Page 61 of Falling for Grace

“Brandon.” My whisper fills the quiet room and when he opens his eyes the look in them sends a jolt of pain to my chest.

Conflicted.

He’s so conflicted.

“I shouldn’t have done that.” He pulls back further, putting space between us. It’s mere inches, but it feels like an ocean. “Fuck, Grace. I’m sorry.” His hand goes to his head and runs through his hair and he shifts farther away, the distance growing. Each centimetre feels more and more like rejection and the fissures in my heart crack open again.

Old wounds resurfacing.

“Don’t.” I shake my head, a lump forming in the back of my throat.

“Fuck,” he says it again. “My head’s all over the place.” He stands up.

“It’s fine.” That word again. Fine.

It’s anything but fine.

We both turn as the door opens and Ava comes in, her heels clip-clapping over the floor as she walks toward us.

“Baby, are you okay?” she asks. I watch as she walks straight up to him and strokes his arm. She plants her lips on his and I can’t help but recoil.

He has just kissed me.

He pulls back and steps to the side, looking over at me.

“Grace, this is Ava,” he says, introducing us. Finally.

Ava, the blonde beauty who has just kissed Brandon, turns her attention to me, and smiles.

I stand and smile politely. “Nice to meet you.”

Tears bite at the back of my eyes as I see her link her hand with his. My heart is beating so fast behind my rib cage I’m surprised they can’t see it through my white top.

I don’t want to be here. I can’t watch him with this woman.

“I’ve heard so much about you,” she says sweetly.

“Oh…uh…great! Well, I’ll leave you to it.” I excuse myself from this awkward exchange and move past them, brushing Brandon slightly in the tight space of the seats.

“Grace,” he says.

“I’ll catch up with you later!” I turn and I leave him to his girlfriend.

So much for not running.

Chapter 23

“Gracie, there you are!” Sue moves away from Ted and her sister as I walk out the chapel my eyes adjusting to the bright sunlight that surrounds us. Her blue eyes are bloodshot from crying, but she looks somehow lighter.

“That eulogy was perfect,” she says, pulling me into a hug, which I gladly return. “Danny would have loved it and it had just the right amount of swear words.” She smiles stepping back.

“Oh! I’m mortified!”

She chuckles and taps my arm.

“Don’t be. I bet Danny enjoyed it even more watching you squirm.”

“That’s very true.” I look down at my watch, surprised to see it’s only just gone two. The door behind us opens and Brandon walks out with his gorgeous girlfriend on his arm.

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