Page 82 of Grace on the Rocks

“Perhaps sit this one out,” he murmured.

“Yes,Icould use a drink,” she had agreed before they made their way over toBryanand his audience, which appeared to have tormented him into a stammer as he tried to explain his plans for the distillery.

Grace hadn’t meant to step in, only it seemed like he was drowning—desperately in need of a minute to catch his breath—andA+Gracehad always been good at stepping in whether she was needed or not.Besides, she’d been the one to encourage him to explain his plans.

When that asshole started with the schoolyard slurs that probably still haunted his worst days, she physically couldn’t stay quiet any longer.Theteacher in her had pulled out a lecture, and onceGracestarted yelling at them, she’d been unable to stop.

He had stood stock still the entire time she was speaking, an all-to-familiar stance, as though he were the one in trouble, and a tiny voice in her head kept telling her to stop, but it turned out she had quite a lot to say.Whenshe was finally finished, she looked each of them in the eye until she was confident of their shame.Bryanmight drive her up a wall when he wasn’t setting her nerve endings on fire, but he was also passionate and achingly kind, and he didn’t deserve any of the bullshit they were hurling his way.

It made for an awkward walk back to his house, though, as the silence stretched between them.Justlike after a long day of writing,Gracefelt spent, like she’d used up all her words, but she also knew something more needed to be said because he hadn’t asked for her help, and like the family dinner, he probably wished she hadn’t been there at all.

“I’m sorry,” she finally blurted out. “Ifthat was out of line.Itwasout of line.Really,I’mjust… sorry.”

He was silent a moment longer. “Whatdid we say about apolog­izing?”

“I know, but seriously.Itfeels like maybe that was the worst thingIcould have done right then.Ijust can’t stand the way they’ve been attacking you.ButIknow you don’t need me to speak for you or over you.”

“It didn’t feel like that’s what you were doing.”

“Oh.”

“It felt like you were on my ssside.Andin my head.Inmy mouth, even.”Hegrimaced. “Notlike that.”

“Oh.Yikes,” she teased.

“Tell me about it,” he agreed. “Andthank you.Fors-saying whatIcouldn’t,” he added in a small voice that kind of broke her heart a little.

“You could have,” she assured him, and he snorted.

“Clearly.”

She resisted the urge to repeat the empty-sounding platitudes running through her head. “Youhave.You’vesaid all of that to me.Moreor less.”

“I didn’t have a conflict withDiego’swedding,” he told her suddenly.

“No?” she asked, confused.Hadhe been there after all?Hadcollage-agedGraciebeen mean to him?Ohgod, had she unknowingly teased him about his stutter?

“He asked me to be his b-best man.Itwas always meant to beTeàrlach, butMathildawasn’t happy with the optics.Afraidhis chair would ruin the aesthetic or pull focus or s-something.”

Grace shook her head.Thatsounded just likeMathilda. “AndDiegodidn’t drop her right then?Idon’t get it, man.Idon’t blame you for standing up forTeàrlach, though.”

“Aye, well.MuchasIwish it were,Teàrlachwasn’t the only reason.Icouldn’t face having to make a s-s-speech.”

SuddenlyGraceunderstood a lot more about her brother and the tensions surrounding his special day.He’dseemed distracted, annoyed withMathilda, a little bit sad.Gracehad always thought he’d been having second thoughts. “God,Ihate her.”

“My cowardice wasn’tMathilda’sfault.”

“Please.Younever would have been in that situation if she wasn’t such a conniving narcissist.”

“That bad?”

“The only good things to ever come out of that woman were my niece and nephew.”

Bryan laughed out loud, which after tonight, felt like a win.

“Seriously.Youknow she’s the reason he goes bySandyin the press?Sheeven anglicized our last name for herself and the kids.Rivers…”Gracerolled her eyes. “Shethinks she’s so clever.”

“Can’t help who you love?”Bryansuggested.

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