Grace twisted her hands. “I would love to, but I’m going home in the morning to see my family in Wyoming.”
I raked a hand through my hair, the movement reminding me that I hadn’t followed Jet’s advice. The smooth-talker had told me to toss back my hair, flex my biceps, and grin. I’d failed miserably on all accounts, and now Grace had rejected me.
“Oh, yeah, that’s totally fine,” I mumbled. “No problem.”
Lena frowned, her eyebrows drawing together. “I didn’t know you were going home tomorrow. You never told me that.”
“I hadn’t planned to, but my mom—” Grace’s voice caught. “She called this afternoon. She’s sick and isn’t doing well, so she asked me to come home to see her.”
Lena angled her body toward Grace. “Your mom isn’t doing well? Then that’s great you’re going home to see your family, especially since you never seem to get a chance to visit. But how are you getting there?”
“I was going to drive.”
Lena’s eyebrows shot up. “In your old rust bucket that barely runs?”
Grace shrugged, her cheeks brightening even more. “I know. It’s not the greatest car, but . . .” Her voice trailed off again. “I have to go home.” An edge entered her tone.
I frowned, some of my embarrassment diminishing as I studied her body language. A light sheen of sweat covered Grace’s forehead, and she was picking more at the carpet. In a way she almost looked . . . frightened.
But Lena just grinned. “I know! Raven can drive you! He traded his Mercedes in for a new car. He just got it last week, and then you won’t have to worry about your clunker breaking down.”
My mouth dropped at the same time Grace’s gaze flew to mine. For a moment, one tiny moment, pure horror entered her eyes.
Oh God . . . the thought of spending a long drive with me makes her feel that way? The sick feeling in my stomach increased.
“My car will make it, Lena. It’s fine.” That formal tone entered Grace’s voice again.
Lena rolled her eyes. “No, it won’t. Get real, girl. You probably won’t even make it to the border.”
The sweat on Grace’s forehead increased. With trembling fingers, she pushed her hair behind her ears.
She really didn’t want to go with me, like really, really didn’t want me along. My stomach plummeted. Taking a deep breath, I resisted the urge to push to a stand and leave the room, but acting like a coward and running away would only make this entire situation even more pathetic.
Besides, Lena said Grace’s car was a pile of crap. There was no way I was going to sit back and let her drive off in a vehicle that could potentially break down, especially not on winter mountain roads.
I cleared my throat. “Why don’t you take my car? Like Lena said, it’s brand new, the tires are good, and it’s all-wheel drive, so you won’t have to worry about sliding off the road. If you take it, you won’t break down, and don’t worry, I don’t need to join you if you’d rather go alone.”
Grace’s breath hitched. Even though I sat two feet away, I still heard it. “You would loan me your car? Your brand-new car? You’d really do that?”
“Yeah, of course. Just take it. I’ll go get the keys right now.”
Lena clamped a hand on my forearm. “Just hold on a minute. Grace is not borrowing your car. That damn thing doesn’t even have door handles. I don’t even know how you get in and out of it, so how is Grace supposed to know? And isn’t it electric? How will she charge the battery?”
“It has door handles. You just have to—”
Lena gripped me harder, silencing me, before swinging back to her friend. “Do you really want to figure all that out, Grace? Just let him drive you. It will be so much easier, believe me. Raven will get you there and back in one piece.” Lena gave me side-eyes before winking.
I groaned inwardly. Apparently, Lena was playing matchmaker now too.
Grace twisted her hands again. “But my dad—”
Lena sighed. “I know I’ve never met your parents, but if you’re worried about bringing a boy home, don’t. Raven can crash at a motel or something, and you said your mom is sick, right? So you want to make sure you get there.”
“Um . . .” She bit her lip, toying with her full bottom lip. “I don’t know . . .”
Even though I hated the nervousness strumming from Grace like electric energy, I hated more the thought of her driving some crappy car and potentially breaking down in the mountains. No way in hell was I going to let that happen. Still, it was pretty obvious she didn’t want me along.
But I’d be damned if I did nothing, and she potentially got stranded.
Raking a hand through my hair, I said, “It’s all right, Grace. We can, um, listen to audiobooks or something on the drive. And like Lena said, I’ll drop you off and will crash at a motel. You don’t have to worry about your dad, and you won’t have to worry about charging my car.”
Grace inhaled a deep, shuddering breath. Warring emotions battled in her luminous eyes. Toying with her lip again, she finally replied, “Okay, that would work. Thanks, Raven.”
I nodded curtly before pushing to a stand. Even though my attempts at asking her out had blown up in my face, at least, I knew she’d get home safely, and then when we got back, I’d have to figure out a way to forget about her. Because as much as I wanted her—wanted her more than freakin’ anything—it appeared that feeling wasn’t mutual.
CHAPTER TWO
I pulled my sleek new Tesla up to the curb outside Grace’s apartment. The old, rundown building sagged into the ground, like a neglected barn on an abandoned farm.
Similar to most college students, Grace didn’t have a lot of money. Given where she lived, that was pretty obvious, and Lena had told me Grace was always counting her pennies. Even though Lena tried to pay for most of Grace’s things, her best friend wouldn’t let her.
A smile ghosted my lips. Grace had her pride. She didn’t want handouts. I couldn’t help but admire that, even though I wanted to buy her the world.
I groaned. Take it easy, Raves. You’re just giving her a ride. She doesn’t want anything from you.
Never mind that last night Lena had pulled me aside after my botched attempt to date Grace. She’d tried to convince me that Grace really did want to go on a date with me, but that Grace was just acting weird about this trip to her parents. But I’d seen Grace’s reaction when I’d asked her. Whatever my family thought Grace felt for me, they’d obviously been wrong.
Scents from the coffees I’d bought floated up around me. I took a sip of mine, the dark brew hot with a hint of cinnamon. After setting it down, I nervously raked a hand through my hair, eyeing the coffee I’d bought Grace and the audiobooks I’d purchased.
Three digital audiobooks waited on my phone for Grace to choose from, thanks to the five hour drive ahead of us. Grace had given me her parents’ address last night, and I had the entire route mapped out. We were headed to the mountains west of Casper, and if the drive went awkwardly, we could listen to books the entire way, anything to cover up the fact that she didn’t want me along.
My palm settled on the smooth steering wheel, my fingers drumming against it. The clock on the dash read 6:59. I’d told Grace I’d pick her up at seven o’clock, so when her apartment door opened a moment later, just when the clock shifted to 7:00, I wasn’t surprised. Unlike Lena, Grace was always on time.
She gripped a small bag and her purse. Both dangled over her shoulder. A thick parka covered her upper half, sturdy snow boots on her feet. With her hood down, her long blond hair flew around her face in the breeze, and even though she smiled when she saw me, her lips seemed tight.
I took a deep breath, reminding myself that my job was only to drive her. Nothing more.
I hastily got out of the car. Cold wind blew against my face, and since I’d left my jacket in the back, a shiver hit me. When I rounded the vehicle, Grace stood outside of the front door, eyeing it skeptically.
“There really aren�
��t door handles.”
“There are. You just need to do this.” I touched the handle, and it extracted from the car.
“Oh, right.” She laughed, sounding self-conscious before she pulled her lip into her mouth, nibbling on it, as that alluring pink tongue darted out again.
I forced myself to look away. “Let me get your bag.” I took the small bag from her, my hand brushing against her shoulder.
She tensed, even though her large parka created a protective barrier from direct contact with me. Still, I noticed her reaction. I stepped back, not wanting her to feel uncomfortable. “Just, uh, get yourself settled inside. Oh, and I picked us up coffees. I bought you a white-chocolate mocha.”
Her gaze flew to mine, her large blue eyes as luminous as sapphires. “You did? That’s my favorite coffee.”
I already knew that, since Lena had told me last night when I’d asked her, but I feigned a look of surprise. “Oh, really? Well, I guess that was lucky.”
Her face softened. “Thanks, Raven. That was really thoughtful of you.”
“Yeah, no problem.” I backed up. “Just, uh, get yourself settled and then we can get going.” I rounded the back of the car, my heart beating like a drum.
When I slid into the driver’s seat, Grace sat primly on the passenger side, her long legs angled toward the center with her hands clasped in her lap. A floral scent from her hair wafted my way.
Damn, she smelled good.
“I really appreciate you doing this, Raven. It’s pretty amazing that you’re willing to drive me there and back. It’s a long way.”
I tried to not be affected by the sound of her voice, the scent of her hair, and how her breasts lifted every time she took a breath, but my stomach still tightened, and something lower tightened too. I shifted in my seat. “It’s not a problem, really.”
She opened her mouth but then closed it. Running a hand through her hair, she looked out the window, nibbling on her lip again. I shifted into gear and pulled onto the road, picking up speed.
I drove us through the city to I-25. The entire way, Grace’s attention stayed on the passing scenery, a troubled look on her face, but anytime she caught me watching, she forced a smile.
“Do you want to listen to an audiobook?”
She rubbed her hands on her thighs. “We could. Is that what you want to do?”
I’d rather talk to you. “We can if you want.”
She rubbed her hands faster and shrugged. “Honestly, I’m not sure if I could pay attention enough to listen to a story.”
My brow furrowed as a light dusting of snow began to fly. “Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, totally fine.”
But her response was too quick, and she played with her nails before tilting her chin toward the window.
The silence around us stretched, and I couldn’t help but notice that the farther north we drove, the tenser she became. My initial worries over her hesitations about traveling with me disappeared more and more with every passing mile. Whatever we were driving toward seemed to terrify Grace, and it suddenly struck me that her mom was sick. Maybe she was really sick.
When we crossed the border into Wyoming, on our way toward Cheyenne, I draped my arm over the steering wheel, eyeing her again. “Grace? Are you sure everything’s okay? Because if it’s not, you can tell me. You know, if something’s going on with your family, I can listen if you want to talk.”
Her head whipped toward me, that terrified look growing. “Why would you think something’s going on with my family?”
“I . . . uh . . . I don’t. I just know that your mom’s sick, and that’s why you’re going home.”
Her fingers uncurled from where they’d balled into her palms. She smoothed back her hair. “Oh, my mother, of course.”
“When was the last time you visited?”
She blinked, looking down.
I waited for her to respond, but then wondered if she’d heard my question. I was about to ask it again, when she said, “I haven’t. Not since before college.”
My eyebrows rose. “Not even during the summer?”
“No.” She looked out the window again, clasping her hands tightly in her lap once more, before lunging for my phone. “So you said you bought audiobooks? What audiobooks did you buy? Maybe we should listen to one of those.”
She held out my phone for me to enter the passcode, and I wanted to kick myself as she picked the literary novel and hit play. Nice one, Raven. Obviously, she didn’t want to talk about her family, so the fact that I’d brought it up only made her more uncomfortable.
Neither of us said anything else until we drove into Wheatland where I had to stop to recharge the car’s battery. The audiobook droned on in the background, but I barely paid it any attention. I didn’t think Grace did either. She checked her phone a few times, continually nibbling her lip while staring out the window.
When I pulled up to the Tesla Supercharger outside of a hotel, I spotted a fast food restaurant down the road. “Do you want to grab some lunch while the battery’s charging?”
She frowned and picked up her purse. Her eyebrows drew together as she opened her wallet. “Um, sure. We can do that.”
Outside, the wind blew, howling at times. I quickly grabbed the charger and plugged my car in.
“Ready to go?”
Grace pulled her coat tightly around her, hugging her purse closely to her side. “Sure. I’ll follow you.”
The ease at which she’d laughed last night, when she’d been surrounded by my family and the babies had disappeared. Her gaze stayed down, her lips downturned, as we trudged the distance to the restaurant.
When we reached the fast food joint, I held the door open for her. It was only as she stepped through it, that troubled look still on her face, that she seemed to realize I’d opened the door for her.
She shook herself, a small smile lifting her lips. “Thanks, Raven.”
I dipped my head, wanting so badly to place my hand against her waist, guiding her inside. Instead, I made sure to keep a foot of distance between us.
At the checkout counter, Grace looked through her wallet again.
“What do you want?” I asked.
She checked the menu before pulling out a few dollar bills, each bill crisp and pressed and aligned precisely in her wallet. “Um . . . a cheeseburger is fine.”
I eyed the three dollar bills she held onto as if her life depended on it. As discreetly as possible, I looked at the other bills in her wallet. Only two dollars remained.
I slid my billfold from my back pocket and pulled out my credit card. “Do you like fries? Or do you want a drink?”
“I don’t really like fries.”
“Onion rings?”
A wistful expression crossed her face. “I love onion rings.”
A bored looking teenager stood behind the counter, watching us while we spoke. I stepped closer to her. “Two cheeseburgers, a large fry, a large onion rings, and two sodas.”
Grace bustled forward. “Raven, what are you doing? I can order for myself and pay for my food.” She thrust her three dollars forward.
I gently pushed her hand back. “Put your money away.”
She swallowed tightly, that troubled look returning as her fingers curled around the three dollars in her palm. “You don’t need to pay for me, seriously. I tell Lena that all the time, but she’s always picking up the bill too.”
I gave her a crooked smile. “Then it must run in the family ’cause I’m not letting you pay either.”
A soft laugh escaped her. She looked almost surprised at the sound, because she bit her lip again. “I hate that I never have any money.”
“You’re a college student. College students are notoriously broke.”
“But you’re a college student too.”
“True, but I have a trust fund. My dad—” My brow furrowed as I cut myself off. I’d just referred to Conroy Fielding as my father, even though he wasn’t. Grace knew about Marcus Christenson, t
he man I’d grown up with that I’d considered my father until I’d learned about what he’d done to my mother and his role in O’Brien Pharmaceuticals, but Conroy, I’d only known him a few years.
I cleared my throat. “I mean, Conroy has given us all trust funds, as Lena’s told you. Don’t sweat the money. Seriously. I can afford to buy you lunch.”
“And you’re transporting me home,” she said quietly, under her breath. “I can pay you for gas then—” She slapped a hand to her forehead. “Except your car doesn’t take gas.”
I grinned and reached for our tray when the checkout girl handed it over. “Yep. Guess you’ll have to find something else you want to pay for.”
She laughed, a real laugh this time, some of the tension leaving her face. When we searched for a table, her steps seemed a little lighter, and that beautiful smile—that usually graced her face—lifted her lips. It was crazy how satisfying that was, to know that I’d helped shift her mood.
We sat down and ate quickly, since we still had a few hours left to drive, but just as I grabbed my coat and the tray to leave, Grace’s entire body went rigid. Her face paled, her gaze glued toward something by the door.
“Um, excuse me.” She flew out of the booth, heading toward the women’s restroom before I could blink.
Frowning, I glanced over my shoulder.
I surveyed the restaurant. One of the restaurant employees put together a bag of food for someone at the drive-thru. A mom with two young kids kept telling her children they couldn’t have ice cream, and two guys stood near the checkout counter, ordering lunch.
Nothing looked unusual.
Pushing to a stand, I dumped our tray and slid my jacket back on before pulling the slim mirror from my pocket. It was something I always carried. Opening it, I checked my contact lenses. Brown irises stared back at me. Good. My contacts were still in place.
A moment later, Grace rushed from the women’s restroom, keeping her head down. She headed straight for the door.
I hurried to catch up with her when one of the guys at the checkout counter cocked his head. “Grace? Grace Anderson?”
The Complete Lost Children Series Page 102
