“Trudy, wait.”
I turned to find Grace standing in the doorway, her hand on the frame.
“Can we talk?” she asked. “Just for a minute?”
My stomach twisted, but I nodded. “Of course.”
She led me to a quieter corner of the clubhouse, away from the lingering guests.
“I meant what I said earlier,” Grace began. “About not blaming you. I need you to really hear that.”
“I’m trying,” I said honestly.
“Good.” She smiled. “Because I don’t want you carrying that guilt anymore. You don’t deserve it.”
“Grace—”
“And I meant what I said about my dad, too.” Her expression turned mischievous. “He talks about you, you know.”
My heart skipped. “He does?”
“All the time. ‘Trudy this, Trudy that.’ It’s actually kind of adorable.”
“I don’t—” I said, shaking my head. “We’re not?—”
“Trudy.” Grace’s voice was gentle but firm. “It’s okay. You have my blessing. More than that, I’d be honored if you became my stepmother someday.”
The words hit me like a freight train.
Stepmother.
“Grace, that’s not... nothing’s happening?—”
“Not yet,” she said, her smile widening. “But it will. I can see it.”
“You’re as bad as he is,” I muttered.
“I’ll take that as a compliment.” She pulled me into another hug. “Thank you for coming today. It meant the world to me.”
“Thank you for inviting me,” I replied, my voice thick.
When I finally made it to the car, Pati was waiting with a knowing grin.
“So?” she asked.
“So what?”
“What did Grace say?”
“None of your business.”
“She gave you her blessing, didn’t she?”
I didn’t answer, just started the engine.
But as we pulled away from the clubhouse, I caught a glimpse of Stephen standing in the doorway, watching me leave. His expression was unreadable, but there was something in the way he stood—solid, immovable, like he was anchoring himself to the sight of me driving away.
He’s not going to let this go,I thought, my hands tightening on the wheel.
