Page 22 of Eight Years Gone

Jagger studied the picture again. Pretty Ruby with her red hair was nearly a decade younger than her husband. But they’d always fit. “I did private contracting for two years, so I know all about wild.”

Todd laughed. “Trust me. You haven’t seen anything yet.”

Jagger sat down to fill out his papers, looking forward to a big slice of normal. He wanted to help Todd. He wanted to help Grace, too. He wasn’t sure how or if she would let him, but he needed to try to do something.

* * *

Grace let the wind blow through her hair as Ben took a left off Main onto Summer Street. He slowed moments later, pulling his BMW behind her SUV in her driveway.

He looked her way in the shadows of her outdoor lights, sending her a smile as he killed the engine. “I believe this is your stop.”

She smiled back, even as her stomach jittered with nerves. They’d had a nice dinner—good conversation and plenty of laughs. He’d even taken her over to his office for a treatment when she’d randomly mentioned that her back had been out of whack. But now their date was over. “It is.”

He unfastened his safety belt. “I’ll walk you to your door.”

“Great,” she said, flashing him another quick grin. But it wasn’t great because she didn’t know how to do this—deal with the after-dinner expectations.

She’d dated one man in her life. There’d been no hesitations with Jagger. She’d wanted from the beginning. Whatever he’d been willing to give her—to show her—she’d been eager to experience.

But she’d been mostly a kid at that point. Confident. Fearless. The world had been her oyster.

Times had changed.

Stalling as she unbuckled her seat belt and grabbed her purse, she inhaled a steadying breath, stepping out when Ben opened her door. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

The crickets sang their songs as she and Ben started up the short path to her single-story, three-bedroom home.

She’d bought the fixer-upper three years ago, painstakingly making the cozy place her own. She’d renovated each room with brand-new windows and flooring, paint, and personal touches. But her pride and joy was the corner yard she’d brought back to life with lush grass and pretty flower beds.

Ben stopped in front of her door as she did. “Thanks for checking out the new restaurant with me. Sushi instead of a taco shop wasn’t a bad idea.”

She squeezed her purse strap in her hand. “The food and company were great.”

He smiled. “Maybe we can do it again.”

She wanted to want to. Ben was sweet and kind; most importantly, he wasn’t Jagger. “I would like that.”

“Are you up for a date to the bonfire this coming weekend?”

She swallowed. “I’d love to go.”

He narrowed his eyes a little, studying her. “Then why am I sensing a but?”

She shook her head. “There’s no but. I just need to take things slow.” She evaded his eyes as she looked down. “Things are— My past is complicated.”

He nodded. “The guy who’s back in town. The one with the vintage Corvette.”

Grace frowned as her gaze whipped up to his. She was still getting used to the idea that Jagger was here, so how did Ben know about it?

“This isn’t a big place, Grace. Word gets around, especially when you’re the chiropractor. People tell me all kinds of things while I’m adjusting them.” He shrugged. “It’s a thing.”

She smiled. “I thought that happened to hairstylists and bartenders.”

He shrugged again. “It happens to chiropractors, too.”

She laughed as her nerves settled. Inviting Ben into her life was going to be a good thing. “I had no idea.”

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