by Ava Miles
They wove around carts and screaming kids, whom Ella regarded with wide eyes since she hadn’t been around other children yet. Grace fought her impatience as she joined the line at the express aisle behind six other people.
“Not so express, is it?” her mom whispered.
Grace gave her a tight smile. “I told you this was a busy time.”
Her mom shrugged. “Oh, well. We’re together, and that’s what counts. At least Ella is too little to want candy. I swear, getting you and your brothers to drop the gum and chocolate bars you’d picked up was a pain in the you know what.”
Grace tapped her foot. The checker was moving slowly, unconcerned with the customers’ growing frustration.
“Hey!” A man tapped her on the shoulder. “Aren’t you Jordan Dean’s girlfriend?”
Every muscle locked in place. “No,” she finally said, staring straight ahead.
Her mom gave her a sharp look before glancing back at the man behind her.
The guy leaned closer, and Grace saw his head appear in her peripheral vision as he studied her. “You sure do look like her. Wait! Is that Dean’s kid? Holy crap! The tabloids have been begging for a picture of her. It’s worth a thousand bucks.”
A thousand dollars? No, they wouldn’t have done that. But then she remembered what jackals they were.
Lots of people were staring now. A man further up in line nudged his friend, whispered something, and they both turned to look at her. Grace felt her mother grab her arm.
“Is Jordan here?” the guy behind her asked, tapping her on the shoulder again.
“Do you see Jordan anywhere?” Grace’s mom asked, giving him a pointed look. “Now, how about you stop bothering my daughter and let us check out in peace.”
“So she is Dean’s baby mama!” the guy said, slapping his hand to his forehead. “Wow. Can I get a picture of you and the baby? I could really use the money.”
Grace shook her head. “No, you can’t.”
The guy tapped her on the shoulder again, and Grace swung around with the groceries in her arms. “Stop touching me. I said you can’t take a picture, and I expect you to respect that.”
“Shit!” someone else cried. “It’s Jordan Dean’s baby mama with the kid. Hurry! Get my phone. There’s money in it for the first baby pic.”
Grace’s heart rate spiked, and suddenly there were a few people gathered around them with their camera phones outstretched. Her mom bumped into her, and she heard Ella start to cry. She looked over. The baby’s face was red, her eyes were wide with terror, and tears were rolling down her little cheeks.
“Stop it!” she called out. “You’re upsetting her. She’s just a baby.”
Someone pushed Grace’s shoulder again, and she slammed into her mom. Ella let out a high-pitched scream—a sound Grace had never heard her utter before. She dropped the groceries and grabbed her baby from her mother, pressing Ella’s little body to her chest and shielding her head.
“Shhh,” she said to her wailing daughter. “It’s okay. I’ve got you.”
She swung around to face the guy behind her, who had his phone in her face, taking pictures.
“Get out of my way,” she growled at him.
He tried to step back, but there were more people crowding in behind him now. They were snapping pictures too.
“Please let us out!” she cried. “Can’t you see? My daughter’s scared.”
A large man in overalls four people back met her gaze. “Let them out!” he bellowed in a decided Southern accent. “Y’all should be ashamed of yourselves, frightening a child like that, and over money too. Come on, little lady. I’ll help you. Move back, everyone.”
He made a motion with his hands and managed to herd everyone out of the checkout line to let them out.
“I’m right behind you, honey,” her mom said, pressing a hand to Grace’s back.
A crowd had gathered. Several people stood around with their shopping carts, gawking and taking pictures with their phones. Ella continued to wail, her little body shaking against Grace’s chest.
“Let me help you to your car, ma’am,” the large man said, his brow knit with concern.
“Thank you,” she managed to say. He took charge of the crowd like the hero he was, leading them through the crowd. Since all the lines were full, they had no choice but to go back to the side and out the main door.
“Oh, baby,” Grace whispered to Ella, who was crying as through her heart was broken. “I’m so sorry.”
More people paused as they came into the grocery store, sensing something wasn’t right. When they broke through the revolving doors, Grace increased her pace, jogging to the car. The man who’d helped them leave the store jogged beside them, and when they reached the vehicle, Grace’s mom dug her hands into her purse.
“I need the key, Grace,” she said, rubbing her back. “Oh, sweet girl, it’s okay now.”
Grace shifted Ella in her arms. The little girl was clinging so hard her fingernails were digging into her skin.
Her mom finally found the key and unlocked the car. A couple of people were running out of the store, as if news had spread and they were eager for a look at them. Or maybe a picture to sell to the tabloids.
Her fear spiked anew.
“Best get into the car, ma’am,” the older man said. “People just suck, don’t they?”
Putting Ella into the carrier was a Herculean act with her daughter screaming and clutching her, but she managed.
“Get in the back with her, Grace,” her mom said, taking charge. “I’ll drive.”
Grace hopped inside, doing her best to soothe the baby. The older man shut the door gently and tipped his finger to his head at her.
Her mom opened the driver’s side and jumped in. “Let’s get out of here.”
She backed out of the slot and then drove out of the parking lot. Grace stroked Ella’s face as she looked over her shoulder and watched the older man stride off toward his car.
“I didn’t even thank him,” she said, fighting tears.
“I did,” her mom said in a hard voice. “That man was an angel, for sure. Grace, I’m so sorry. I’m just…I’m sorry.” Her voice broke.
And that broke Grace the rest of the way. She pressed her cheek to Ella’s soft hair, unable to stop her own grief.
Her mom pulled the car to a stop in a remote part of a furniture store parking lot and got into the back with them. She put her arms around them tightly, stroking Grace’s hair.
“You’re okay,” her mom said, trembling like Grace was. “You’re both okay.”
Grace took the baby out of the car seat and rocked her until Ella’s sobs finally slowed. She continued to give a weak wail after every few breaths. Her body was quivering against Grace, but at least it wasn’t shaking like it had been before. Grace could feel the wetness on her shoulder and kissed Ella on her soft head.
“Here, baby,” she said, trying to shift her so she could wipe her face.
Ella renewed her grip and started to cry again. Grace’s heart pretty much cracked in two. Her daughter was traumatized.
“You just had to have your way,” she said to her mom, who was stroking Ella’s back. “Why didn’t you listen to me?”
Her mom flinched. “What?”
“It’s not just the grocery store anymore, Mom,” she said, crying softly. “Those jackals were willing to pay a thousand dollars for a picture of Ella. Now do you see? My life—Ella’s life—isn’t normal anymore. Oh, God.”
Ella’s cries washed over her, and the ache in her chest grew painful. Tears clouded her eyes as she thought of what had happened.
“Oh, baby,” she whispered to Ella, soothing her back. “I’m so sorry.”
Her mom cuddled closer and hugged Grace gently as her crying renewed.
“I’m sorry, Gracie,” her mom said softly. “I didn’t know. I didn’t know.”
When her mom started to cry too, Grace shifted closer to her and pressed her face against her cheek.
Her mom never cried.
It truly was the end of the world.
Chapter 27
Jordan was eating dinner with his offensive players, shooting the breeze, talking trash about tomorrow’s opponents when he heard Coach call his name.
“Yeah, Coach,” he said and headed to his table.
Coach was already standing and waiting for him, and the deep grooves around his mouth were pulled into his proverbial frown. He pulled Jordan off to the side. “I’m giving you ten minutes before the team meeting to call Grace. Chaz called me personally to tell me there was some trouble. Don’t get alarmed, but it seems Grace and Ella got ganged up on in a grocery store by some fans who’d heard about the tabloid’s bounty for a picture of your kid. It’s going to make you angry when you see the photos and videos on the web, but I’m trusting you to channel it.”
Instant pain shot through his gut. “Are they okay?” He’d thought they were safe from the contest. Grace never took Ella anywhere except the restaurant a few times. Why had she gone to the store?
“They’re fine,” Coach told him. “Your daughter got scared, no surprise, but a good Samaritan came to their rescue. I know there have been problems at home because of this before, so I wanted you to know.”
He fisted his hands at his sides. “I…shit…I know we have a team meeting and curfew.” Like everyone else, he’d already checked into the hotel for the night.
“You can’t go home for this,” Coach said, staring him straight in the eye. “If I make an exception for you, I’ll have to do it for everyone. You know I can’t. I’m letting you call Grace before the meeting. That’s the best I can do.”
Jordan nodded and stormed out of the dining room to find somewhere quiet to call Grace. He checked his phone. Why hadn’t she called him? She knew he couldn’t take any calls until after the team meeting, but still… He thought of Ella, and horrible visions of people trying to touch his daughter filled his mind. He wanted to kill them. All of them.
The lobby was packed with people, so he detoured to the elevator to run up to his room. Coach wouldn’t bust his chops if it took him fifteen minutes rather than ten, and besides, he was having trouble caring about anything but Grace and Ella right now. When Jordan reached his room, he called Grace immediately.
She didn’t answer, so he texted her.
Hey! Are you guys okay? I just heard. Call me please. Coach gave me fifteen minutes before our team meeting.
He eyed the clock. It wasn’t Ella’s bedtime yet. Why wasn’t she answering?
God, how bad had it been? He texted his publicist to prepare a file for him to review once his meetings were finished. He needed to know exactly what had happened. If only he’d said something to Grace…but he’d feared it would damage this new bond between them. So he’d tabled the discussion, planning to bring it up whenever she suggested taking Ella somewhere other than Marcellos.
He kicked over the garbage can by the desk. “Dammit!”
When Grace didn’t call or text him back, he called Meg. She didn’t pick up either.
Now he was really worried. Meg had always picked up while Grace was on bed rest.
He texted Meg as well, but when ten minutes rolled by without an answer, he finally called Tony, who also didn’t pick up. Not that he’d expected it. He was a chef, after all, and Saturday night was his busiest time.
Jordan told himself Grace and Meg had to be busy calming Ella. He charged back downstairs when his time ran out. A few of the other guys asked him what was going on, and he told them what he knew. They all made him feel better. Many of them had families too, and they’d been through the wringer before.
When Jordan got out of the team meeting, he checked his phone. Grace had finally answered.
Sorry I missed you. Was soothing Ella. We’re okay, but shaken up. Not going to be able to make the game tomorrow. Don’t want to leave her. Get some rest. I’ll see you when you get home tomorrow night.
He felt the chill in her message. She damn well knew he could call her after the team meeting. He always did. Curfew didn’t mean he had to go to bed right away—it only meant he had to stay in his room. But there was one thing she didn’t say, and that worried him most of all. She would guess he’d known about the tabloids’ contest.
When he got upstairs, he called her anyway. Please pick up. She didn’t.
He texted her, pacing across the front of his bed, worry gripping his gut. I’m back in my room. Call me. I need to know you and Ella are okay. I love you both. So much.
She texted him back. I don’t want to do this over the phone. I’m upset, and you have a game.
He sank onto the bed, his legs giving out from under him. He knew what she meant. God, he knew. He texted her anyway.
Don’t give up on us. Please. We’ve come so far. Let’s talk about this.
They were a family. She couldn’t just walk away.
She responded. You knew about the bounty, didn’t you?
He stared at his phone a long time before responding. Yes. I knew it would upset you. I’d planned to mention if you told me you wanted to take Ella somewhere. But you haven’t. I thought I had more time.
It took her longer to respond than it should have, and he started to sweat. I wish you had told me. I can’t tell you what it felt like to hear her scream like that, to have her nails dig into me in terror. Please. I don’t want to do it this way. Let’s talk tomorrow.
He could feel his rage growing, the heat rage through his body. I know I wasn’t there, and I know I should have told you. I’m sorry! That’s why I want to talk to you. I want you to take a picture of Ella sleeping and kiss her goodnight for me. It kills me to think about her crying like that and you being so upset. But please don’t give up on us. You promised.
He waited for her to respond. The screen remained blank. He fell back onto the bed, feeling tears gather in his eyes. His phone chimed, and he popped up.
I know I promised, but you weren’t there. I love you, but I can’t do this. Not to her. She’s just a little girl. I’m sorry.
He dropped the phone to the floor and put his head in his hands.
Chapter 28
Ella had a horrible night, waking almost every hour whimpering. Grace and her mom took turns rocking her unless she wanted to nurse. As each hour passed, Grace’s certainty became more resolute.
She had to protect Ella from the madness surrounding Jordan’s life.
Even if it meant leaving Atlanta.
No one would know or care who she was in another city. She and Jordan wouldn’t be photographed together anymore. People would forget what she looked like, and as Ella grew older, her daughter would be unrecognizable. No one would ever pay a thousand dollars for a picture of her daughter ever again.
Grace’s devastation was complete. She would have to break up with Jordan again.
Her mom didn’t say much to her, focusing on helping with Ella and scrubbing the kitchen counters until they sparkled, a sure sign she was upset too. When the guards buzzed her to say Jordan was home like she’d asked them to, she kissed Ella on the cheek. Her daughter hadn’t smiled once today. Usually such a happy and carefree baby, she’d been jumping at the slightest sound.
“Be right back, baby,” she said, smoothing back the fine hair curling to her forehead.
Her mom took Ella from her, shadows under her eyes. The baby started to cry, and Grace’s heart clenched. Her daughter didn’t want her to leave the room, even with her mom present.
“I’m going to talk to Jordan,” she said, catching her mom’s frown. “What? Are you going to tell me not to break up with him?”
She shook her head and tucked Ella closer to her body. “No…it’s not for me to decide. In your place, maybe I’d do the same thing. Take your time. Ella and I will be all right.”
The baby was crying softly, holding a little hand out to her, and Grace had to force herself to leave the room.
She didn’t see Jordan’s car coming down the last of the driveway to
her house, so she headed to the yellow gate separating their two properties. In all the time she’d lived next door, she’d never gone to his house. On some level, she hadn’t wanted to acknowledge that he had this separate place, this separate life. And he must have felt the same way, because he’d never asked her.
When she knocked on the front door, she let out a slow breath. Hold it together. Just get through this.
Her chest ached with unshed tears when he opened the door. His blue eyes were bloodshot and filled with anger.
“I just texted you I was home,” he said, swallowing thickly. “I wanted to…oh hell.”
He pulled her against him, burying his face against her shoulder. She tensed up.
“Don’t do this,” she whispered. “You’re only making it harder.”
His arms dropped immediately, and he took a few steps back. “I’m making this harder? You’re throwing us—our family—away after you promised me we’d face things together. You refused to talk to me last night when I was worried as hell about you and Ella, and then you pretty much fucking broke up with me through a text. How in the hell am I making this harder? I didn’t do anything but open my heart up to you again and give you everything!”
“Don’t swear at me. Please. I can’t take that.” She pressed her lips together when they started to tremble. There were tears in his eyes despite the anger radiating from him, and she quaked from the force of his emotion.
“I’m sorry, but I’m upset.”
She didn’t want to postpone this, but perhaps it was best. “Maybe we should talk after you cool down some. It doesn’t help that you lost your game.”
He cocked a brow. “We didn’t lose.”
She blinked. “Oh, I assumed—”
“That I couldn’t hold it together enough to win? I wasn’t going to do that to myself or my team. I shredded Dallas. I don’t need to cool down. I want to see Ella, Grace. Did you come up here to tell me I can’t? Because if you think I’m angry now, try keeping me from my daughter.”
In all the time she’d known him, she’d never seen him like this. “I would never keep you from Ella. I only wanted us to talk first. She woke up just about every hour last night whimpering, and she cries when I leave the room for even a second. She didn’t smile all day! I didn’t want her to be any more upset. It tore my heart out.”
