Page 67 of Eight Years Gone

She looked at the bruise surrounding his Band-Aid. “How’s your arm?”

He glanced at it dismissively. “It’s fine.”

“We need to get you fixed up with a fresh bandage.”

“I just want to fix us.”

Relenting, she hugged him. “I’m glad you’re here, Jagger.” She wanted to be able to give him more, but this was the best she could do for now.

He wrapped her up tightly. “Me too.”

She eased back. “I need to talk to Ben this morning. He’s a good friend. I don’t want to ruin that.”

He nodded. “Let’s wash up. Then you can drop me off at my car.”

* * *

Grace’s stomach jittered as she stood on Ben’s pretty wraparound porch in Preston Valley’s Historic District. She exhaled a shuddering breath as she rang the doorbell, more than a little afraid she was about to lose one of her good friends.

Moments later, he glanced out the glass front, smiling as he opened the door, dressed in jeans and a black T-shirt. “This is a surprise.”

She tried to smile as she stepped inside. “I hope you don’t mind an impromptu visitor.”

He shook his head. “Not at all.”

She lifted one of Brew’s familiar to-go trays. “I came with the good stuff.”

He shut the door behind her. “I see that. Coffee and muffins?”

She grew sicker by the second because there was no one she wanted to hurt less than the sweet man eyeing the breakfast she held in her hands as they walked down the hall to the newly renovated kitchen. “Apple cinnamon.”

His smile widened. “This is turning out to be one heck of a Sunday morning.”

She laughed quietly—uncomfortably—because she was about to ruin that.

His smile faded. “Is everything okay?”

Her eyes filled as she shook her head.

He nodded as he invited her to take a seat with a gesture of his hand. “We’re going to have a conversation about Jagger, aren’t we?”

She sat next to him at the kitchen table. “I’m so sorry, Ben.”

“I just want you to be happy. I’m sorry it’s not with me.”

His understanding made her guilt all the worse. “It’s not that you don’t make me happy. You’re such a good man, Ben. You’ve never been anything but wonderful to me.”

He sighed. “Unfortunately, it can’t be as simple as that.”

She shook her head. “I’ve tried so hard to move on. I really thought I could with you. I wanted to.”

He sent her a small smile.

“I’ve been so confused lately. I’m sorry you got caught in the middle.”

He covered her hand with his. “You didn’t know he would pop back up in Preston Valley.”

“No, I definitely didn’t.”

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