I headed down the hall to find Grace waiting at the top of the stairs with two suitcases beside her. I immediately started climbing the stairs. When I reached the landing, I saw the salty tear stains streaking down her cheeks and shook my head. I didn't know what Georgia and Gabriella were up to, but it better be worth it.
“Come here,” I told her, pulling Grace into my arms and letting her cry on my shoulder. As sobs wracked her body, I wanted one of them to come clean. Instead, they both stood at the bottom of the stairs looking guilty but staying silent.
Once her tears subsided, I cupped her face in my hands and kissed her tears away.
“You okay?”
“Can you please just take me home?” Grace pleaded.
I nodded before letting go of her and picking up her suitcases. They weighed a ton and were straining the zippers, but I wasn’t about to say anything and complain. I wasn’t completely stupid.
Grace led me down the stairs and without saying a word to her sisters, opened the screen door for me. Once I carried her cases through, she kept going, not pausing to even look back. I hurt for her. She was already worried about fitting in and finding her place and this felt like a kick in the guts. I just hoped the girls knew what they were doing. If they fucked it up, they could very well lose their sister for good.
I loaded everything in the truck as she climbed in. When I went to close her door, the look on her face broke my heart.
“You ready to go?” I asked.
Instead of an answer I got a sniffle and a slight nod.
I closed her door and rounded the hood before sliding behind the wheel. Standing on the porch Georgia and Gabriella lookedworried. They should. Right now, though, I couldn’t muster any sympathy for them. I knew they had good intentions, and whatever they were up to, they were hoping would help, but right now, twenty-four hours seemed like a lifetime.
I fired up the ignition and rested my hand on the back of Grace’s seat as I started to reverse down the drive. “Let’s go home, pretty girl. Daisy’s probably wondering where you are.”
“You think?” Grace asked meekly, looking up.
“If she isn't, I bet she’s dying to know what happened to Dante and Flick in that book you were reading. I know I am,” I teased, and as her cheeks tinged pink and a smile tugged at her lips, I knew she wasn’t broken. Maybe a little bruised, but Grace was tough. Even if she couldn’t see it, she’d bounce back, I knew she would.
Chapter nineteen
Grace
Iwoke up to banging.
Last night I’d curled up in bed before seven after washing down a couple of ibuprofens to try to squash the migraine that was blinding me.
I’d spent the afternoon with Daisy in the barn making sure she was settled and had everything she needed. She was a cute little thing and even though Cole kept calling her rib eye, brisket, or even sirloin, which frankly was a ridiculous name for a female calf, I knew he was just as smitten with her as I was.
I rolled over and rubbed my eyes. Beside me the bed was empty, and the rumpled sheets were cold. I checked the time. Itwas a little after seven, but not too late. I climbed out of bed, making a beeline for the bathroom. After taking care of business, I brushed my teeth and splashed water on my face.
Still in my pajamas, I padded to the kitchen to start the coffee. Maybe once I had some caffeine in my system, I’d feel more human and be able to function. There was no doubt about it, I was feeling flat but that wasn’t Cole’s problem. I had to get my shit together, figure out what I was going to do with my life. I needed to start putting one foot in front of the other. It was time to stop just existing and start living again.
The banging came again, and I pinched the bridge of my nose. The last thing I needed was for my horrendous headache to return, but I couldn’t very well tell Cole to keep the noise down. It was his place. I was just crashing here for a while. The problem was, I had no idea how long that would be.
My coffee finished bubbling, and I cradled it in my hands before heading back into the bedroom. Zane had been gone for a few days, and it was nice to be able to walk around and not have to worry about not wearing a bra and giving him a show. Cole certainly didn’t care, but I wouldn’t have done it if Zane was still here.
I set my coffee on the bedside table beside me before sitting on the bed, propping the pillows up behind me. Once I was settled, I picked up my phone and scrolled. My feed was flooded but it didn’t surprise me. Today was my birthday and thanks to social media, everyone knew it. Even with all the birthday wishes popping up, I was under no illusion that they actually cared. It was just what was expected these days.
Ignoring the well wishes, I scrolled on and sipped my coffee. Cole had no idea today was my birthday and I was in no hurry to tell him. I didn’t want a fuss. I didn’t feel like I had much to celebrate. At this point in my life, I was basically couch surfing, unemployed, and completely lost. You’d think when you hit thatbig three-oh you’d have your life together. At least I thought I would. Thirty was a scary number for me. It was the one that meant you’d made it or you hadn’t. And if I was measuring my accomplishments, I was certainly a disappointment. No husband. No kids. Not even a dog.
I knew wallowing wasn’t going to make me feel better and I had to start getting on with it. After yesterday, it was glaringly obvious my future wasn’t at the B&B, so I had to figure something else out. And I had to figure it out fast.
Last night over dinner, I suggested Cole let me pay something toward rent. To say he was unimpressed was an understatement. Livid was a better description. He didn’t want my money, and I didn’t want his charity. After twenty minutes of arguing, we agreed to disagree and iced the conversation. For now. I wouldn’t let up and if he wouldn’t take my money, then I’d find other ways to pay him. Starting with doing a load of laundry and changing the sheets.
I finished my coffee and rolled out of bed, this time with a plan. I stripped the sheets before tossing them in the washer and headed for a shower.
I stood under the water until it ran cold. It was one of those everything showers. I hadn’t realized how much I needed it until I stepped out onto the bathmat, wrapped a towel around me, and wiped the condensation from the mirror.
I’d shaved, exfoliated, washed, and moisturized every inch of my body and I was finally starting to feel like me. I dressed in denim cutoffs and one of Cole’s faded Army shirts. There was something about wearing his shirts that I was addicted to. Maybe it was his scent that had seeped into the fabric or maybe it was their size. I wasn’t a little girl, but in one of Cole’s shirts, I felt delicate and small.
