That evening after putting Charles to bed, Grace found her way to Jace's study where he had retreated after dinner.
She stepped inside when his deep voice answered her gentle knock on the door.
"To what do I owe the honor of this visit, my beautiful maiden?" Jace asked as he rose from his chair behind the desk and crossed the room to meet her halfway.
"Can't I just come to see my boyfriend before turning in for the night?" she teased.
"As nice as that sounds to my itching ears, I find it a bit hard to believe. You don't usually come looking for me here unless something's on your mind. So, what is it?" he pressed with a knowing look.
She gave a small, rueful smile. "Okay, you caught me, but that's not the only reason I came."
"Then let's hear the real reason," Jace replied,
"I couldn't bring it up earlier because we were with Charles the whole evening."