Page 68 of Please, Stay

He held her tighter. “You’re safe. It’s my fault. Take a few breaths.” His chest rose and fell, either trying to show her what to do or following his own advice.

She pulled back. The anguish in his face destroyed her heart. She was safe every moment with him. “I’m fine.” She stroked his cheek. “We’re fine. It’s okay.”

“They’re gone,” Cameron said as he closed the door.

Grayson grabbed Juliana’s hand, kissing her palm, his eyes squeezing shut. Seeing him this upset nearly made her cry.

Cameron cleared his throat. Juliana forced her gaze to him.

“Thank you, Cameron.” Her voice sounded wooden and stiff. “I didn’t know where else to go. We tried to leave, and they chased us.”

“Chased?” He stood straight. “From where.”

“The diner.”

He met Grayson’s eyes over her head. “How fast?”

“Fast,” Juliana answered for him.

Cameron arched an eyebrow.

“Eighty?” Grayson’s ragged voice sounded strange like he was playing a part of one of his movies after he’d just escaped the bad guys. “Ninety?”

“Leaving town!” Cameron scrubbed his hands over his face. “I’ll definitely be following up with the other officers on duty. Dewey is on patrol today. I’ll make sure he takes a pass by your house a few times, Juliana.” Cameron raked his hand through his messy brown hair. “You were at the diner, you said?”

Her stomach bottomed out. Her dad was there. He’d seen Carrie, smiled like he did when they were younger, it’d looked like he might have changed, and then Grayson had shown up.

“Relax.” Grayson rested his hand at the back of her neck and squeezed lightly. “Your skin just paled.”

Her eyes closed. She really couldn’t have it all. Grayson. Her dad. Eliza.

Juliana opened her eyes to Grayson’s worried expression. “Cam, call Becky,” she said. “Let her know where we are and ask her to let Dad know we’re okay. I’ll probably have to start at square one again. Knowing my luck, he’ll forgive Eliza and kick me out of the house.”

Grayson threaded his fingers through hers and led her to the sofa in Cameron’s living room.

Juliana sank back into the cushion. Grayson perched on the edge of the coffee table in front of her, his hands on her knees. Such a fierce determination to keep her safe. She pushed back a few longer pieces of hair that fell forward, giving him that pirate look again.

“Would you,” Grayson said before he cleared his throat. “Do you want to come to Australia with me?”

“What?” The whispered word was the best she could do with her pulse pounding in her temples. Her vision narrowed until everything around him grew fuzzy. Australia. He wanted her? She could have him. She’d lose everything else, but she’d have Grayson.

“We could set up an apartment near the film location. I might have to be away a couple days here and there to shoot scenes at a remote location or something, but other than that, I’d be with you when I wasn’t working.”

It would be incredible.

But his timing was the perfect nail in the coffin. Her dad might not forgive her, but Eliza was back. She’d need her there to help. TheDispatchneeded her. Hell, she was buying out the business from her dad. And Carrie. She needed people around her that she knew. Even if her dad did refuse to speak with her after today, Eliza was as good as home.

If he didn’t accept Eliza either, they’d only have each other. She couldn’t be there for her all the way in Australia.

Grayson pressed his lips into a tight line and leaned back.

“Grayson—”

He held up his hand. The muscle in his jaw clenched tight. “Don’t tell me, ‘no.’ I don’t think I want to hear that. Let’s take it off the table. I’m leaving tonight, anyway.”

“Tonight?” The tears she’d avoided earlier blurred her eyes. She tried to push them away, but they were stubborn and fell without her consent. Australia or nothing. He wanted it all. She didn’t have it all to give, not when so many people depended on her, and now he’d decided to leave. Didn’t even plan to stay for Christmas.

Grayson moved and sat next to her on the couch. He laid his arm around her shoulders and pulled her to him.

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