Losing Grace (Falling Away #2)

by Allie Little

  19

  Grace

  Granny Bess’s place is cold and dark without the cheerful familiarity of her smile, greeting us at the door. I switch on a couple of table lamps to softly illuminate the rooms, making my way through the house.

  “Very homey,” says Riley, glancing around. He notices the view from the kitchen window and his mouth drops. “Wow! What a position!” He leaps down the back steps and across the lawn. Just like the vista from the prow of a cruise ship, the sea stretches one-eighty degrees in front of him, sparkling its final flickers of light from the glowing sunset.

  I follow him outside, wrapping my arms around his waist from behind. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

  “Beautiful doesn’t really describe this view. There really are no words.”

  He turns in my arms and it’s like he’s no longer talking about the sea with its gleaming pinks and reds and oranges reflected from the sky. He leans down and kisses me, my body leaping in anticipation of this man who unfailingly supports me no matter what.

  He deepens the kiss, pulling me in fiercely against his chest. Just that, sends me weak at the knees, and after last night, the man really can do no wrong.

  “I feel better having seen Gran. She was in good spirits, despite the pain.”

  “You see? I told you she’d be fine. In no time she’ll be as good as new. She’ll have a shiny new hip and be running around again. You wait and see.”

  I chuckle at the thought of anything to do with Gran being ‘new’. She was after all, pretty ancient. But if anyone could rise to the challenge of learning to walk on a new hip, it would be Gran. She was a fighter, and would do anything to reclaim the shape she was in prior to the fall. I had every faith in her ability. “She just has to get through the surgery, then she can recuperate.”

  “She’s a resilient woman, Grace. The determination is in her eyes. She’ll pull through with flying colours.” He brushes his lips softly across mine. “Now, let’s eat.”

  Riley strides back toward the house, bounds up the steps and into the kitchen. He drags open the door of the freezer and retrieves a Tupperware container of what appears to be beef stroganoff. He pulls on the microwave door and shoves it in, pressing a few beeping buttons.

  “There you go – easy! Dinner’s on.” He gives a low chuckle, obviously pleased with himself.

  “It might not be Swimmer’s gourmet standard, but Granny Bess is an excellent cook.”

  “I don’t doubt it for a moment. Where’s the rice?” He opens kitchen cupboards one by one until he discovers the pantry items. Rifling a few jars around, he lets out a cry of success. “Ah! Here we go. Saucepan, please.”

  When I hand one to him he pours in the rice and fills it with water, igniting the gas with a nimble flick of the knob.

  “Very deft, Mr Atherton. I like your style.”

  “I love these old gas stoves. They’re so much better than the expensive cooktops I installed at Swimmer and Café Blue. There’s nothing like cooking on gas, in my humble opinion.”

  At the mention of his restaurants, I remember Riley has a life outside of supporting me through endless crises. Evading an ex-husband stalker. Becoming stranded at night on a storm-ravaged island. And now a grandmother with a broken hip. “You’re going to have to return to work at some stage, Riley. And so will I. We can’t hide away forever. And by heading up the coast we’ve completely eluded Daniel. He’s probably given up, I’d say.”

  “Are you kidding me? I think you’re getting ahead of yourself. Just because he hasn’t made himself known to us doesn’t mean he’s given up. I don’t think it’s safe to assume that.” The air is electric as Riley shoots me a disbelieving glare.

  “I know him, Riley. He was overly controlling in our marriage, but he’d never do anything to seriously harm me,” I huff out in frustration, the never-ending task of avoiding Daniel beginning to overwhelm.

  Riley blinks in disbelief. “Are you sure about that? I’m not taking any chances. And if you won’t speak with the police then you need to stay well out of sight.”

  “But that’s crazy. How will that resolve anything? Maybe I should get in touch and find out what he wants. Be proactive rather than reactive. I didn’t leave him in a very agreeable way.”

  “Is there ever an agreeable way to leave a marriage? You did what you felt you had to do, Grace. Anger isn’t an attractive emotion – not for anyone. I’ve worked hard to control mine, and even so I haven’t always been successful. Far from it in fact, especially where my father’s concerned. He has the ability to burn me up inside.”

  We stare at each other, at an impasse. “All right, you win. I’ll stay out of sight. But it’s been weeks now and there’s no sign of him. I really don’t think we need to worry.”

  “That’s where we differ. You see, I believe the guy is unhinged. Vandalising your apartment and turning up in the lane behind Swimmer. Handing out creepy little notes. The guy is a weirdo, and who knows where he’s at or what he’s up to next.”

  My hands close over his. “Okay, okay, you win. But I’m staying here in Sydney while Gran’s in hospital. I need to be close to her.”

  “Then I’ll stay too.” He returns to the bench and lazily pours me a glass of red wine. “Drink up. It’s been one of those days.”

  Taking the glass, I smile. “And it’s not over yet. Gran is in surgery as we speak. I hope it’s all going to plan.”

  He clinks his glass against mine, settling himself at the dining table, raising his glass for a toast. “To quickly mending hips.”

  I chuckle at the weird but thoughtful toast, plonking into a chair next to him. “To quickly mending hips.”

  An hour later, after swallowing down an enormous bowl of stroganoff, my mobile phone rings.

  “That’ll be the hospital,” Riley says. “And don’t worry, I’m sure it’s good news.”

  A voice on the other end of the phone tells me Gran’s fine, that the surgery was a success and she was now in recovery. We could visit her in another hour. “Thank you, that’s great news. Could you please send her my love and tell her I’ll be there very soon?”

  At the end of the call, Riley bestows his charming smile upon me. “You see? All fine, I’ll bet.”

  “Yes, all fine. She’s in recovery and we can visit in an hour.”

  “What did I tell you? It’s nice to see that smile back on your face. That means we have just enough time to gorge ourselves on chocolate before we leave.” He hands me a block of dark chocolate with a seductive twinkle in his eyes after cracking it apart beneath the foil. “Eat it. Dark chocolate is excellent for shock and raising blood sugar levels, and … making you horny.” He gathers me in his arms, popping a square of chocolate into my mouth.

  “Riley!” I whack him on his taut bicep, my mouth full of chocolate. “Gran’s out of surgery and we have to leave.”

  Covering my lips with his, he whirls a chocolatey tongue around inside my mouth. “Mmm, you taste exceptionally good. You don’t think we have time?”

  “No Riley, I don’t think we have time right now. But later, we’ll have all the time in the world,” I murmur, his delicious mouth seeking mine.

  Almost as quickly he straightens up, breathing in like the distance between us is killing him. He pops another square of chocolate into his mouth. “I’ll be holding you to that, sweetness.”

  ***

  Several hours later, having seen Gran alert but sedated after the surgery, Riley and I collapse onto the sofa at Gran’s. Not only had Gran endured the lengthy surgery, but due to pain relief medication pumped into her system, she had been completely pain-free on waking. Prepared for a groggy grandmother in terrible discomfort, instead I was heartened to discover a bleary but peaceful Gran who was awfully keen for sleep. After only a short ten minutes Gran had asked us to leave, her heavy eyelids begging for permission to close. I’d reassured Gran I’d visit the next day, and she’d contently smiled and dazed into sleep.

  Riley launches him
self on top of me. “So where were we, baby?” He nuzzles at my neck. “Right about here, I believe.”

  The tickle of his two-day growth makes me giggle, shuffling along to find his mouth, eager to continue where we’d left off. My hands trail over his shirt, aching to feel the rigid contours of his chest. Unbuttoning his finely checked shirt, my mind fills with how it would feel to have him inside me once more, the raw desire between my legs. My hands journey lower and I’m all too cognisant of the hindrance of his jeans.

  “You’re completely mind-blowing, Grace,” he whispers, chuckling into the flesh above the line of my tank top. “And I can assure you, my mind won’t be the only thing blown this evening.” His mouth moves again to the skin at the nape of my neck, while reaching for my breasts.

  “Oh!” I gasp, his touch with the power to move me. “Always the comedian,” I whisper, barely able to choke out the words. “Oh, God.” I push myself into him as he begins dragging off my tank top and jeans. My sweater is heaped in a huddle on the floor as he unfastens my bra.

  “These are coming off,” he states. “And these.” He drags off my undies, tossing them to the floor, then holds me like I matter. Cherishing my presence like he loves me.

  In this moment, I want nothing more than for Riley to be my forever. For this man to be forever in my heart and my life, because to be held more intimately would not be possible. I knew I could never experience this with another man again. The sound of his breathing; his heartbeat rocking against mine. The steady rhythm of his regularity. And in this moment I know, just know, that Riley is my infinity-love. That for all of eternity I would be bound to him and to the limitless depth of my emotion. To the endlessness of love.

  “You okay?” Riley asks, scrutinising my face.

  Speechless at the raptures sweeping through me in waves, I nod. “I need you inside me, Riley. Now.”

  He hovers above like a demi-god in the dark, the faint outline of his torso vaguely visible. “No arguments from me, baby,” he whispers, gently kneeing my legs apart. His eyes meet mine and they’re dazzling, entangled with my own.

  His hand runs lazily up the length of my thigh before he pushes himself leisurely inside. His eyes glisten with emotion, caught in a moment where time could stand still. Where I wish for time to stand still, because then he would always be mine, imprisoned in my heart.

  He cups my face in his large hands. “This is it for me, Grace. There’s no turning back now. You and me, babe. I hope that’s what you want.” He rocks himself slowly inside.

  “Riley,” I breathe, kissing his neck. “There’s nothing else I could ever want.”

  “You have no idea what a turn-on that is.” He breathes out relief like it’s his last bastion of life.

  I gaze up, knowing this man had become my mainstay. I’d let him in and now I needed him to stay. “Stop talking and make love to me.”

  He moves rhythmically inside, nodding a simple ‘yes’ to my command.

  20

  Riley

  “Sweetness, I have to go to work. There’s an issue.”

  She rolls on her back, wrenching open her eyes. “What sort of issue?” she asks groggily, pulling back the floral bedspread.

  I kiss her on the forehead. “Staffing. Not enough. I need to hire casuals. Today.”

  She sits up, rearranging a downy pillow behind her head. “That’s because I’m not there, isn’t it? I need to work, Riley. I need to be back at Swimmer where I belong.”

  “Sorry, sweetness. Not having it.” I drag myself from beneath the sheets. “But you’re not staying here alone. You’re coming into Swimmer with me.”

  “Riley, I’m going back to work and you’re not going to stop me.” She leaps from the bed and begins to dress, visibly fuming.

  “I am going to stop you. For one, at Swimmer I’m your boss whether you like it or not, and two, he’s still out there looking for you, trying to draw you out.”

  Grace huffs out her anger balefully, narrowing her blue eyes. “And how do you know that? There’s been nothing, Riley. Nothing. No sign of him at all. Stop trying to control everything I do.” She tugs on her jeans and tank-top with jerky, spasmodic movements, won’t even look at me.

  My shoulders sag at our first ever fight. I knew it would happen sooner or later, keeping her caged like a prisoner to keep her safe. “The rock, Grace. The rock? A child couldn’t lift a rock of that size, only someone with brute strength. Your gran tripped on that rock, and someone undoubtedly put it there. Did you stop to consider it might have been a ploy to get to you? A ploy that clearly worked? Because here you are in Sydney, staying at your grandmother’s house because you can’t stay at your own apartment. He’s probably out there right now, watching us.”

  She breathes in, taking stock. “No, I don’t believe it. Dan wouldn’t do that.”

  I raise my hands, quirking my head to the side, looking right at her. “You don’t think he’s capable? You’re in denial.”

  She sits on the edge of the bed, miserable. “Leave me alone, Riley. Go to Swimmer and sort out your staffing issues while I go and visit Gran. You can drop me off at the hospital on the way.” She stares impassively out the window so as not to meet my eyes.

  My fists clench furtively by my sides, wondering how far I can push this. “Okay, sure. But don’t leave until I come back to get you.”

  She turns and gives a heated glare, but reluctantly agrees.

  The car ride is silent. Only minutes from Fairy Bower, the discomforted interval is cut short as I pull up outside the hospital. Grace shoves open the door, flings it closed behind her, stalking off purposefully to the main entrance. She doesn’t look back.

  I finger her a quick text.

  Call me when you’re done.

  But no reply.

  Shooting down Darley St, the looming trees and apartment blocks either side of the road blur by. If I could just fix this, maybe life could return to some semblance of normality. Grace could go back to work and I wouldn’t have to act as her goddamn bodyguard. It was beginning to take its toll.

  Swimmer is crazy busy when I arrive. Stan looks flustered, with Mia and Lucy blustering through the kitchen. The place is crowded and with the hint of spring warmth in the air, the tourists piling in are abuzz with gossip and noise. The warmer climes are fabulous for business, but not so great when you’re down an overly efficient manager.

  “Look, Boss!” Stan holds up a lengthy reservation list, clipped to a board. “We’re booked through until 10pm tonight, and it’s the same for the ten days. You really need to do something.”

  I take the reservation list from Stan and flick through its pages. Every sheet is the same, booked through until we close. “Impressive.”

  “Yeah, very impressive,” he says. “But how will we manage?”

  “Nothing is impossible, Stan. And that’s a fact you need to learn.”

  I leave him speechless, heading to my office to make some calls. I soon realise none of my casuals are available, and with the hubbub outside a solution must be found.

  I work through a spreadsheet of contact numbers but no joy is found there either. Café Blue is just as busy, so staff can’t be poached from there.

  I call Gem who answers on the first ring. “Hey Riley, what’s up? And where are you guys?”

  “Sydney. Sorry, no time to explain. Do you have any spare hours you could work for me? I need help urgently over the next week or so.”

  “No, sorry I don’t. Bookish and Bean are busy and I can’t keep up with the commute from Shoal Bay, so I’m moving back into my apartment tomorrow. I’m sure everything’s fine now, plus it’s time I get some normality and routine back into my life.”

  “You sound like Grace,” I huff. “She’s getting antsy, Gem. I can’t keep her in Shoal Bay forever.”

  “No, you can’t, and if you do you’ll lose her. Dan was overly-controlling, exactly the way you’re behaving now. If you keep it up, she’ll leave. And I don’t want to pick up the pieces of the
impending train wreck, my friend.”

  “Then it’s a no-win situation. In my opinion, she’s not safe to go back to work or live with you because he’ll find her. I have absolutely no idea what to do.” I run my hands through my hair, pulling at it painfully.

  “Find the happy medium, Riley. Why don’t you let her work at Swimmer when you’re there too? Perhaps she’ll agree to a compromise.”

  “Maybe …” I hesitate, mulling it over. “Maybe that could work.” Although it was against my better judgement.

  “You’ve got to give and take a little here, Riley. It’ll work in your favour. I know Grace. She’ll reach a point where she won’t take your over-bearing crap anymore and she’ll leave. I’ve seen it before.”

  “My crap? I love her, Gem.”

  “Yeah? Well, good for you. But don’t think for a second that controlling her, even if it does come from a place of love, will find you in her favour.”

  I release a sigh of acceptance, albeit sulkily. “All right, I hear you. I’ll modify my ways.”

  Gemma laughs. “You’re a decent guy, Riley. Don’t ever doubt it. That’s why she’s fallen for you. But just know you can’t leash a beautiful bird, especially one who’s only now beginning to fly.”

  Yeah, yeah, the whole bird analogy. It was beginning to get old.

  Even though I’d tattooed one around my bicep to represent the exact same thing, it was an uncomfortable truth. Having tried so hard to protect Grace, in reality I’d succeeded in pushing her away. Constraining her every move. The actuality of that burned a hole in my heart.

  “You still there, Riley?”

  I cough away the emotion. “Yeah, I’m here. Sorry, was just thinking about what you said.”

  “She’ll come around, Riley. Grace is nothing if not reasonable.”

  ***

  Hours pass and I hear nothing from Grace. As light lingers in the almost-spring sky, I take the road to the hospital on the crest of the hill and park the car. Visitors bustle about the entrance, but no-one wears a smile.