Chapter Twenty
Grace turned in her bed and adjusted Noah’s dead-weight arm, attached to his dead-to-the-world sleeping body, across her stomach. They’d somehow managed to sneak out of the bedroom together and pull off dinner—and then Noah had snuck back in later through the bedroom window—without JJ figuring something was up. Or maybe he knew and didn’t care.
Or cared too much to call it out and mess it up.
Just like Noah and his what about…? She knew what he had been thinking. Us. Neon green paint on his forehead couldn’t have been louder. Good thing he hadn’t said it. Because her response would have been: there is no “us.”
Except it wouldn’t have been true. And last night had proven it.
She lay in bed, listening to his steady breathing, wishing his body didn’t feel so comfortable, so right, next to hers. She’d tried to keep her distance, though it’d been easier with 2,700 miles between them.
Her in and out, easy-peasy plan had complicated itself into a knotted mess, one that now twisted in her stomach. Somehow, she’d come to love JJ. And everything about the ranch, even the stinky animals.
And Noah.
But it wasn’t enough. A life with Noah, in Reno, couldn’t possibly be enough. It hadn’t been seven years ago; Noah had been right back then, though initially she hadn’t agreed. But now her life was grander. Her life was more exciting. Her life was in New York.
In New York, alone, with more squishy memories.
But she’d managed through squishy memories before. She’d fought for everything she’d achieved in her new life. She wasn’t ready to throw it all away. Not now, not when she had more to do, more to prove. To her father. To herself. To Noah.
Noah. How would he handle her leaving? A lump formed in her throat as she imagined the disappointment she’d soon see in his eyes.
No, he’d be fine. He had his marketing company. He had JJ. He had a full life.
And she had an art show to coordinate, hers and JJ’s. Combining their works would give the collection a unique twist. But from almost three thousand miles away, it would be impossible. She needed to be in New York as soon as possible. And she needed Spencer.
He was the only person who could help pull this off. She scooted out from under Noah’s arm and grabbed her phone off the nightstand. Three o’clock. How badly would he kill her if she called him now, six a.m. his time? She snuck out of the bedroom and down the hallway and dialed the number.
A bear answered the phone. “Whoever this is better have a damn good reason why you’re calling this fucking early.”
Grace smiled to herself and slid into a kitchen chair. “And here I thought you missed me.”
“Grace? It’s six in the morning. Time change, remember? Wait—it’s three a.m. in Reno.”
“Yeah, I know. That new museum that asked you to be on the board, New Day—”
“Damn, Grace, you want to talk business and not dirty? It’s six o’clock!”
“Next time, I promise.” The obvious lie came out naturally and with a laugh. She’d forgotten how easy things were between them. “Did you accept? The board seat?”
“Yeah, I did. And that’s the same answer you would’ve gotten from me at noon.”
She ignored his crabbiness. “Is New Day still looking for its centerpiece exhibit?”
“Yeah.” Spencer yawned. “Catch is, they’re looking to showcase underrepresented groups, minorities, movements, that sort of thing.”
Fervor built in her stomach, her chest. Surged through her veins. “How about people with disabilities? They’re underrepresented.”
“I’m not sure that’s what they had in mind, but, yeah, I guess it fits. Is your brother an artist or something?”
She jumped up and started pacing the kitchen. “JJ’s not just an artist. He’s a kick-ass artist, and he draws from memory, Spence. His brain’s a freakin’ camera.” She was on to something. She knew it, had felt it deep down in her gut.
“Well, it gets better. New Day has upped the ante. They’re offering a twenty-thousand dollar New York starving artist award. Part of some big grant they got.”
She sat up, her pulse pumping. “Twenty grand, are you serious?” She could put together a display that would win the Starving Artist award. Ten for JJ, and ten for her. It wasn’t enough, but it was a start.
“And the publicity,” Spencer added, “which is worth a hell of a lot more.”
Spencer was right. The publicity would be huge. Winning the award would prove she was good, good enough to partner with Ricky and start their own company.
A weight lifted from her shoulders as she realized what this all meant. She would give Noah the entire coin collection. And it wasn’t because she wanted to take care of JJ, though she did. She was doing it for herself. It’d been so long since she’d allowed herself to trust anyone. She was done with that. She would begin trusting today, starting with herself.
“So what do you think?” Spencer yawned. “You want to present New Day with his portfolio?”
“Larger.” Her voice bubbled with excitement. “I want to put on an art show at your opening a week from tomorrow. I’ve seen your club’s foyer. It’s huge—”
“Let me guess. You want me to extend some invitations to the opening.”
“Yep.” Her mind rolled back to the storyboard she’d laid out on the table the evening before. “And I want to tell your guests a story.”
…
Noah reached out his arm to pull Gracie closer and found an empty bed.
Muffled voices carried through the walls. “Are you really gonna show my drawings at an art show? A real art show?”
Art show? Yesterday it had been a sprout of an idea. One they had barely talked about. Noah sprang out of bed and threw on some jeans. He glanced from the door to the window and back again. If he went out the door, JJ would see him.
“Yep, right next to my photos,” Gracie said. “The exhibition is me and you, no one else. And if we sell anything, we’ll split it, okay?”
The hell with it. Noah whipped open the bedroom door and rushed down the hall.
“Like partners?” JJ asked.
“Like partners.”
Noah arrived just in time to witness the partners shake hands. “What’s all this?”
JJ’s face broke out into a jack-o-lantern smile when he saw Noah. “Good morning, sleepyhead.”
“You knew I was in there sleeping?”
JJ shrugged and moved on to the important stuff. “Me and Gracie are partners. She’s bringing my drawings to New York and putting them in an art show, a real one.”
Noah’s stomach soured. He leaned against the kitchen archway for support.
“Good morning.” Gracie flashed a too-bright smile. He tensed. “I’m glad you’re up,” she said. “I didn’t want to wake you, but I have to get into the room.” She paused. “To pack.”
Even though Noah had known those words were coming, they shuddered through him. He crossed his arms and pinned his eyes on Gracie. “You’re leaving.”
“My flight leaves in a couple hours. It cost me a fortune in miles.”
“You’re leaving.” He tried to deny it even as he repeated the words.
“I have to. The art show is a week from tomorrow,” she rushed. “Would you get in touch with Mr. Lincoln, tell him something came up and I’ll call him as soon as I can?”
“Sure.” He searched her eyes, hoping for a glimpse of something that would tell him he’d succeeded, something that would tell him that last night had changed her mind. Something that would tell him she was coming back.
“You’re coming back afterward, right?” asked JJ. The kid was better than a cue card.
The beat of silence dragged into eternity.
After last night, how could she leave and not come back? She’d wanted him to come back to the bedroom after dinner. She’d invited him. Hell, she’d helped pull him in through the window. That wasn’t his manipulation. That was her, changing her mind. They’d save her father’s property, her home, and build it back to its former glory together.
“Of course. Real soon.” Her voice, and Noah’s heart, cracked on the lie. “You’re in charge of the chickens, and Kiddo, until I do. In the meantime, you keep drawing, promise?”
JJ nodded.
Gracie bent down in front of JJ. “Your drawings are amazing. They’re going to love them in New York.”
“I got one more for you. Finished it this morning.” He picked up a piece of paper that was facedown on the kitchen table and handed it to Gracie. “But you gotta promise to keep it for yourself.”
Gracie’s forehead crinkled with confusion. “I promise.” She looked at the drawing. Noah watched as Gracie’s eyes widened, then filled with tears. “This one’s not from memory,” she whispered.
Noah pushed himself off the wall and walked over, concern trumping his curiosity.
“Sure it is,” JJ said with authority. “Some memories are in here.” He pointed to his chest, poked at his heart. “I can see it, Gracie. It just hasn’t happened yet.”
Noah looked over Gracie’s shoulder and his chest squeezed. Gracie held a drawing of the three of them, with Socks in the background. They stood family-portrait style, smiling. Like a family.
JJ flung himself into Gracie’s arms. He hugged her. Not just a sideways snuggle or a shoulder bump. This was an unsolicited, full-on bear hug. Gracie’s eyes squeezed shut, and tears streamed down her cheeks.
She felt something. He was seeing the proof. Any second she would realize what she had here, what she was leaving behind.
When JJ finally released her, Gracie sent him out to check on Kiddo, then turned toward Noah. Her glossy eyes glistened with hope. She was changing her mind, he knew it.
“I’m leaving you the coins,” she said quietly, decisively. “It’s enough to get the ranch current, and then some.”
He stared at her, stunned, bewildered. Devastated. He was getting everything he wanted.
Except her.
“I’m waiting for confirmation, but I’m pretty sure the collection is what we think it is.” Her face was blank, devoid of emotion. Her hard shell rebuilt and solid around her. “It should be just a matter of timing. You’ll need to find a buyer as soon as possible. I’m sure Mr. Wilds can help or perhaps even buy them himself.”
Gracie avoided his gaze and excused herself to pack. He watched her walk to the bedroom, his mind replaying last night, their lovemaking, their conversations, over and over. What had he done wrong? What could he do, what could he say to stop this madness? He’d thought she’d decided to stay.
Or maybe he hadn’t. Maybe that was why he hadn’t explicitly asked her. He hadn’t wanted to know the truth. Not last night. He’d wanted to enjoy the moment, enjoy her. Enjoy them.
He’d wanted to pretend they had a future.