Page 4 of Holding Grace

Chapter 3

Michael

My eyes locked on Grace’s, and I wondered for a second if the look on my face mirrored the shock on hers.

My shock quickly turned to anger, and I saw Grace’s eyes widen before she ducked out of sight.

Running on instinct, I surged out of my seat and headed for the door to the diner’s kitchen. I vaguely heard the server calling after me, but I didn’t so much as glance in her direction. Grace was here, within reach. If I had to search for her, or even chase her down, so be it. I wasn’t stopping until she was standing in front of me.

I pushed through the door, rounded the corner, and slammed to a stop. Grace hadn’t run. Instead, she was standing, seemingly frozen in place, staring at me warily from across the kitchen.

I stared back at her, momentarily lost for words. Of all the times I’d thought of finding Grace, all the many scenarios I’d imagined in my head, none of them had gone like this. She looked beautiful, as she always did, her light brown hair piled up on her head and her soft brown eyes wide on mine. For a second time stood still as I let it sink in that this was reality. Grace was really here.

The door burst open behind me as the server stormed through followed by my cousin, Levi, on her heels.

“You can’t be back here,” the server told me sharply. “You need to leave or I’m calling the police.”

Before I could respond, Grace spoke up, for some reason the sound of her quiet voice stoking my anger even higher.

“It’s okay, Vanessa. He won’t hurt me. We just need a minute, then he’ll go.”

Grace was both right and wrong. I’d never lay a hand on her to hurt her, but I wasn’t leaving until I got some answers. There was no way that was happening in a minute. I felt no need to apprise Vanessa of that, though.

Vanessa looked from Grace to me, then back. “You’re sure?”

Grace’s eyes met mine again, then she looked back at Vanessa. “I’m sure.”

Vanessa turned to leave and nearly ran into Levi. “What the...? Is this a party? You need to go, too.”

I was with Vanessa on this one, but Levi didn’t agree.

“Easy there. We’re on the same team. I have no idea what this is about; I’m just here to make sure we all come out of it in one piece.”

Apparently, Levi’s answer was enough. Vanessa pushed past him with a huff, not even bothering to respond, and I flipped my focus back to Grace.

I wanted to grab her and hold her tight at the same time I wanted to shake her for ever leaving.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” My words came out sounding far more like an accusation than a question.

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