“Excuse me?” Marshall asked, his gaze flicking between Gracie and Eleanor.
Gracie opened her mouth to explain, but nothing came out.
“I say whatever gets a man to stand up, take charge, and notice, and you surely did that, Gracie McBride.” She gave a sharp laugh and gave a lusty look to Marshall. “Quite a catch, too. Well done, you two!”
She added a really obnoxious wink and marched off, oblivious to the bomb she’d just detonated.
But Gracie could see the shock in Marshall’s face, a hint of disbelief, a whisper of confusion, and a whole lot of…distrust.
“Wait. What?” he asked, stunned.
She opened her mouth, butstillnothing came out. Her mind spun. Why hadn’t she told him? She had no good reason, just general shyness and embarrassment.
“What does she mean?” he asked, an edge in his tone. “Scheming?”
“It’s not what it sounds like,” she managed. “It’s?—”
He studied her face, and she could see the realization dawning. “You…did this?”
“I didn’t do anything, Marshall. I?—”
“This was a setup? The co-baking thing? You…arranged this?”
“Not exactly…” Her voice wavered with the realization that he wasn’t happy. He wasn’t laughing or giving her a playful elbow or rolling his eyes over the cuteness of it. Not at all.
And that hurt.
“Unbelievable.” He stepped back, shaking his head.
Was it so awful that she liked him and…did a little scheming? Not that she had. The kids had, but she’d gone along with it. “Please. It wasn’t?—”
He cut her off with a bitter laugh. “I thought it was real. Authentic. Turns out it was just…a scam.”
Ascam?
Before she could say another word, the crowd around them erupted in applause as the music swelled. The skating show had begun.
Gracie turned toward the rink, heart pounding, throat tight. “Can we talk after the show? Please?” she whispered.
Marshall’s jaw clenched. He didn’t answer but stared straight ahead.
On the ice, a troupe of girls came out in rows of three, the Christmas music sounding off-key and shrill to Gracie’s ears.
Was it really that terrible of a thing to have done?
She watched the swirling skirts and spinning skaters, vaguely aware of Red and Benny on the sidelines waiting for their cue. It all blended together in a mess that made Gracie feel sad and sick and sorry she was here.
Glancing over to her right, she saw her family cheering the girls. Nicole and Cameron, arm in arm. Uncle Jack and Aunt Cindy, stealing a kiss. Even Mom looked happy as she clapped to the music and sang the words to a playful Christmas song.
Why wasn’t Gracie over there with them? Safe behind her walls? She’d taken one step out of her comfort zone, and here she was, next to a man she could feel building his own barrier from her, brick by brick.
She’d known about his trust issues—his ex-wife’s lies, the manipulation that had nearly cost him everything. And now, in the space of one careless comment, she’d become part of that same story. Her heart ached that he lumped her in with a woman who’d used him for fame, fortune, or marriage.
They both sat frozen and staring as the second number started, a medley of “Jingle Bell Rock” and “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.” Two girls did a jitterbug routine and two morespun in gorgeous circles. Bells jangled and the crowd clapped and sang along.
A few skaters rolled a big tree to the center of the rink with the bag full of plush toys that Benny would throw. Gracie had come to the last rehearsal and knew every move by now, but the whole performance spiraled into a blur.
“It’s really that awful?” she managed to ask in a raspy voice. “I mean, I didn’t…hurt you.”
