Mom clucked her tongue. “I’ll forgive the sarcasm. It’s just, you’re always saying you’re too busy to date. That’s why the last few relationships didn’t work out, right? I was thinking, why don’t you date someone as busy as you?”
It was sound logic, except for the fact that I wasn’t too busy to date. I was too hung up on Grace. What other kind of signs could I wave in her direction before she would either believe that I wanted her or block me from her life?
Based on her reaction to my wedding date idea, I was thinking blocking me from her life was more likely.
“I’ll call Blaire. Mom, I’m getting a work call. I’m sorry, I have to go.” It wasn’t a lie. A commercial realtor I often used was buzzing in.
“Okay, love you, child. See you soon.”
“Love you, too.”
I switched to the other call before it went to voicemail. “Steve-o. How’s it going?”
“Good. You remember asking me if there was a lower rent place that would be good for a dry cleaners? I think I have a location for you.”
“Perfect. How many square feet?” I hit the record button so that when I reached the office, I could go back and get all the details I couldn’t write down while driving.
Work, I could do. It was a situation where the right strategy yielded a result I could count on. I was rarely blindsided when it came to making money. I was rarely not blindsided when it came to dealing with Grace.
Case in point: Isaac standing in the middle of my parking spot when I pulled in. He backed up slowly with his arms foldedso I could park my car, even remembering to step up onto the curb without breaking eye contact with me. Bold power move.
I grabbed my laptop back from the passenger seat and got out. “Let me guess? You’re mad at me.”
“Furious.”
Lucky for me, Isaac’s version of furious was to look slightly perturbed. He was a dandelion among a pack of pride animals. No, that wasn’t fair. More like he was the kid picking dandelions while his team chased the soccer ball. He saw the beauty in the world, and he knew his priorities. He and Carmen were disgustingly happy together. I liked her for him a lot.
“Grace wouldn’t let me tell you.”
“Shocking. Disappoint her every once in a while.”
Why did people keep saying that to me? First Connie referring to the favors for my mother, and now this? Nobody had ever accused me of being a people-pleaser before. I told people to shut down their failing businesses. And I enjoyed it.
I shrugged. “I think she’s feeling a little ashamed about it, to be honest.”
“Ashamed that a big company wants to buy her out?”
“No, ashamed for wanting it.”
“Oh.” Isaac took that in with the look of someone who hadn’t considered that possibility before. Which meant Grace had made it sound like she didn’t have much of a choice in selling.
I got it. After Grace’s divorce, we’d all thrown ourselves into helping make her dream business come to life. She fought me on investing in it, terrified I’d never get my money back. I knew I would, if for no other reason than because Grace couldn’t stand the idea of owing me anything.
What she didn’t know was I’d invest in her a million times, with no thought of a return. And I couldn’t tell her why, because if there was anything I avoided more than my mother’s matchmaking, it was rejection.
I loved Isaac like a brother. And I loved Piper. Her unfettered joy in seeing me was one of the best things in life. I’dbeen around since she was born, giving her a lot of time to get to know me. So, if I actually revealed the depths of my feelings for Grace and got a no? My stomach hurt just thinking about it. I could joke about blowing up bridges with her, but I always kept an emergency bomb-squad on hand. Could Grace just be the one to try something for once? Maybe flirt back?
I thought about the look she’d given me over her shoulder when I’d clasped that necklace on her today. I had totally lied. If she’d let me, I’d be that vampire boyfriend we’d passed by in the jewelry shop. I would worship her gorgeous neck. I’d drop kisses on it every chance I got.
“You look like you’re a million miles away.”
“I—what?” I marched past Isaac and headed into the building. “It’s just a real estate thing. Lots to think about. See you tonight?”
“Well, we do have that meeting at four, right?”
“Oh, right. See you then.” I rubbed at the scruff on my face. I’d have to work in time for a shave before tonight.
Chapter 11 – Grace
