Countdown: Grayson

by Boniface, Allie

  Sweat slipped down Kara’s back. Her clothes stuck to her, and she caught her own scent of fear and body odor and the faint remnants of sex.

  Sex. Grayson. The fight. Her words, and his, and the ugly way he’d left. First chance I get, I’m apologizing. She was almost forty damn years old, she was lonely, and he was right—it was about time she let down a wall or two. Or at least opened a door.

  Of course, she hoped she got a chance. The way the morning was unfolding, she wasn’t sure she would. Not a single car had followed them, and Harmony hadn’t returned her text about missing work. The trees closed in behind them as they neared the front entrance, which meant no one would even know they were here.

  We’re in trouble.

  All the hairs on the back of her neck lifted, and she clenched the steering wheel so hard her fingers turned white. There wasn’t a way out of this that didn’t involve violence. She knew that clear as day.

  She’d barely put the car in Park when Travis shoved open the door. He gripped his gun in one hand and strode toward the front porch. “Dorrie? You in there?” His hair hung in stringy clumps on his shoulders, and from the back he looked like a cross between a squatter and a serial killer who’d lived in the woods for years. “Dorrie? Hello?”

  Kara’s gaze dropped to the seat. In his haste, he’d left her cell phone behind. She grabbed it and dialed 911. Please let there be a signal. She looked at the phone. One lousy little bar. The connection failed and she dialed again, praying with everything she had.

  “Nine-one-one, what is your emergency?”

  “Hello? Oh God, thank you. Yes, hello, I’m at Briarwood House just outside of Yawketuck, and....” The words died in her throat as three things happened almost at once.

  A police car pulled up behind her, lights whirling and siren screaming.

  The front door of Briarwood House opened, and Missy stepped out in a robe and bare feet, holding a shotgun.

  Grayson ran for the porch.

  Grayson?

  Kara dropped the phone as Travis turned and fired. Grayson stumbled. A bloom of red appeared on his side. He swore, grabbed at the wound, and fell. Didn’t get up.

  She screamed and was out of the car before she knew what she was doing. Travis stood watching her, licking his bottom lip. Then, in slow motion, he put both hands on his gun and aimed again at Grayson. Kara froze. All the blood left her face, her arms, her legs, her brain. She couldn’t breathe.

  “Drop your weapon,” commanded the cop.

  Travis didn’t move.

  “Sir, this is your one and only warning. Drop the gun now.”

  “Yer a champion boxer, eh? Don’t look like a champ so much right now.”

  Grayson writhed in pain on the ground, his jaw clamped tight, his arms wrapped around his waist. She couldn’t tell where he’d been hit, but blood soaked the ground, and Kara went light-headed.

  “Hey asshole,” Missy said before the cop could speak again. “Listen to this nice officer and drop that gun, or I’ll let him take you away in a body bag.”

  Travis glanced over his shoulder, and in that brief moment, Kara found her feet and ran straight at him. Head down, she butted him in the gut as hard as she could. As hard as she’d wanted to hit Chuck’s stepfather, and Drake Evanston, and all the shitty men who’d hurt women she knew and loved over the years.

  His gun went flying, and he landed on the ground with an “Oof.” Eyes wide, he stared up at her. He tried to crab-walk away, but Missy planted her gun in the back of his neck.

  “Wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

  A second later, the cop was there, pulling out his cuffs. “You heard the lady,” he said, with one knee to Travis’s back. Travis stayed down after that.

  Grayson lay on the lawn, unmoving. His face was white, and he was pressing his lips together as if to keep the pain in. Kara ran to him.

  “How badly are you hurt?”

  “I’m not....”

  “Let me look.”

  She had to bite down on her bottom lip to keep the world from spinning. She’d seen plenty of blood, but not coming from a man like Grayson Hollister. He was an exotic wild animal, larger than life, powerful, untamed, unharmable. To see him bleed was like seeing the world she knew uprooted. She couldn’t imagine him falling to his knees, bleeding out, weakened, unable to speak. He was Superman, Thor, a Greek god, a hero larger than life. Someone as small and cruel as Travis could never fell him. Right?

  She pulled his shirt away from his skin. The bullet had hit his left side. It didn’t look deep, but she wasn’t an expert, and there was an awful lot of blood.

  “How bad is it?”

  “Just a flesh wound,” she lied. She folded his shirt over it and pressed down hard. Still the blood came. “Looks like it’s right in the middle of a sword tattoo. Sorry.”

  He managed a smile. “That was one of the last ones I got. Last winter. I was watching too much HBO. Figures it would end up saving me. Hope it’s not too badly wrecked.”

  She shook her head, and just like that, all the anger between them fell away. “That’s what you’re crediting for your miraculous dodge of death? A sword tattoo?”

  He reached for her hand. “No. I’m crediting you.”

  She leaned against him, taking in the bulk of him, the strength, the steady heartbeat beneath her fingers. Please be all right. “I don’t know about that. I didn’t throw myself between you and the bullet or anything.”

  “You did throw yourself at Travis, though. I saw that tackle. Not bad for a girl.” His voice was weak, but he smiled.

  “Gee, thanks. And I always thought I was bad at sports.”

  “You saved me with that move.”

  “I think Missy saved you more than I did. That’s a hell of a weapon she’s packing.”

  “Maybe. But there’re other ways to save a guy. Like the moment you opened your door to me yesterday morning.” He breathed in, the sound rattly in his throat. “You saved me from myself, Kara. From my demons. My doubts. My stupid-ass mistakes. You showed me that maybe there’s still a chance to be a decent guy.”

  “Are you hitting on me?” she teased, blinking away tears.

  “I’m trying.” His voice was quiet, his breathing shallow. “Is it working?”

  “I don’t know yet.” Where’s the ambulance? Why isn’t anyone coming? “What other lines do you have?” She needed to keep him talking, keep him conscious. She squeezed his fingers. Don’t you dare die on me.

  “I’m sure I can come up with a couple.” His eyes closed and Kara clenched his hand so tightly she could feel every beat of his pulse.

  She didn’t say what she really wanted to: You’re more than a decent guy, Grayson Hollister. You’re an amazing guy. I think you saved me too.

  9:00 a.m.

  “What happens now?”

  Kara sat in the foyer of Briarwood House with Missy, Dorrie, and Jade. Another cop had joined the first outside, along with the Yawketuck Valley sheriff, and the three of them stood talking to Grayson. Thankfully, an ambulance had arrived, and paramedic was bent over him as well. She was a short Latina with an hourglass figure and a shock of short dark hair, and when she eased his shirt over his head, jealousy reared its green head inside Kara. The woman took his vitals, then ran her hands over his side and back to inspect the gunshot wound.

  Kara fidgeted in her chair. Did she really need to spend so much time touching him? Smiling at him while she worked? Slap on a bandage and be done with it. Kara knew how Grayson’s body felt, how the taut muscles and brilliant tattoos could turn an otherwise-rational woman into a purely hormonal being. Just save his life. I’ll take over from there.

  “Kara?” Missy’s voice broke into her thoughts. “Did you hear anything I said?”

  She didn’t answer. Put his shirt back on. No, stop wrapping gauze around him! Was it her imagination, or was the EMT spending extra time feeling his biceps, his pecs, smoothing the gauze into place over the long striations of his back and wondering
whether the lack of a ring on his finger meant he was single?

  “Want to go out there and stake your claim?” Missy asked.

  Kara flushed. “No. Sorry. I was just....” But she didn’t know what she was doing, except drooling over a man she’d barely known before yesterday. It wasn’t just the muscles, of course, though they didn’t hurt. It was all of him: his broken past, his collection of pets, the way he looked at Jade like she was a miracle. He was as typical a male as you could find, and yet he wasn’t like any man she’d ever met. Funny how people came in and out of your life and some—very few, one or two at the most—had the power to establish roots and stay.

  “He likes you,” Dorrie offered. She bounced Jade on her lap, and when the baby smiled, the resemblance between mother and daughter was stronger than ever. “I mean, not like he said anything, but I can tell. He never looked at me the way he looks at you.”

  The cops finished their conversation and shook hands with the sheriff, who led Travis away in handcuffs. The EMT said something to Grayson and pointed at the ambulance. He shook his head, and she gave him a look that was half stern and half flirtatious, but he smiled and pointed toward the building. She shrugged, made him sign a paper on a clipboard, and then she drove away too.

  Grayson walked inside, his arm in a sling.

  “What’d she say?” Kara asked.

  “Flesh wound, like you said. She gave me a shot of some pretty strong painkillers, so I should be flyin’ high in no time. Said I need to get checked out at the med center when I’m done here. She offered to chauffeur me in that sexy vehicle of hers, but I said I already had a ride.” He sank into the empty chair next to Kara and took her hand. “Think you can give me a one?”

  Oh, his touch. She didn’t know how she’d existed without it. “Of course.”

  “The baby’s okay?” he asked.

  Dorrie nodded.

  “You look like you got some sleep.”

  “First time in a long time.” Her eyes filled as she looked at the ring of them, Missy and Kara and Grayson. “I have no idea how to thank y’all.” She took Jade’s tiny fingers in hers. “I didn’t want to give her up. I really didn’t. I just didn’t know what else to do.” She began to cry. “Do you think she knows I left her behind? Do you think she’ll forgive me?”

  Missy handed Dorrie a box of tissues. “How old is she?”

  “Five months next week.”

  “You have nothing to worry about. She’s healthy and beautiful and just figuring out sounds and colors. She won’t remember any of this.”

  “I want to do the right thing,” Dorrie said quietly. “But I just... I can’t get ahead. My car, and baby food, everything costs so much, and now with Travis gone, I won’t have anyone to watch her, so—”

  The wheels spun in Kara’s head. “Come work for me.”

  “What?”

  “My main assistant at Helping Hands is leaving for college. You could bring Jade with you, wouldn’t have to worry about child care.” If Dorrie could cook and clean at a bar until after midnight, carrying a few boxes and making soup and bread each afternoon would be easy.

  “I don’t know. I mean, I’m not sure I—”

  “I could use someone at the gym,” Grayson offered. “When Kara doesn’t need you, I mean. My front desk guy is good with the customers but not so great at the books. If I remember right, you’re a numbers whiz.”

  Dorrie wiped her tears. “I wouldn’t say I’m a whiz.”

  “If we’re throwing hats in the ring, I could use some help here too,” Missy said. “Housekeeping, laundry, basics like that. If you need a place to stay long term, we could work something out in exchange.”

  Dorrie looked at all of them, incredulous. “You would do that for me?”

  “It’s hard work being a mom,” Kara said. “Especially a single mom.”

  “Plus Jade kind of grew on me,” Grayson said. “I wouldn’t mind havin’ her around. I mean, I’m not much good at changing diapers, but I can do other stuff.”

  Kara’s heart swelled. This man, so full of surprises. It amazed her how children could bring people together, how families could be knit from virtual strangers who crossed paths at the right time.

  “I’d like that,” Dorrie said. “I mean, I don’t really know which one yet. I’ve never had three job offers all at the same time.” She looked at Missy. “But I’d like to stay here for a while, if I can. I’m plenty good at making beds and doing laundry.”

  Grayson tugged at Kara’s hand. “Come outside with me?” he mouthed, and she nodded.

  They left Missy and Dorrie talking about sheets and cable service and walked out into the driveway. The morning sun promised another steamy day.

  “That was pretty generous of you to offer her a job,” Kara said.

  “I could say the same of you.” He pulled her close with his one good arm.

  “I do need someone while Harmony’s at school. Dorrie’d be a big help.” Plus it wouldn’t hurt having Jade around, like Grayson had said. Something about that little girl had pulled them all together, like she was meant to be with each of them. Like they’d all been meant to find each other. Flesh wounds, even wounds to the heart, were just part of the battle. The war, Kara found, was awfully sweet to win in the end.

  “Can I take you to the med center?” she asked as she stood on her tiptoes for a kiss.

  “Absolutely.” He slipped his arm to the small of her back, and even with half his strength, he was rock-solid, rooting her to him and them both to the earth. “Then maybe you could nurse me back to health?”

  “I’d like that.” Boy, would she. She could only imagine playing doctor with Grayson Hollister. “Your place or mine?”

  One Year Later...

  “Here’s the newspaper.” Grayson dropped it on the sofa beside Kara, who sat snuggled next to Turk.

  “Thanks.” She tilted up her chin for a kiss, and he gave it to her, long and slow, cupping one hand behind her head and drinking her in, the way he always did. The way he wanted to forever. He closed his eyes and lost himself in her scent. He couldn’t believe he’d spent so many years living without her.

  “Going to work this morning?”

  He dropped onto the sofa beside her and nodded. “In a while. Dorrie’s bringing Jade over this afternoon, and I’m taking her to the park. There’s an ice cream social.” He opened the paper to the back. He always read the sports section first.

  “I saw the stuffed tiger you bought her yesterday,” Kara said as she stroked Turk’s fur. “And the baby doll set last week. You’re going to spoil her rotten.”

  “Nothin’ wrong with that.” He’d already made up his mind to buy Jade everything she wanted and then some, to take her to socials and dances and hell, walk her down the aisle one day, if she wanted him to. A little girl as perfect as she was deserved all of that and more. He slipped one arm around Kara. He kind of wished she’d let him convince her to have a baby of their own. She kept claiming she was too old, but the way he figured, they were both just the right age. Smart enough to know how the world worked and still young enough to keep up with a toddler. Or two. Candles tonight over dinner and I’ll ask her again. I’ll get her favorite wine, tell her how well HTC is doing, and—

  “What the—” All plans for making babies went out of Grayson’s head.

  Kara leaned over. “Who’s that?”

  “Shit. I think it’s a guy I knew back in high school. Yup. Ethan Meriweather. He lived in my town for a couple years.”

  “What happened to him?”

  Grayson leaned closer, examining the picture, the caption and the short article below it. “Hell if I know. Some kind of kidnapping situation, looks like. Damn.” Ethan had always been a nice guy, smart, too, but they hadn’t traveled in the same circles much. He’d liked sports, and Grayson remembered a study hall one semester where they’d sat next to each other and talked shit about ball teams and boxing instead of trig or history.

  He read the article aga
in. Ethan was a sports journalist for the Memphis Daily News. Or he had been, anyway. Now he was recovering from a pretty serious car accident. High-speed chase, multiple cops and vehicles involved...hell.

  “When’s the last time you talked to him?”

  Grayson shook his head. Had to be fifteen years, at least. “He was a good guy.”

  Kara leaned against him, her shoulder solid and warm, as she scanned the page. “Wow, that’s a lousy break. You should look him up. If all that’s true, I bet he could use a friend right now.”

  Curious about Ethan and what’s happened?

  Read another COUNTDOWN story right now!

  And readers, if you enjoyed this story, please consider leaving a positive review on the site where you bought it. Thank you!

  About the Author

  Allie Boniface is the USA Today best-selling author of over a dozen novels, including the Cocktail Cruise, Hometown Heroes, and Pine Point series. Her books are most often set in small towns and feature emotional, thought-provoking, sensual romance with relatable characters you'll know and love. A graduate of the University of Rochester and Case Western Reserve University, Allie currently lives in a small town in the beautiful Hudson Valley of New York with her husband and their two furry felines. When she isn't teaching high school and community college English, she likes to travel, lose herself in great music, or go for a long run and think about her next story.

  Visit Allie online at www.allieboniface.com. While you’re there, make sure to sign up for her newsletter, so you don’t miss a single announcement about new releases, sales, contests, in-person appearances, and free opportunities for readers!

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