The Stand

by Lila Kane

  What did he mean the painting was done? Grace read the email through once more.

  Try to understand there’s more drawing me to you than the star…

  Grace leaned her head against the headboard. She closed her eyes and let a sigh escape, hating the longing that wouldn’t leave her heart.

  ~ ~ ~

  Nathan dragged himself home late in the evening, muscles sore and eyes tired. He’d almost finished the living room at the youth center. Just one more coat to go. He showered and ate a bowl of cereal, too tired to fix anything more complicated. He ate it quickly at the table in the kitchen, looking forward to his bed and a long, uninterrupted night of sleep.

  Work would still be there tomorrow afternoon, and he’d catch up if he put in a few extra hours.

  Nathan shuffled down the hall, finally letting himself think about Grace and the star and how much he hated to hear those two words together in the same sentence.

  He couldn’t help but feel responsible for what had happened. Couldn’t help but feel he should’ve done something more–and could have. Nathan knew about tribal idols, had gone to other countries and witnessed the dangerous effects wishes and beliefs on those idols had. Just like the stars. He should have taken this more seriously. And after he’d seen what had happened with Maddy and Kara, he should have been prepared for it.

  He detoured to his office, taking a seat in the plush office chair, and let a sigh escape. He tapped his fingers on the armrest, and then swiped his finger across the mouse pad on his computer.

  An email from Grace waited for him. She’d written him back. But that didn’t mean it was good. Grace didn’t want to hear he cared for her and that’s exactly what he’d written.

  He clicked the button and her email popped up. Two short lines that mimicked the style of his letter, making him chuckle at first.

  Nathan,

  Don’t get mad if I get irritable. Hovering does that to people. I don’t know if I can understand the rest, or even if I can try. But…I know you’re doing what you feel is right.

  Grace

  He closed his eyes and rubbed his hand over his face. He was doing what he thought was right. But he wanted to see something for it. He wanted…what? For her to say she understood. For her to say she felt a connection, too. Some kind of indication that what he was doing was working. Even more, that she wanted him to continue.

  Nathan shut down the computer, weariness creeping over him. He left the office and walked the rest of the way to his bedroom. He shoved back the covers and collapsed on the comfortable mattress. Less than ten minutes later, he was asleep.

  He dreamed about Grace and a swarm of bees.

  Chapter 12

  The sun made her eyes squint. Kara slid on her sunglasses as the clouds parted and revealed a beautiful morning. She turned onto Parker Road and found a parking spot directly in front of Serendipity.

  She stepped out and breathed in the fresh air. The main street of downtown Serenity Falls looked peaceful at this hour, stores just beginning to open, road mellow with minimal traffic. Her gaze traveled to the empty building across the street. The sign Moore’s Antiques still graced the front of the building in a blocked font that stretched over the entrance. But there were no displays in the front window, no baskets of flowers hanging from the eave. The door was shut and locked, not open like it most often had been, beckoning passerby to come inside and get lost in two rooms full of history.

  Kara propped her sunglasses on her head and climbed the stairs to Serendipity. Bells jingled as she opened the door and a wave of freshly brewed coffee engulfed her. Elliot’s gaze met hers from across the counter. It still gave her a tingle in her belly when she saw those light blue eyes aimed at her. And the smile that followed melted her bones.

  “Hi.”

  His expression turned amused. “Good morning.”

  Elliot came around the counter, reached out brush her cheek with his knuckles. “What are you doing here so early? I thought you had a patient to take care of.”

  Kara chuckled and grabbed his hand, leading him into the café. “Don’t let Grace hear you say that.”

  Maddy looked up at the sound of her voice. She had a handful of cups stacked in her hands. “Everything okay?”

  “It’s fine,” Kara said, reassuring her with a smile. She released Elliot’s hand and leaned against the counter as Maddy began to stack the cups. “I thought I’d make a quick trip before she got up.”

  “She can’t stay away from me,” Elliot said with a grin.

  Kara laughed. “You sure do enjoy flattering yourself. I came because I thought Grace might like something to wake her up and because our visitor came back.”

  “Visitor?” Elliot asked.

  “Nathan?” Maddy’s eyes twinkled. “He’s finishing the painting, isn’t he?”

  “Yep. I thought he might like some coffee.”

  “Good idea.”

  Kara smiled at Elliot. “Nathan’s been working on painting the living room at the guesthouse so Grace doesn’t get any ideas.”

  Elliot’s lip quirked at one corner. “That’s nice of him.”

  “He did all of it himself. I’m going to try to spend some time there later today to see what else we can finish if Grace decides she’s going to cooperate.”

  “Maybe she will if we work and she supervises,” Maddy said. “Then at least she’ll feel like we’re making progress. I’ll come by after I get off work.”

  Kara nodded and accepted three cups of coffee from her, steam rising into the air.

  “You know, we do have a coffee maker at home,” Maddy reminded her.

  “I told you,” Elliot said, “she just can’t get enough of me.”

  Kara smiled when he took two of the cups from her. “I’ll walk you to your car.”

  “’Bye Maddy.”

  Kara followed Elliot to the parking lot, lowering her glasses over her eyes again.

  “You should come by more often,” Elliot told her with a grin as they walked to her car. “I like seeing you in the morning.”

  Kara opened the door and leaned in to deposit the coffee. She accepted the others and found spots for each. When she straightened and turned, Elliot was right in front of her. He propped his hands against the car on either side of her.

  “You’re a good friend, you know that?” he asked.

  “They were there for me when I was dealing with this, too.”

  Elliot reached for her sunglasses and tipped them up to look into her eyes. “I know.” He kissed her once, softly, on the lips. “But you’re still a good friend.” He dropped another kiss on her lips and this time her eyes closed in response. Amusement coated his voice. “Your coffee is going to get cold.”

  Kara opened her eyes. “I could always get more.”

  He chuckled and pulled back.

  She lowered her glasses again with a sigh. “But I should check on Grace.”

  He brushed her arm with his hand, his eyes growing serious. “Has she said anything else about her wish or where she thinks she might find the star?”

  “Not much. I think…”

  “What?”

  Kara pulled the keys from her pocket. “I think she might not be telling us the whole truth about her wish.”

  “Why?”

  “She kind of hesitates whenever she talks about it.” Kara shrugged and gave him a half-hearted smile. “I could be wrong. I’m just worried.”

  He slid his hand down her arm and gripped her hand. “Try not to worry. She has time left and we’re all going to help her figure it out.”

  “Whether she likes it or not,” Kara said with a grin.

  “Right.” He turned toward the store. “I’ll give you a call later.”

  Kara got into the car and started it. She took her time, careful not to jostle the coffee as she made her way back to the youth center.

  It was almost May, and time went by fast when there was a deadline. Elliot was right, they’d all help, but Kara still worried about
the cost of finding it. She worried that Grace could get hurt again. She worried Grace wouldn’t want to face her past.

  Trees formed a welcoming border to the youth center entrance, guiding her down the path to the two-story white home, complete with a roll-off dumpster in the front yard and scraps of drywall stacked next to the porch. It was a wonderful testimony to how much they’d accomplished already.

  Kara brought the car to a stop just before the road that led to the guesthouse. She grabbed the closest coffee and climbed the worn steps. Though she didn’t relish the thought of more painting, she realized the porch could use a new coat. And then some comfortable rockers for those warm summer nights.

  The door was cracked open. Kara paused a few steps in and angled her head to take in the entire room. From the doorway to the short hallway that led under the stairs, the walls were coated with a pale yellow, brightening the room, warming it. Nathan appeared from the kitchen, drying a paintbrush on a paper towel.

  He smiled. “Just in time.”

  “I can’t believe you did all this.” She held up the coffee.

  “You don’t know how much I appreciate this.” He grinned, taking the cup. “I’m just about done.”

  “Nathan…how early did you get here?”

  “Early enough.”

  She smiled and didn’t press the question.

  “How’s Grace?”

  “I’m going back to check on her now. She was still sleeping when I left, which must be some kind of record for her.” Kara shrugged. “She was fine last night.”

  “Did she tell you anything else about yesterday? Any reason why something would have happened?”

  “No, not yet. It’s a good question, though. When things happened with me, it was mostly because something I was thinking triggered it. Did anything happen before she started painting?”

  Nathan’s face tensed and he lowered the cup. “I told her about Amanda.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Amanda. My ex-wife.” He sighed. “I’ve seen her twice, even though she couldn’t have been there.”

  “Seen her…like the way I saw that man at the lake?” Kara asked, a muted feeling of alarm sneaking into her chest.

  He nodded. “Just like that.”

  “Why didn’t you say anything?”

  Nathan grimaced. “And that’s why Grace was upset with me. The first time I saw her was that day you fell in the lake. It’s the reason I thought something might be wrong.”

  “Oh.” Kara closed her eyes briefly at the memory of that day. “I guess I can see why you didn’t say anything then. But I can also see why Grace was upset.”

  He gave another nod.

  “She’s probably not thrilled with the idea that you’re really a part of this now,” Kara said. “Not that you weren’t before.”

  “I know what you mean. And no, I don’t think she liked the idea very much. She’d made it pretty clear the star didn’t have much to do with me.”

  “She’s just…” Kara sighed, feeling bad for Nathan. Feeling bad that Grace couldn’t see how wonderful he was. Feeling bad that he obviously seemed to care about her and wanted the best for her and Grace couldn’t return those feelings. “Well, you know…”

  His hazel eyes squinted with another smile. “You don’t have to explain anything. I know Grace is dealing with a lot. I’ll be here regardless of how much time it takes for her to get through it.”

  Kara let the full weight of his words settle in. He really did care about Grace. And he was going to be patient until there was the possibility of them having a chance together.

  She gestured to the door. “I’m going to see if Grace is up. Are you still going to be around in a few hours?”

  “I think I can find a few more things around here that could get done. Sure.”

  Kara waved. “See you later.”

  “Later,” he murmured. And she saw him get back to work.

  ~ ~ ~

  When she realized what time it was, Grace straightened in bed. She’d slept in until 9:00. That never happened. She rolled to her side, groaned when the covers twisted awkwardly around her legs, and remembered the brace on her ankle.

  It felt like weeks had passed since the scene with the ladder at the youth center. She spotted the laptop on the end table and remembered what she’d written Nathan last night. She’d typed up three drafts of that short email before finally sending something quick and to the point. No sense in skirting around the facts.

  Grace pulled herself into a sitting position and frowned. She hadn’t told him she was sorry, though. For reacting the way she had. For understanding he’d had his reasons for not telling her about his ex-wife.

  At the sound of the front door, she lowered her legs over the side of the bed, gently resting her foot on the floor. Someone walked down the hallway and she waited for a knock.

  “Grace?”

  “Come in.”

  Kara opened the door and grinned. “So you are awake. It’s about time. I brought you coffee.”

  “Something is wrong with this picture.”

  “What’s that?”

  Grace reached for her crutches, waving Kara away when she tried to help. “I got it. What’s wrong with this picture is that I just woke up and you’ve already been up long enough to go get coffee.”

  “What’s the world coming to?”

  Grace snuggled the crutches firmly under her arms and followed Kara to the table off the kitchen, where they settled with their coffee.

  “How does your ankle feel?”

  Grace shrugged. “Better than it did yesterday.”

  “And you got some rest, too. Good.”

  She nodded. “I’m ready to go. There’s so much that needs to be done at the youth center.”

  “That only took you fifteen minutes.”

  “What took me fifteen minutes?”

  Kara grinned. “For you to mention getting back to work.”

  “What else am I supposed to do all day? Just sit here?”

  “Yep.”

  “Not happening.”

  “I’m sure you could find plenty to do. You could practice using your laptop–actually learn how to write emails,” Kara began, then smirked when Grace made a face, “or read a book. Watch a movie, take a nap, paint your nails–”

  Grace snorted. “Okay, that’s enough. I am not going to sit here and paint my nails when there’s so much that needs to be done.”

  “And so many people who are perfectly happy to help you.” Grace started to argue but she shook her head. “No, just listen. I know you want to get that stuff done. So can you at least compromise?”

  “Depends.”

  “We’re all going to help. I can start this morning and Maddy and Elliot are going to come later. Probably Riley when he gets off work or before if he decides he needs to come check on you and Nathan–he’s already there.”

  “He is?”

  Kara nodded. Grace remembered his email and what he’d said about the painting already being done. Had he gotten there early to start the painting again?

  “So compromise,” Kara said. “You supervise and start writing a list of all the furniture we need to find. And we’ll do all the work.”

  Grace considered this. “We do need to start figuring out what furniture we need.”

  “That’s the spirit.” Kara stood and walked into the kitchen. “Eat some breakfast and then I’ll help you get dressed.”

  “I’m not hungry and I can dress myself, thank you very much.”

  Kara smiled. “Eat something anyway, and I’m calling bullshit. I’d like to see you try to get on a pair of jeans on your own.”

  Grace grumbled but did as Kara asked. Every day counted at the youth center, so she was thankful for the help. And thankful no one was protesting too loudly that she was returning so quickly.

  When she finished eating, she dressed in a pair of jeans and a soft blue V-necked shirt Kara pulled from her closet and insisted Grace wear. She slipped on one comfor
table flat-soled clog and laughed when Kara snuggled a sock on her injured foot.

  “You don’t want your toes to get cold.”

  Fully dressed and feeling as ready as she could with a tightly wrapped ankle and two crutches to help support her weight, Grace made her way out of the guesthouse.

  “I should drive you over.” Kara pulled her keys from her pocket.

  Grace laughed. “It’s not that far.”

  “It’s better for you.”

  “The fresh air is better for me.” Grace kept her pace steady so Kara wouldn’t change her mind. “Come on.”

  The stairs gave her little trouble, Kara holding her crutches as she hopped up the steps. She followed her friend through the door but came to a halt just inside. The room smelled like paint, each wall covered in the creamy yellow the women had chosen for the living room and hallway. Most of the paint was already dry.

  “It’s done,” Grace murmured.

  “He worked on it last night, too.”

  Grace heard footsteps from upstairs and saw Nathan look over the rail from above. “I thought I heard voices.”

  She watched him walk down the steps, realizing she owed him a lot more than an apology. Realizing she’d misjudged Nathan, and now had to figure out a way to fix the mess she’d made. Which was going to be a huge pain the ass. But he deserved it.

  Chapter 13

  Nathan ushered Grace to a chair, surprised when she didn’t protest. She let him take the crutches and prop them against the card table. Her eyes looked like blue diamonds, clear and rested, helping him relax a little. Letting him enjoy how good she looked.

  “You feel better?” he asked, vaguely aware Kara had wandered her way into the kitchen.

  “I do.”

  He knelt in front of her, amused when her eyes grew cautious. “And your head?” He reached out automatically and saw her straighten in her seat, the chair legs scraping softly against the hardwood floor.

  Grace gave a laugh that sounded nervous and she averted her eyes. “It feels better, too.”

  “Good.”

  He let his forearms rest on his knees and she returned her eyes to his.