Page 12 of Holding Grace

Grace stepped around me to sit back down, so I did the same.

“Ellis is in prison somewhere in Tennessee. Soon after I left someone was killed at one of the races and he and few other people were arrested. I’m not sure what he was convicted of. He should be in prison for at least another few years, but I know people get out early all the time.” Grace pushed her hair behind her ear and seemed to settle a little. “Seth, I don’t know for sure, but I doubt he’s left home. In fact, he’s probably living in the house full-time since Ellis isn’t there. He was always at the house most of the time, anyway.”

“Where’s home, Grace?”

Grace drew in a breath, and I knew she was debating telling me. “A little bit east of Morehead.”

Where we sat now was about five hours from Morehead, Kentucky; Lark was closer to two. So, taking her back to Lark would mean taking her closer to home and possibly closer to danger. I wanted her back in Lark – no question – but was it the right thing to ask her to do? She’d gone there on her own the first time, but would I be putting her at risk by asking her to go back?

I needed time to think it through before I said anything to Grace. Something told me I’d only get one chance. I didn’t want to screw it up.

Feeling like I was putting her through an inquisition, I asked one last question...for now.

“So, is your plan to stay here?”

Grace nodded as she answered. “At least for now. When the busy season is over in about a month, Barney will probably let me go. It’ll be the same story in this whole area. I’ll need to move then to find a job.”

Unknowingly, Grace had just given me my opening. She had to move in a month, anyway; I just needed to convince her that that move should be to Lark.

Grace smothered a huge yawn, and I checked my watch, surprised to see that it was close to ten o’clock. As much as I didn’t want to, I needed to get out of here and let Grace get some rest.

Before I did, though, I needed to make sure I’d see her again.

“Okay, I can take a hint.” Grace’s cheeks tinged a faint pink in response to my gentle teasing, a sight I knew all too well from her time working at the pub. “I know I need to go. But first I need you to promise me two things.”

Grace didn’t respond, just watched me warily now, and my heart squeezed a little at what she’d been through to make her that way.

“One, I need you to promise me you won’t leave.”

Grace dropped her eyes, then gave a deep sigh and nodded. “I promise.”

I was still going to worry until I saw her again but having her promise to stick around helped.

“Thank you. And two, I need you to promise that I can talk with you again tomorrow.”

Now Grace frowned at me in confusion. “I...sure, I mean...will you still be here...?”

I’d forgotten that Grace had no idea how long I’d be in the area.

“I’ll be here a couple days fishing with my cousins and a friend. Our family owns a cabin near here. We usually make it out a few times each season, but everybody’s been busy so it’s the first time we’ve been here this year.”

The thought that I might have run into Grace months ago if we’d made it to the cabin earlier grated on me, but at least I’d found her now.

“Oh, well...sure,” Grace repeated hesitantly.

Ok, so she wasn’t exactly jumping up and down with excitement, but she’d agreed to talk to me again. I’d take what I could get.

I had one more request, one that I knew would push her boundaries.

“If you’ll let me have your phone number, I’ll call you in the morning and we can figure out when we can talk again.”

Grace paused and I knew she was weighing my request in her mind. It had been one thing for me to have her phone number when we’d worked together, and I might need to contact her about a change in a shift or something like that. But now...now my reasons for wanting it were completely personal.

I wanted that connection to her, but only if she was okay with it.

“You don’t have to, Grace,” I reassured her as gently as I could. “I won’t be offended. I understand you need to be careful.”

Grace hesitated another moment, then took a deep breath. “It’s okay. I don’t mind if you have it. I know you won’t...”

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