by SJ McCoy
They were walking back to the parking lot where they’d left the Jeep while they’d taken a walk around the Grand Prismatic Spring. He’d bought Grace a camera in the gift shop when they arrived, and she’d been snapping away at everything in sight. He stopped when she tugged on his sleeve. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah. Why?”
She shrugged. “You just got this look on your face like you were mad about something.”
“No. My mind tends to race through all kinds of things. I don’t know what I was thinking, but it wasn’t anything important.” There was a first. He wasn’t telling a woman the truth. Normally he told them whatever he thought; not only was it the right thing to do, but it made life a lot simpler. He didn’t string them along. He told them he wouldn’t call them; he told them they’d most likely see him with another woman the next time they came into the club. So, why hadn’t he admitted to Grace that he’d been mad at himself for doing something that might upset her? Because he cared about her? That was fucked up. Why would he be honest with women he didn’t care about and lie to the only one that he did? And since when did he care about her?
They’d started walking again and she was studying his face. “Did I do something wrong?”
He slid his arm around her shoulders and hugged her into his side as they crossed the bridge that spanned the river. “No. You didn’t do a thing wrong.” He smiled. “Let’s take a picture.” He took the camera from her hand and backed them both against the railing. This wasn’t going to work. He gave it back to her and pulled his phone out instead. After he’d taken a bunch of photos, he took hold of her hand and they headed back to the Jeep. Grace surprised him when she let go and hurried over to an older couple. He smiled when he realized that she was asking them to take a photo for her.
He posed with her and smiled and goofed around as the old guy seemed to be quite the photographer. Oscar planted a kiss on Grace’s cheek hoping he’d get a good photo of that.
“Perfect! I hope they turn out.” He handed the camera back with a smile.
Back in the car, Oscar sent his picture to Grace’s phone. “Can I have the ones from the camera, too?”
She nodded. “Sure.”
He couldn’t shake the feeling that she wasn’t going to send them to him, and that bothered him. He wanted those photos. They were memories of their first trip here.
~ ~ ~
Once they were out of the park and headed back up the valley, Oscar reached across and took hold of Grace’s hand. She loved it when he did that.
“Do you want to go to my parents’ for lunch?”
She nodded. “I thought that was half the reason we’re here—so you can see them.”
He made a face. “I asked if you want to go.”
Oh. She hadn’t thought about that. Maybe he’d rather go by himself—and not be embarrassed by her. “No. That’s fine. I can hang out at your place. You go. I bet they’re dying to see you.”
He scowled and pulled off the road. He looked mad!
“What?”
He shook his head and reached across to cup her face between his hands. “Why do you always count yourself out? I was asking if you wanted to go, if you were okay with it, because I want you to enjoy yourself. Why did you assume that I didn’t want you to go?”
She shrugged.
“We’re not going anywhere until you explain it to me.”
She rolled her eyes. “I don’t know what to tell you. I thought you might want them to yourself.”
“And what else?”
She dropped her gaze and fiddled with her fingers.
“Tell me.”
“Okay. I was surprised that you wanted me to meet them in the first place. I figured maybe you’d had second thoughts and didn’t want them to meet me.”
He blew out a sigh and planted a kiss on her lips. “Why are you so down on yourself?”
“I’m not. I’m just very aware of how different we are.”
“And I’ve already told you that I don’t see the difference, and my parents won’t either. If I’m honest, I wanted you to meet them so that I could share them with you, show you what it feels like to have a loving family. Then I wondered if that was wrong, whether it would make you feel bad instead of good.”
Grace stared into his eyes for a long moment. He was trying to do something nice for her and was second-guessing himself. She blew out a sigh and rested her forehead against his.
“That’s incredibly sweet of you, you know.”
His lips quivered up into his now familiar smirk. “But was it a good idea or a mistake?”
“I don’t know. I love the idea. I’d like to meet them, even though it’s a bit scary. I’d love to feel how it feels to be with a family like yours, but I can’t guarantee how I’ll feel afterward. Maybe I’ll be happy and grateful you shared that with me, and maybe I’ll feel sad about everything I never had. I don’t know.”
“Do you think it’s worth the risk of finding out?”
She nodded. “I do. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.”
She smiled to herself as she listened to him talk to his mom on the phone. No one had ever tried to do something like this for her before. She’d always wondered what it was like to have a family, but she didn’t know where any of her siblings were and didn’t care where her mom might be. Growing up, most of her friends were the kids of single moms and parents who worked two and three jobs and were never around.
She sat up straight when he pulled off the main road.
“Don’t be nervous.” He gave her hand a squeeze.
“I’m not.”
“Good. I think you’ll like them.”
She did. They were both warm and friendly. They made her feel welcome, and she just knew they didn’t see her the way she’d expected them to—as somehow less than them. They welcomed her into their home and treated her as though she and Oscar had been friends forever. They told her embarrassing stories about when he was a kid. It was wonderful.
After lunch, his dad—Johnny as he’d asked her to call him—asked if he could borrow Oscar. Grace nodded happily. Before she’d met them, she might have imagined that such a move would be his dad pulling him aside to ask why he’d brought her. Now, she could tell he was eager to catch up with his son about business or some guy stuff.
His mom smiled at her. “Is it too early for a glass of wine?”
Grace grinned. “Never.”
“Do you prefer red or white?”
Grace shrugged. “Whichever’s easiest.”
His mom raised an eyebrow. “You don’t have a preference? I thought everyone did.”
Grace looked over her shoulder as if someone might overhear her embarrassing secret. She didn’t mind telling Jean. “I really don’t know. I don’t normally drink wine. I had my first glass of red last night.”
If Jean was shocked, she didn’t let it show. Instead she leaned in with a smile. “Do you want a beer? I have some.”
Grace laughed. She couldn’t imagine Jean drinking beer. “I’d love one.”
“Come on, then.” Jean led her out onto the deck and down the steps to the yard. When they reached a greenhouse, Jean let them in with a conspiratorial smile. “I spend a lot of time out here, and when you get thirsty, a glass of wine is no use. Nothing hits the spot like an icy, cold beer.” She went to an under-the-counter fridge and pulled out two beers. Grace couldn’t help laughing as she popped the tops off them like a pro.
“Thank you. I didn’t expect you to be a beer drinker.”
Jean shrugged happily. “I kind of got that impression. Do I come across as a snob?”
“Oh, God, no! I didn’t mean that. I thought you might be, before I met you, but I know better now. I’m sorry.”
Jean put a hand on her arm and smiled kindly. “Don’t be. I was only teasing. It seems to me that you thought we were going to judge you harshly and you judged us that way.”
Grace felt bad.
“It’s okay. I’m just glad you like us now you know us.”
“Not as glad as I am that you like me.”
Jean clinked her bottle against Grace’s. “Here’s to the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”
Grace didn’t know what to say.
“Don’t look like that. You and Oscar are just getting started.”
“No. He’s just being kind to me.”
Jean threw back her head and laughed. “Oh, dear. You haven’t figured it out yet, either?”
“Figured what out?”
Jean shook her head. “Much as I want to, I’m not going to spell it out for you. I’ll let the two of you figure it out for yourselves.”
Grace frowned. Jean thought they were just getting started? No. They weren’t. She’d like that to be true, but it wasn’t realistic. She’d never had a relationship that lasted more than a few months. That wasn’t the way her life worked. Jean was watching her, and she felt like she had to say something, to explain. “He’s not looking for a relationship, neither am I.”
“That’s usually when it happens, dear.”
Chapter Seventeen
On Monday morning, Oscar stood in his dressing room and looked around. He’d been about to put on his usual white shirt and blue suit, but now he was second-guessing himself. He was going to the center to meet with Spider and Terry. Was a suit the most appropriate, or should he wear jeans and a T-shirt? He gave himself a rueful smile in the mirror. Grace was really getting to him—or at least her more judgmental side was. She’d admitted that she thought of him as an arrogant prick. Maybe he should be trying to give a different impression to the others? He reached for his suit. Fuck it. It was a part of who he was. Just because Grace was doing strange things to his head—and his body—he wasn’t going to start changing who he was.
Hell, she wasn’t even going to be there until tonight. She had to go to work—for Harry. A job she wouldn’t have much longer once the sale of the center went through. He shook his head. He’d managed to inadvertently turn her world on its head. To be fair, she was doing the same to him.
He was starting to believe his mom’s theory about everyone having a person—the one person they were meant to be with. More than that, he was starting to believe that Grace was his person. It was crazy, but it felt true. He sighed and finished getting dressed. He wasn’t sure that she felt the same way; in fact, if he had to bet on it, he’d say she didn’t. She’d been grateful for the trip to Montana, and she was enthusiastic about his upcoming involvement in the Center, but he wasn’t convinced that she would ever see him as part of her life—her future. He shuddered. Maybe his mom had just gotten to him? She’d fallen in love with Grace, there were no doubts about that. His dad had, too, but maybe they were just relieved that he’d finally brought a woman to meet them. He introduced them to plenty of women before, but only on social occasions where he’d been with a date. He’d never brought anyone home before—never wanted his family to meet a woman or for a woman to meet them
He started at the sound of the front door opening.
“Are you ready?” called TJ.
“Be right out.” He checked himself over in the mirror and went out to join his brother who was in the kitchen, pouring himself a cup of coffee.
“What’s the plan for the day?”
Oscar blew out a sigh. “Not much, just cancel a new nightclub and set up a new charity instead.”
TJ chuckled. “A quiet day then.”
“Yeah, nothing out of the ordinary.”
“Okay, so where to first?”
“To the office at the club. I have a lot of calls to make.”
“Anything I can do?”
Oscar met his brother’s gaze. TJ had been a mess when he first came home—spending most of his time drinking and staring at the wall. He’d been doing better since he’d been driving for Oscar, but he’d made it very clear that he’d take things in his own time. Being a chauffeur wasn’t his goal in life, but it was enough for the time being—or at least it had been until now. “Is there anything you’d like to do?”
“I’d like to be involved; I think I can be useful.”
Oscar waited.
“I’d like to get involved at the center with the vets and wherever else I can help. I spent some time there over the weekend, just hanging out talking to the guys. We’re all in the same boat in some respects, except I’m in a better position than most. I think it’s about time I stop feeling sorry for myself and start being useful.”
Oscar grinned. “That’s awesome.”
TJ smiled back. “Thanks for not saying it’s about time.”
“I didn’t say it because I don’t think it. You’ll get there in your own time or not at all.”
“Anyway.” It seemed TJ didn’t want to get bogged down talking about himself and his own progress. “What needs to happen? I’m guessing you’re going to need to go through all kinds of inspections and permitting processes and a whole boatload of red tape. The sooner we can get those balls rolling, the better.”
“Absolutely. The first thing I need to do is talk to the lawyers and the accountants. I don’t know if this should be set up as a nonprofit or a charitable trust. We’ve got a hell of a lot of work to do. I don’t think they have any permits right now, and that’s a whole can of worms I’m not looking forward to.”
TJ smiled. “I can deal with all of that. I mean, we’re going to have to check out zoning, insurance, safety regs and a whole bunch more, I’m sure.”
“You want to take on that kind of thing?”
“Yeah. I do.”
“Great. Then let’s get to the office and get to work. I’m going to be busy with legal and financial, and I’m meeting with Spider and Terry at two.”
“You mean we are?”
“Yeah. I guess I do.”
“And what about Grace?”
“She’s at work.”
TJ downed the last of his coffee and made a face. “I didn’t think about that. She just volunteers her time, outside of her job, right?”
“Yes, although she’s not going to have that job for much longer. Once the sale goes through, Harry Dressel plans to retire.”
“Why do I get the feeling that she won’t have to worry about a job?”
“What do you mean?” Oscar’s heart started to pound. Even if Grace was his person, he still wasn’t sure about the whole getting married thing—and definitely not this soon. And besides, even if they did get married someday, he couldn’t see Grace wanting to be a kept woman. It just wasn’t her.
TJ gave him a puzzled look. “From what I understand, she practically runs the center. I assumed we’d make that official and employ her.”
“Oh.” Oscar felt dumb. “Yeah.”
TJ picked the car keys up off the counter and headed to the garage. “Are you going to tell me about your trip up home?”
Oscar didn’t reply until they were both in the car and TJ started to pull out of the garage. “No. I don’t think I am.”
TJ smirked. “I didn’t think so, but that’s okay. Mom already filled me in.”
“She did?”
“Yeah. She agrees with me—Grace is special.”
Oscar shook his head. She was. But he didn’t know what that would mean.
~ ~ ~
It was six o’clock by the time Grace made it to the center. Work had been crazy busy. Harry was wrapping everything up. She’d assumed it’d take him a while after the sale went through to wrap up all his client accounts and transfer them to other CPAs. She’d been wrong. He’d gone into overdrive and was nearly ready to close up shop now.
She got off the bus, wondering what she was going to do. Louise had told her time and again that she didn’t need to worry about the rent until she found a new job. Spider had told her he’d give her all the shifts she could handle at the coffee shop, but she needed to find something. She didn’t want to depend on her friends to
carry her through. She stood on her own two feet.
She took a deep breath before she opened the front door. It was time to switch her mind away from her own problems and onto the center. She’d love to think its problems were over, but she was waiting to see. Oscar was stepping in to save the place. She didn’t know yet what that would look like, and she wasn’t even sure how long it would last. So, she needed to get inside and find out. She did, but she needed a minute to prepare herself. She’d just spent an amazing weekend with the man. He’d taken her to Montana, to Yellowstone, and more than that, he’d taken her to meet his family. That was huge! But, at the same time, it was completely separate and apart from whatever he was doing here at the center. He’d wanted her to stay with him last night when they got back to LA. It was going on midnight and she’d been tempted, but she insisted he drop her at Louise’s. Did she want to spend the night with him? Of course she did, but she’d felt the need to break away from him, to draw a clear line between the guy and the girl who’d met in the elevator, and the center manager and her benefactor.
“Are you going to go in, or are you just warming the doorknob?”
She swung around to see Terry sitting behind her. “Hey, you.”
“Hey yourself. Is everything okay? They’re all waiting for you. We got a lot done this afternoon.”
“You did?” For some reason, that bothered her. It shouldn’t. The whole point of bringing Oscar on board had been so they could make progress, figure out a future for the place, but now that he was here and apparently doing just that, she felt excluded. Which was ridiculous, and she knew it.
“Yeah, come on in, so we can tell you all about it.”
She held the door open and followed him inside. Her breath caught in her throat somewhere when she spotted Oscar. He was sitting on the floor with a bunch of little kids running around him and over him. It was the most unexpected sight. He looked up and met her gaze with a smile that blew her away—it wasn’t cocky or arrogant, and it wasn’t one of his smoldering looks that made her stomach flip. It was just a genuine, fresh, happy smile. She smiled back.
