next to Grace as Nicole appeared with coffee in hand.

“Can I stay with you today?” Grace used her best please-give-me-what-I-want-because-I’m-cute look.

“I wish you could, but I need to get ready for the big kids to come back next week.”

“I can help you.”

“You’d be bored watching me get my office ready. How about you and your dad come for dinner this week? Then, on Friday, if you’re not seeing your mom, you can sleep over.”

Although not the answer she wanted, Grace didn’t offer any further protests.

“Bethany canceled for the weekend so if Grace wants, she can stay.”

Grace bounced in her seat and smiled. “Can we invite Brianna, too?”

Slipping an arm over Grace’s shoulders, his mom gave her granddaughter a little squeeze. “Sounds like a good plan. I’ll call Auntie tonight and ask.”

Pleased with the unexpected plans, Grace turned her full attention back to her breakfast, thoughts of Noah and daycare gone.

“I’m sorry about yesterday. I left my cell in the car while your father and I shopped.”

With his toast gone, Mack started on the sausage. “Jessie came to my rescue.”

“That doesn’t surprise me. She helps out everyone.”

“She did my hair,” Grace said, taking a break from eating.

“It looks very nice. Did you have fun?” Rose added sugar to her coffee as she waited for an answer.

Grace nodded. “We went to the playground and later watched two fairy movies. I want to stay with her again.”

“I owe her one. I didn’t pick Grace up until about ten o’clock.”

His mother’s head tilted to the side and an expression he couldn’t identify formed on her face as she looked from him to Grace and then back again. “I’ve always liked Jessie. So what movies did you watch, Grace?” The expression on his mom’s face disappeared and Grace launched into a full description of the two movies. Right now fairies were her obsession and she couldn’t get enough of them.

“How does your new room look?” Rose asked once Grace finished.

Grace reached for the fork she hadn’t touched in several minutes and shrugged. “Okay.”