Chapter 14
The fax machine beeped before feeding through three sheets of paper. Nathan swiveled in his chair and grabbed the papers. Ideas from a new client for their website. He looked the pages over, to get an idea the kind of style they were looking for. Then he dropped the pages into the file folder he’d created and set it on the left side of his desk with the stack of other tasks he needed to get to in the next few days.
Business had picked up last week and he’d been unable to spend much time at the youth center. The kitchen had been painted, the mural nearly finished being drawn, and Grace was working diligently planning for each room.
More than the youth center, Grace lingered on his mind. It was getting harder and harder to take baby steps with her. He wanted her trust. He wanted her to let him help, to depend on him.
His home phone rang. Nathan snatched up the receiver, then leaned back in his chair. “Hello?”
“Hey.” He recognized Elliot’s voice. “Movies, pizza, your house.”
“Excuse me?”
Nathan heard laughter and two voices in the background. Maddy’s and Kara’s.
“Elliot,” he heard someone hiss. “Give me that. Nathan?”
“Yeah?”
“It’s Maddy.”
“Hi, Maddy.”
“What Elliot meant to say was that we thought we should get together. It’s Friday and Grace needs to get out. We thought of going to the movie theater but it might be easier to do it at someone’s house.”
“My house.” He chuckled when Maddy’s voice turned guilty and she started to come up with another meeting place. “No, that’s fine. There’s lots of room and you’re right, it’d be easier than going to the theater.”
He heard another muffled comment and settled his ankle over the opposite knee, amused with their bantering in the background. Work was done for the night, he wanted nothing more than a simple evening with friends, with Grace, and he didn’t care whether it was at his house or somewhere else.
“We’re going to drop by the video store after work,” Maddy said.
“How about I get the pizza and I can pick up Grace on the way?”
“Uh…if you want. Kara said she’d do it and then meet us there.”
“That way you don’t have to go back over to the guesthouse,” he said casually. He wanted to see Grace. “Wait, is Grace at the guesthouse by herself right now?”
“Kara told her she was going to come by so we could get the movies. She said she’d just stay behind for a bit and then Kara could come back and get her. I think she wanted some time alone.”
“After this last week, I’m sure that’s exactly what she wanted.” But he was still worried. “I’ll drop by there, pick her up. She can come with me to get the pizza.”
“Okay. We’ll meet you at your house later.”
Nathan returned the phone to its cradle and stood. He didn’t want Grace being alone for very long–at least not without someone nearby. Just in case.
The drive down the hill took longer than he wanted it to. The sky rolled in dark gray waves and it started to sprinkle. He took the quickest route through the center of town. Despite the dismal sky, the streets looked cheerful. Baskets of flowers decorated houses and storefronts. Families dashed through the rain to get to the diner or one of the shops.
He saw Kara’s car parked next to Maddy’s at Serendipity. Propped against the car next to it was a man he recognized. Lewis. He slowed as he passed, halfway tempted to pull over. It didn’t sit well with him that Lewis was still hanging around. It had been a few weeks and the man lingered, appearing every so often on street corners. Always watching, as if waiting for Grace.
Nathan checked his impulse and dropped his foot to the gas once more. He’d tell Grace about Lewis and see what she thought. See how she wanted to deal with it.
The gravel was wet when he turned onto the road to the youth center, lessening the amount of dust that usually billowed up behind the tires. He passed the first building and drove on to the next. The guesthouse.
Grace’s car sat out front. Droplets of water pooled on top and slid down the sides. Nathan brought his truck to a stop, flipping off his lights and wipers before shutting down the car. He shoved his keys in his jacket pocket as he jogged to the front door.
He expected Grace had probably heard his truck pull up unless she wasn’t in one of the front rooms, so he gave the door two quick raps. He didn’t hear anything from within. No footsteps, not a voice. He looked to the window next to the door and saw the blinds were titled just enough he couldn’t see in. No one peeked out.
Nathan banged on the door this time and shuffled under the overhang as the rain fell harder. The knocks were again met by silence. He tried to quell the tiny flicker of concern. Just because she wasn’t answering the door didn’t mean anything was wrong.
He tried the handle and found it turned easily in his hand. “Grace?”
He paused just inside the door. He called her name again. When she didn’t answer, Nathan swept past the kitchen and living room, aiming for the hall. But she wasn’t there.
She couldn’t have gotten far, not with her ankle like it was.
Nathan left the house and jogged toward the youth center, trying to shove aside worry once more. Grace shouldn’t have been left alone. What if something had gone wrong?
He blew out a breath. He was going to find her in the youth center and realize he’d been worried for nothing.
The rain dropped in pellets now, coating his hair, his jacket. The back door to the youth center remained locked most of the time so he went directly for the front. His sneakers squeaked on the steps. He took them two at a time.
Nathan dripped water on the floor when he walked in, but he didn’t stop. He didn’t bother calling for Grace either, just swept the living room with his gaze, then went for the kitchen. His footsteps gave him away and he saw her turn abruptly, startled, when he entered. She had a clipboard in hand and her eyes were wide and blue.
“Nathan.”
“Grace,” he breathed. Tension gripped his shoulders and he tried to relax them. He hadn’t realized how worried he’d gotten. “Maddy said you were at home.”
“Close enough. What are you doing here?”
He looked down, watched the drops of water reach the floor, making a substantial pool. When he raised his eyes again, he wasn’t sure whether he wanted to chide Grace for being here alone or pull her close at the reassurance she was okay.
Nathan shrugged out of his jacket and dropped it on the counter. He ran one hand down the side of his face, clearing away most of the wetness, and stepped directly in front of her. “Maddy said you were at the guesthouse. I couldn’t find you.” She opened her mouth to protest but he shook his head. Her jewel blue eyes widened slightly. “I don’t like you being alone, especially here–”
“Nathan.”
“And where are your crutches?”
Grace backed up a step, propped her left foot gently on the cabinet behind her. She nestled the clipboard in the crook of her arm. Her lips pursed for a long moment before her eyes narrowed. Calmly, she said, “I don’t need my crutches anymore.”
“Grace–”
“And I can come to the youth center any time I want.”
“Grace–”
“And,” she continued, voice firm, “you’re dripping water all over the floor.”
“I’ll clean it up.”
She gave a final nod. “Good.”
~ ~ ~
Grace dropped the clipboard on the counter and tried to keep her head held high as she hobbled out of the kitchen. She saw Nathan reach for a towel to wipe the floor before she left and felt thankful that he hadn’t come after her.
Part of her almost wanted to respond to the worry she’d seen in his eyes but another part, the larger part, shook with anger.
What was he thinking busting in on her and telling her what to do? Or rather telling her what he didn’t like her doing. She had every right to come to the youth center. And if she needed some time alone, she didn’t need Nathan barging in and making a big deal out of it.
She made her way to the card table to collect her notebook and purse. Her eyes strayed to the window and she saw heavy drops coming down past the porch. Grace frowned at her foot. She’d walked over in loose, open sandals because her foot still wouldn’t fit into anything else. She prepared herself for a slow, wet trek back to the guesthouse.
Grace snatched up her jacket when she heard Nathan’s footsteps. She shoved papers together and tried not to pay attention when he approached the table. He smelled like rain, and the outdoors. When he didn’t say anything, she finally looked up.
“What?”
He’d slung his coat over his arm and he fiddled with the zipper, eyes serious. “I didn’t mean to sound bossy or overstep any boundaries.” She crossed her arms as he continued. “Look at this from my point of view, please. Remember how you felt after Kara fell in the lake.”
Grace pressed her lips together. She didn’t want to see this from his side, especially because she remembered exactly how she’d felt when Kara had fallen in the lake. She hadn’t wanted Kara to be alone, hadn’t wanted her friend to have to face anything like that again.
“Then you understand?” he said.
Grace turned to pick up the notebook. “I understand.”
When he reached out to grab her arm, her gaze traveled quickly from his hand to his face. “Then let’s make sure this doesn’t happen again.”
“Excuse me?”
“Stay close to someone, even if you need some time alone. And you shouldn’t be walking around so much.”
“I know exactly how much I should be walking around, thank you–”
“Grace. You’re still limping. You look tired. What if something had happened? Would you even be able to get to someone?”
She sighed, pulling her arm away. She couldn’t argue that, so she just started toward the front door.
“Where are you going?”
“Back home.”
Nathan reached the door before her. “I’ll get the truck.”
“I can walk.”
“It’s raining.”
“I don’t care.”
“Grace, what’s wrong?”
She rubbed a hand across her face. She was irritated, that’s what was wrong. She couldn’t get anywhere, everyone insisted they knew what was best for her, and she’d made little progress with the star. She was being smothered.
“I’ll get the truck,” Nathan said in a softer tone.
Grace sighed in response and let him walk out the door. Through the rain, she heard Nathan’s truck rumble to life. She leaned her head against the doorframe, weary.
He pulled the truck as close to the bottom step as possible. Nathan got out and Grace rolled her eyes, shuffling down the steps. “Just get in,” she muttered. “You’re getting wet.”
She thought she heard a chuckle. He still waited and closed her door after her.
Nathan hopped in next to her, water splashing across the seat, and looked in her direction. “Do you still need to go back to the guesthouse?”
“Kara said she or Maddy would come to get me later.” She crossed her arms. “Like I can’t drive. But I still need to get changed anyway.”
He put the truck into gear and turned toward the guesthouse. “I told Maddy I’d pick you up.”
Grace clenched her teeth. Of course. That explained why he was here. Why he’d shown up out of nowhere. The car slowed to a stop at the guesthouse. Nathan hopped out before she had a chance to protest and opened her door. Her foot splashed into a puddle of water and Grace grumbled again about her sandals.
She glanced over, saw Nathan watching her, and glared. “It’s not funny.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
Grace shoved open the door and dropped her notebook on the table, spraying stray drops of water on the shiny surface. A breeze blew through the window, ruffling the light curtains, and she turned to shut it.
“I told Maddy we’d stop and get pizza.”
“We’re still doing the movie thing?”
“At my house, yeah.”
Grace turned, nudged the nearest chair with her hip and glared at that, too. What was going on? Why did the fact that he was so calm frustrate her even more?
“Since you’re already irritated,” Nathan said mildly, crossing his arms, “I guess there’s something I should tell you. So you don’t think I was holding out on you.”
“Nathan.” But her pulse sped up. What else could he say to her that he hadn’t already? How many other ways was he going soften her heart by simply being Nathan?
He shook his head, apology in his hazel eyes. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”
Grace ventured a step closer and mirrored his pose. She drew wet sleeves across each other, crossing her arms and cocking her hip. “What do you need to tell me?”
“I saw Lewis again. Over by Serendipity.”
She blinked, tilted her head. Waited for what felt like an eternity while the words settled in. “Lewis?”
Nathan nodded. “Actually, I’ve seen him a few times. I think he might be waiting around to talk to you.”
No, that couldn’t be. He hadn’t been around when she’d been a kid, why did he care now? Maybe he just moved back to the area. Maybe he was looking for a job. There could be a dozen reasons he was still around.
“What are you thinking, Grace?”
When she hesitated, he reached out.
“Nothing. I don’t know.” She backed away. “I’m just…going to change.”
He didn’t respond, and she turned, escaping to her bedroom. Turning away from the concern and compassion in his eyes. Not wanting to depend on anyone. If Lewis was still here to talk to her, then she’d get to the bottom of it.