We stared at each other for the longest time, the silence growing taut and heavy, moving well past the awkward stage and into the downright weird. But I didn’t know what to say or do, and it seemed like Gracie felt the same.

Did she go by Mrs. Grayson? Had she hyphenated? Kept her last name? Should I ask?

The longer she watched me, the more uncomfortable I became, and I opened my mouth, desperate to shatter this quiet. Then I spoke – and I wanted to yank the words back.

“I didn’t know he was married,” I blurted out.

I braced myself for derision, for anger, for speculation.

What I got was a laugh. “I know that,” Gracie said, her voice gentle. “Our relationship isn’t publicized, and he told me that he hadn’t told you.”

“He…you…” Shaking my head, I asked, “He told you about us?”

“Oh, I’ve known for a couple of weeks. Lukas and I don’t really have any secrets.” She glanced past me, then said, “I’d like to come in, if I could. I know this must be awkward.”

Awkward?

Yeah. We could start with that.

I was pretty sure that calling this awkward was like referring to the Titanic as a bit of disaster, but what the hell. “Sure.” I stepped back, crossing my arms over my belly as she came inside.

She didn’t bother with any pleasantries, just went straight to the couch and sat down, clearly waiting for me to follow suit. Since I wanted this over, I did just that, sitting in the armchair across from her and crossing my legs. Gracie met my gaze.

“So Lukas told you about us.”

“Yes.”

“Might have been nice if I was informed,” I said breezily, trying not to let the feelings of betrayal and hurt overtake me. We’d had a sexual relationship, nothing else. No reason to feel hurt over it.

“Lukas has…trust issues,” Gracie allowed. Then she shrugged, sighing. “But yes, he should have told you. I’m here to try and…explain.”

“What exactly is there to explain?” I demanded. “Do you two have some sort of…open marriage? If so, hey…fine. But that’s not my speed, and the bastard should have told me.”

She cocked a brow. “Agreed. And I wouldn’t call ours…open, per se. It’s more a marriage of convenience. You see….” She paused, licking her lips and drawing in a deep breath. “Lukas and I both get certain things out of our marriage. He gets a partner for dinner parties or the various cooperate functions he has to attend, minimizing the chance that he’ll have to deal with flirtatious overtures that make him…uncomfortable. And I…well…” She paused and brushed her hair back. “Stella, I’m gay. My family is very conservative, and they have no idea. Before Lukas and I made this arrangement, I constantly had to deal with them trying to hook me up with this bachelor or that, various blind dates. It was awful. Now, they leave me alone.”

I said nothing, staring at her as I processed her words.

A marriage of convenience.

“Why didn’t he tell me?” I asked finally.

“I don’t know.” Gracie shook her head, lifting one slim hand in a gesture of confusion. “What I do know…he’s…different since you came along. Lukas carries a lot of things inside him, and sometimes, he keeps too much of himself trapped inside. But he smiles more lately. I think it’s because of you. I hope you’ll give him another chance.”

“Ha.” I got up and paced over to the window, staring outside at the busy street, still crowded despite the growing lateness. “I think you’re wasting your breath, Gracie. Lukas told me earlier that we were done. I made a personal comment and…whoa, was that a mistake.”

“No, it wasn’t,” Gracie said, and there was stubborn determination in her voice.

Slowly, I turned and met her eyes. “Did he tell you what I said?”

“I know you’ve cracked his exterior. Whatever is doing that is something he needed to have done. He needs to start feeling. He never allows himself that bit of humanness, but I think you draw it out of him.”

She rose from her seat, gazing at me. “You’ve been good for him, Stella. Nobody knows him like I do – and I’ve never seen him open up as much as he has the past few weeks. You’re the reason for it. But I can’t make you believe that. You have to choose to do so for yourself. Lukas has a great deal to give, but you would have to be patient with him. He would be worth it, I think.”

She turned away.

“I saw him beating himself.” I don’t know what drove me to say it. “I mentioned it to him tonight. That’s what set him off.”

Gracie turned back to me, her mouth a perfect O of surprise.

“Wow,” she breathed out. “That’s…wow. Yes, I can see why he’d try to pull back on you.”

“Why does he do it?”

“I can’t tell you that,” she said, shaking her head. “That’s his story. It’s one of the sadder parts of him. But…if you would be patient, he may well share it with you.”