Page 96 of Trusting Fate (Hope Falls: Brewed Awakenings 2)

But fuck it. What did it even matter anymore?

“He doesn’t know me because he thinks I’m adorable.”

Audrey just stared at her blankly for a second before asking. “Are you serious?”

“Yes.” She was so glad her sister finally understood. She started to press the ignition button, but Audrey reached out and grabbed her wrist.

“Wait. We’re not done talking.”

“What more is there to say. I told you he thinks I’m adorable. You can’t even believe he does. Conversation over.”

“I was asking if you were serious, not him. You are adorable, Grace. And cute. Viv and Ava and I say it all the time.”

“Are you guys crazy? What part of me is adorable? Puppies are adorable. Babies are adorable. You are adorable. I am not adorable. My nickname is the Ice Queen for fuck’s sake!” Grace lifted her hands in mock surrender. “You know what? It doesn’t matter because the truth is Easton is way too good of a person and he deserves a hell of a lot better than me.”

As soon as she said it, she knew that was really at the base of her fear.

“Easton’s an incredible amazing person, but so are you, Grace.”

Grace let out a forced laugh. “I am selfish, egotistical, detached, and materialistic. Those are not qualities that make an incredible, amazing person.”

Audrey turned in her seat so she was facing Grace and she had tears in her eyes. “You are one the best people I know. You’re not selfish. You sacrificed everything for us. You gave up your childhood when Dad left. You gave up your teen years when Mom got sick. And you gave up your young adulthood when she died.” Audrey wiped her tears from her face and sniffed. “And how could you think you are materialistic? You don’t care about material things.”

“The twenty pairs of red bottom Louboutins in my closet would disagree with you.”

“You want to talk about shoes? Let’s talk about shoes!” Audrey raised her voice. Grace’s sister had never raised her voice to Grace, or anyone that Grace knew of, in her life. “Let’s talk about the tennis shoes that you wore for a whole year in elementary school after they had holes in the sole. You remember the ones you duct taped because you knew that Mom couldn’t afford to buy all of us new ones. And when we went to Payless Shoe Source before school started and you told Mom that your shoes were fine, when they were being held on by tape! Or how about when you were a teenager and you started wearing Mom’s shoes that were a size too small for you so you always had blisters on your feet because you didn’t want to spend any money on yourself. But Viv had the newest designer jeans, and Ava had money for her college prep courses, and you made sure that I had money for school lunches because you knew how bad kids bullied me when I took a bag lunch.”

Grace could not believe Audrey was saying those things to her. She didn’t even know that anyone had noticed those things. She barely noticed those things.

More tears fell down Audrey’s cheeks and she sniffed. “You know how some people have body dysmorphia. Well, I think you have emotional dysmorphia. You don’t see who you really are. You are kind. And generous. And caring. And selfless and Grace, I hate to burst your bubble, but you are adorable. You are really fucking adorable!”

Grace blinked. She’d never heard Audrey curse before.

“And I’m sorry that our life was so messed up when we were kids. I’m sorry that Dad left and Mom got sick and died and it all fell on you. I couldn’t do anything about any of those things then. I was too young and the only thing I could think to do was be as good as possible so that I didn’t make your life any harder. But I’m not a kid anymore, Grace. And I am not going to let you walk away from a good man who loves you, that knows you, and who you love!”

“Okay,” Grace said quietly as she handed her sister a tissue.

“What?” Audrey asked as she blew her nose.

“Okay, you win. I’m not going to walk away from him. At least not without a fight.” Grace pulled out her phone.

“Are you calling Easton?” Audrey said hopefully.

“No.” Grace put the phone to her ear. “I’m calling Josh.”

All the color in her sister’s face drained and she shook her head. “No. Why?”

“Hello,” Josh answered on the second ring.

“Hey Josh, any update on the truck?”

“Yeah, I found one in Washington. It’s gonna take a few weeks to get down here.”

“I don’t have a few weeks. I need it here in two days. I don’t care what it costs.”

“Two days. Got it.”

Grace disconnected the call and she saw the color return to Audrey’s face.

As much as Grace wanted to comment on it, she felt like she’d put Audrey through enough today. So instead, she leaned over and pulled her sister into the tightest, biggest bear hug there ever was. “Thank you. I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Audrey hugged her back.

After the bonding moment they’d just shared, Grace did consider for a moment, warning her sister about Viv and Nonna’s Project Valentine. But she quickly dismissed the impulse. Maybe Grace wasn’t the only Wells sister that needed a little push in the romance department. But if Viv and Nonna were involved it would probably be more of a shove down a flight of stairs.

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