Page 7 of The Corner of Heartbreak and Forever
Sable pushed away from the counter. “What’d you find?”
“Something bad?” Amber took a curious step closer.
It didn’t escape him that Grace had not made a move to get closer. If anything, she’d retreated a step or two.
“Cade is out, but you can show me.” Marilynn set her coffee cup on the counter and headed out the door. Amber, Sable, and Reno followed her.
Seeing Grace’s close-knit family magnified how much Reed had missed his own family while he’d been in Michigan. And just seeing Grace made him realize how much he’d missedher. He hesitated at the door, unwilling to let this morning’s encounter be the last thing said between them. Grace crossed her arms, the lust in her eyes cooler now but still there.Has it remained for all these years, or is this new?
She lifted her chin and drew her shoulders back.
He took a step closer and said, “I’m sorry I woke you this morning.”
“It’s fine,” she said. “I have work to do anyway.”
Even when she was trying to keep her distance he was drawn to her. He knew that beneath that steely facade, she had a soft, feminine side that needed to be loved and taken care of. Grace had always been a walking dichotomy of tenderness and strength. A true beauty inside and out that Reed knew had nothing to do with skimpy pajamas. Her very essence was sweet and loving. Breaking through the iron gates she’d erected around it hadn’t been easy all those years ago, and he could see that hadn’t changed. But something had, and it wasn’t Grace.
It washim.
He wasn’t going to let her get away that easy.
“Would you like to join us?” He nodded toward the door.
For a moment she just looked at him, expressionless. She wore no makeup, and her creamy skin was void of a tan. Clearly her life in New York didn’t allow for much time outside, which saddened him. He knew how much she had enjoyed the outdoors. Had that changed? What else might have changed?
“Apparently house renovations are a family affair around here,” he added, going for levity.
She laughed under her breath, and a few dark tendrils fell in front of her eyes. A genuine smile spread across her lips, illuminating the flecks of gold in her eyes. She blinked up at him from beneath her hair, looking sexy and youthful, pulling more memories from the recesses of his mind.
“No, thank you,” she said, sending a strange sense of disappointment through him.
Sunlight cut a path between them, creating a line he wanted to cross to the woman he’d never been able to forget. But he knew better. Why was this so hard? Her life was hundreds of miles away, and he was just beginning to rebuild his life here with his family. It was hard to turn away with so much left unsaid, but really, what could he say?Was it worth it? Did you find the exciting life you were seeking? Are you happy?Or the question he really wanted to ask but knew he never would—Do you regret not giving us a try for the long haul?It wasn’t even a fair question. They’d been nothing more than lovesick kids.
Following his gut rather than his heart, he nodded curtly and went outside to join the others.
Reno lumbered toward him. “Hey, buddy,” he said, reaching out to pet him as he approached the others.
“Is it worse than we anticipated?” Marilynn stood with her hands on her hips and a serious look in her eyes, reminding him of Grace.
“It’s not bad. Pretty much what I expected to find.” The dog went to Amber’s side. Reed loved animals, but he was glad for the space. His mind was still on Grace, and he needed to focus on the job, not the hungry look in her eyes he’d seen when he’d first walked into the kitchen.
It wasn’t easy to switch into work mode, but he did his best. He caught himself glancing at the house several times, hoping Grace might be unable to resist joining them. But those sparks of hope were doused by reality.
As he walked them through his findings, Marilynn and Grace’s sisters listened to every word. Sable added her two cents along the way, which consisted mostly of, “Wehaveto fix that,” while Amber and Marilynn agreed.
They came around the corner of the house, returning to the place they’d started, and Reed noticed that Grace’s bedroom curtains were open. His gaze swept over the neatly made bed and the cat curled up in the center, and he felt another wave of disappointment when he realized Grace wasn’t anywhere in sight.
GRACE SAT IN the gazebo on the hill reading through the scripts she was considering for an upcoming performance. She had taken these three weeks off, but her job as an independent producer never stopped. There was always another production to get underway. She’d been at it all day, and she was no closer to making a selection than she’d been when she’d started. It didn’t help that she pictured Reed as the lead role in each story, imagining him reciting the lines, acting out the scenarios—in nothing but a pair of jeans, boots, and that wickedly naughty smile of his. She needed to stop this silly daydreaming. It’s not like she’d follow through with her desires, and she didn’t need to play with either of their emotions in that way.
Wouldn’t Sable just love that?Her vixenish sister would encourage her to take him and leave him, and probably give her a detailed lesson on how to do it well. While Grace had nevertakenReed, she’d loved him, and she’d already done the leaving him part, andthathad been treacherous. She hadn’t even allowed herself to admit how badly she’d hurt both of them until years later, when she was still missing him and trying to convince herself she didn’t.
She tipped her face up to the sky, listening to the leaves rustling in the trees and letting the gentle breeze wash away her memories.
Her phone buzzed with a text message, pulling her from her thoughts. She opened Brindle’s text and smiled at the selfie, all smoky eyes and blond hair. Her youngest sister had the darkest lashes and brows she’d ever seen on a natural blonde, giving her a sultry appearance that matched her rascally personality. Another text bubble popped up and Grace read it.Hey, sis! You coming tonight? I need to talk to you about stuff.
Grace’s writer’s mind immediately homed in on the wordstuff. If Brindle were a playwright, she’d correct her, tell her to be more specific, to give the viewers something to latch on to.Stuffwas just another small-town idiosyncrasy that usually grated on Grace’s nerves. When it came to her sisters, however, she was never affected in the same way as she was with strangers. Use of the wordstufffit Brindle’s personality perfectly. Brindle was always moving a million miles an hour, going from one thing to the next, wanting to experience everything life had to offer, which was why she’d planned a solo trip to Paris for the summer. Grace would never be that brave.
She sent a quick reply.Missed you at breakfast. I’ll be there and can’t wait to see you and Morgyn. Bringing Trace or flying solo tonight?
