Page 25 of Forged in Secrets

“You think that’s what I’m worried about? That I’ll be ashamed to be seen with you if you have another panic attack?”

She bit her lip and looked up at him for several seconds, her hand still resting soft and warm within his own.

“I don’t know,” she said finally. “But what I do know isthat I don’t want to live my life in fear. I’m standing here, I can feel the heat of the flames, and I’m okay.”

Ben felt his muscles relaxing slightly.

He knew he should let go of her hand, but his body didn’t seem to want to obey his brain.

“Do you still want to walk out on the jetty?” he heard himself saying.

Fantasies of holding her hand as they strode out over the Gulf filled his head.

What was he thinking?

They had to meet Jade soon, and in any case, he was playing with fire as it was.

Still, he let her hand rest in his, not wanting to hurt her by letting go, even though he knew that in the long run, he’d have no other choice.

Grace gave him a small smile as she kicked sand out of her flip-flop. “Let’s go. I’ll feel a lot better once we’re away from these bonfires.”

The crowd began to thin out dramatically as they got closer to the water. A few seconds later, Ben realized why.

Two lifeguards were standing guard nearby, probably making sure that no drunken college students tried their luck walking on the narrow strip of jumbled rocks that formed the rustic jetty.

“So much for that,” Grace said. “Back to the boardwalk it is.”

“Let’s walk along the shore,” Ben suggested, rubbing the back of Grace’s hand gently with his thumb. “The ice cream place where we’re meeting Jade is up the beach, anyway.”

Apparently, his voice didn’t obey his brain any better than his fingers did.

CHAPTER

TEN

GRACE

Grace’s heart wasn’t racing.

She’d dreamed of a moment like this so many times, when Ben would look at her and see something more than just a friend. She’d imagined the way his hand felt around hers, the way his fingertips would trace across her skin, the way he’d look down so he didn’t have to meet her eyes.

She’d expected to be so full of excitement and nerves that her heart would be hammering against her ribcage.

But it wasn’t.

She felt calm and warm, like she was basking in her own private sun. Even the anxiety that had been triggered by the sight of the fires had faded away.

Safe.

That’s what it was. She felt safe with her hand in his. It was a feeling she’d almost managed to forget.

She glanced up at him and smiled, looking ahead again before his gaze could linger on her face.

There were already plenty of triggers that forced her to remember. Ever since she’d come home seven years ago, just living her life had been like navigating a minefield. No, she wouldn’t waste this perfect night worrying about what had happened half a world away.

She felt the wet sand squishing between her toes as the gentle waves rose and fell against her feet.

Neither spoke.

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