And threaded through it, irritatingly persistent, was Luke.
Luke standing by his car that morning like he had a claim. Luke walking beside her like he hadn’t spent months insisting she exist only in shadows. Luke deciding—without asking—that he would protect her.
She adjusted a stack of books that didn’t need adjusting.
Last night he’d been more honest.You have a houseguest. A criminal.
It had been a reminder of what he thought of her and her family.
Grace pressed her palm flat against her desk and breathed in slowly through her nose.
She didn’t need him deciding which parts of her life were acceptable.
She didn’t need him protecting her from the consequences of a family he’d already decided defined her.
And she didn’t need his concern if it came bundled with judgment.
“Miss Hart?”
She looked up. A small face peered at her, earnest and unconcerned.
“Yes, sweetheart?”
“Can you help me sound this word out?”
Grace smiled and knelt beside the desk. “Of course.”
She worked through the letters with him, patient and steady, until his face lit up with understanding. When he beamed at her, pride bright and uncomplicated, something in her chest loosened.
Thiswas real.
This was earned.
Whatever trouble Eli was in. Whatever threat had followed him here. Whatever Luke thought he was doing?—
This room was hers. This town was hers.
Grace straightened and moved back to the front of the room, clapping her hands once to gather attention.
“Alright, friends,” she said, voice warm and sure. “Who’s ready to talk about themiddleof a story?”
Hands flew up again.
Grace smiled wider.
Whatever fear waited outside these walls—whatever men thought they knew about her?—
In this room, she was exactly who she had always been.
And she wasn’t letting anyone take that from her.
CHAPTER 20
Luke
It wasn’tstrange that he kept ending up here.
It was just the patrol route he was following.
