Good Girls Don't Kiss and Tell

by Codi Gary

  Eric looked out the window when he heard the unmistakable sound of tires on gravel. Gracie parked her CRV in his drive, and he opened the front door. She was already out of the car, and behind the back driver’s side door.

  “Can I help you carry something?” he asked.

  She pulled her head out of the backseat to address him. Her hair was twisted away from her forehead and fell in big curls over her jacket collar. When she lifted little Pip out, Eric noticed that Gracie had done her hair in braids twisted against the child’s head.

  “There’s a diaper bag and a box of toys on the front seat, if you want to grab it.”

  Eric walked past them to get to her car, and the toddler watched him suspiciously with those big blue eyes, her little mouth sucking away on her thumb.

  “Hey, squirt, did you have fun at church?” he asked.

  Pip laid her head down on Gracie’s shoulder, ignoring him and his attempt to be friendly. Gracie carried her up the steps and disappeared into his place.

  Eric didn’t let the kid’s rejection phase him. He hadn’t had a lot of experience with kids and he gathered this one had been through the ringer. He grabbed the stuff off the seat and carried it into the house after them.

  Gracie was standing in Eric’s living room, gazing around in surprise. He set her bag and box on the kitchen table, unable to squash the pride in his home.

  “Wow. I can’t believe I’ve never been to your place before. This is nice.”

  “Thanks. Took me twelve years to get it the way I wanted, but I’m happy with it.”

  “You did all this?” He nodded. “Wow, I might need you to come over and help me with a few things at my new place.”

  “New place? Where did you move?” he asked.

  “Well, I’m in the process of buying a house on Cherry Tree Lane. The house belongs to Kirsten Winter’s grandparents who moved to Arizona and are willing to carry the loan. It’s a nice place. I just hope I can have it ready before my parents get here on the twelfth.”

  “Two weeks?” Eric snorted with laughter. “Good luck with that.”

  “If I can’t, it’ll be fine. I’m paid up through the first. If worse comes to worst, my parents can stay in my current place and I’ll set up a blow-up mattress and Pip’s Pack ‘n Play at the new one.”

  Eric stroked his chin thoughtfully. “You know, if we’re going to play girlfriend and boyfriend, it wouldn’t be too big of a stretch for you to stay here.”

  Gracie’s jaw about hit the floor. “Do what now?”

  “What? It seems a bit unchivalrous of me to let my girlfriend and her charge sleep in an empty house that isn’t ready yet when I have several comfortable bedrooms here.”

  Gracie put Pip down and handed her some of the toys from the box, including some Fisher Price Little People and a school bus to put them in. “I haven’t decided whether or not we’re going to be a fake couple, and most guys don’t let their girlfriends move in when they’ve only been dating a little while.”

  “But we’ve known each other for years, so it’s not really the same thing.”

  Gracie crossed her arms over her chest, eyeing him suspiciously. “Fair enough, but I still don’t know why you’re doing this. What exactly do you get out of it?”

  This was it. Now he was wondering if he should have worn a cup. “Before I tell you, there are a few conditions.”

  She arched one brow at him. “Like?”

  “First of all, what I’m about to tell you doesn’t leave this room.”

  “If you’re about to tell me you’re Batman, I’m going to smack you.”

  Eric grinned. “I’m not Batman, but I do have a secret identity.”

  “What the hell does that even mean?” she said.

  “Uh-uh, I’m not telling you jack until you swear.”

  “Are you really a mutant cooked up in a government lab? Because that would make a lot of sense.” When he gave her a dark look, she threw up her hands. “Okay, okay, I swear.”

  Eric went over to his desk and pulled a copy of his manuscript out of the top drawer. “For the last year and a half, I’ve been working on a book.”

  “Working on a book like…like you wrote a book?” She took the manuscript from him, and joked, “I didn’t know you could read, let alone write full sentences.”

  “Ha-ha, such a funny girl.”

  Eric waited for her to read the title, and when she flipped the page, her smile dropped from her face. Her forehead puckered, and she turned another. “What is this?”

  “It’s my book.”

  “Small Town Scandals? And why do you have Miss Know-It-All’s columns at the beginning…” She trailed off, her big green eyes swinging up to meet his. “You? You?”

  “Me.”

  * * *

  Gracie’s heart beat like a war drum in her chest, and her skin pricked with adrenaline. Eric was Miss Know-It-All. He’d been writing about her, them, the whole town, for over a year, and…

  He’d called her a man-eater, boy crazy, and insinuated that there was something wrong with her and that was why she couldn’t keep a man.

  If Pip hadn’t been there, she’d have kneed him square in the balls.

  Angrily, she went to the kitchen table to get her diaper bag.

  “Where are you going?” he asked.

  “Home, before I throttle you and traumatize Pip.”

  “Hang on a second, I know you’re mad—”

  “Mad?” She whirled on him, practically breathing fire as she hissed, “Why would I be mad? Because you poked fun and ridiculed me? Because you insinuated that I was a man-eating W-H-O-R-E?”

  “I did not!”

  “Maybe you didn’t come right out with it, but everyone could read between the lines, including me!” Her eyes welled up with tears against her will, and she dashed at her wet cheeks as they spilled over. “Was I really that awful? Do you really hate me so much that you wanted to humiliate me?”

  Eric sighed and ran both hands over his shaved head. “If I’m being honest, there’ve been times when I’ve been thoroughly pissed at you, Gracie, but I only put you and me in the column because I had to include everyone. I had to make it so anyone could be a suspect, so that no one would realize that the town bartender everyone liked to spill their guts to was their very own gossip girl.”

  “God, when I think of all the times I wanted to get five minutes alone with Miss Know-It-All just so I could give her a piece of my mind.” Gracie slapped the manuscript down on the table, and the sound made Pip jump. When the little girl stood up and toddled over to her, Gracie lifted her into her arms. “You know that once you publish this, even if you use a pen name, if anyone in town reads this, the truth is going to come out.”

  “Actually, I plan on changing everything, including the title. No one ever has to know. Which is why I said we could help each other. You need a beard to get your parents off your back, and I need a cover for why I’m going to New York on New Year’s.”

  Gracie kissed the top of Pip’s head, never taking her eyes off Eric. How in the hell could she never have guessed? The thought hadn’t even crossed her mind that Miss-Know-It-All could be a guy, let alone Eric.

  “Why are you going to New York on New Year’s?” she asked.

  “Because my publisher has invited me to their New Year’s party to meet the people I’ll be working with for the next year or more.”

  She scoffed. “You don’t need me! No one’s going to question you going out of town for New Year’s.”

  “A small-town guy like me, who’s never gone anywhere, suddenly gets the urge to take off to the big city?” Eric crossed his arms over his chest. “You tell me if my mom’s going to believe I’ve suddenly gotten the urge to wander.”

  Gracie had started to calm down as he talked. “You might be right about that.”

  “But, if my new girlfriend wants to take a spontaneous trip to New York, it isn’t so strange that I’d want to go with you.”

  Gracie nodded, n
ot really agreeing with his logic, but then she couldn’t argue with it. It was the perfect cover.

  If she was willing to play along.

  “Even if I agree to this, which I’m too angry to do at this point in time, my parents wouldn’t buy us suddenly getting together. They know we’ve done nothing but fight and bicker for years.”

  Eric had the audacity to grin. “They’ll believe it. It’s like I told you, all that back-and-forth was just foreplay.”

  Gracie glared at him. “And if I agree to this, just remember that it’s all an act. We might kiss and hold hands in public, but that’s as far as it goes.”

  “As much as I love to tease you, Gracie Lou, you don’t have to worry about me carrying a torch for you. It’s all business for me…unless, of course, you want the pleasure, and then I guess I could be down.”

  She lifted one hand, shaking her head vehemently. “No, uh-uh, if we’re doing this, there are boundaries. Despite what you wrote about me in that asinine blog, I am not easy and I do not sleep with every man who comes around.”

  “Again, I never said that—”

  She broke through his attempt to reason and defend himself; she didn’t want to hear it. “Boundary number one; unless it’s for the benefit of the people around us, there will be no flirting and absolutely no hanky-panky.”

  She caught the flash of anger in his eyes, but didn’t give a rat’s ass if she hurt his feelings. It was gone anyway, replaced by a bored look and a casual shrug. “Your loss, but fine.”

  “Boundary number two. If I am in need of a place to stay, I would greatly appreciate it if we could use your guest room. But you stay out of it.”

  “I don’t know what you think of me, but I would never force myself on an unwilling woman. Especially with a kid in the room.”

  “I know, but you can be…convincing.”

  Eric raised an eyebrow. “Are you easily convinced?”

  “No, but everyone has their weak moments.”

  “Ouch. Fine. Any more boundaries.”

  “If I decide to accept your offer, I’ll let you know.”

  Eric crossed his arms over his chest. “So, how long before you give me an answer? The clock is ticking if we’re going to sell this bill of goods to the whole town.”

  Gracie bit her lip, rubbing Pip’s back more for her nerves than to comfort the toddler. “I’ll call you Tuesday night for sure. Until then, you stay away from me or I won’t be responsible for my actions.”

  Chapter Eleven

  “The holidays are set up to get you laid. For example: spiked eggnog and mistletoe. And New Year’s Eve is basically just an excuse to get drunk and kiss a bunch of strangers. Need I say more?” - Miss Know-It-All’s Gossip Column.

  On Monday morning, Gracie was just buckling Pip into the car seat when her cell phone rang. Smiling at the toddler as she answered, she didn’t even bother checking caller ID.

  “Hello?”

  “Gracie, it’s Viola.”

  Gracie could tell from the tone of her voice that it was good news for Pip, and she hated that her heart sank. “When are you coming to get her?”

  “This morning. Her great-grandmother is very excited to meet her.”

  “Great-grandmother? Why not her grandmother?” Gracie was picturing a woman with a bad hip, who wouldn’t be able to keep up with Pip, and she didn’t like it.

  “Her grandmother couldn’t take her, but her great-grandmother was more than happy to. She has her own house, and has been completely vetted by my department.”

  “Well, that’s it then, I guess.” Gracie sounded like a frog, the lump in her throat was so big.

  “I know you’ve grown attached to her, and this will be hard, but this is a good thing. She’ll be with her family.”

  Gracie cleared her throat. “Yeah, yeah, I know. Do you want me to meet you somewhere with her things, or do you want to come to my house?”

  “I think it would probably be easier to meet.”

  “Okay, I’ll go inside and pack up her toys and some clothes. Do you want to meet in Buhl in the Ridley’s parking lot in half an hour or so?”

  “Sure, that sounds good.”

  Gracie ended the call and fought back the tears as she unbuckled Pip. “Good news, sweetie. You’re going to meet your great-grandmother.”

  The little girl, oblivious to what her words meant, climbed into Gracie’s arms, snuggling close and breaking her heart without meaning to. Gracie carried her inside, noting the difference in her weight in just two weeks. She sat her down when they got inside, and tucked a stray light brown hair behind her ear.

  “Let’s put your toys in this box, and I’ll grab a bag with some clothes.”

  Gracie set the cardboard box in the middle of the floor, and Pip started gathering up her toys and putting them into the box. Gracie went into the bedroom and pulled a sparkly pink backpack she’d had in high school from the closet. She put several pairs of footed pajamas and a couple of outfits inside. She’d pay Hope for the clothes she sent with Pip, but she didn’t know what the grandmother had for her.

  The diaper bag was packed and in the car, filled with most of what Pip needed, and she realized that this was the most painful thing she’d ever experienced. She had lost her grandfather when she was young, but other than that, her life had been pretty great.

  But knowing that in no time at all she might never see Pip again ripped her insides up.

  She walked out into the living room and saw Pip holding the stuffed horse Eric had bought her. The little girl’s face lit up as she lifted her arms for Gracie and the tears she’d been holding back spilled over.

  Wiping at them rapidly, she picked Pip up and settled her on her hip. Once they were strapped in, Gracie started the car and took the left turn that would take them out toward Buhl. She turned on the Disney soundtrack she’d bought and watched Pip sway from side to side to the beat, her thumb shoved into her mouth as she looked out the window.

  Gracie didn’t rush, partly because of the ice on the road, but mostly because she didn’t want to say good-bye.

  She pulled into the parking lot of Ridley’s Supermarket and spotted Viola’s car right away. Gracie parked right next to her. She pulled out the CD and snapped it into the case, turning to smile at Pip.

  “I’ll be right there, okay? I just have to talk to Miss Viola.”

  Pip’s blue eyes were wide, and Gracie wondered if she understood something was different about this drive.

  She closed the door and went to the back of the car where all of Pip’s stuff was. Viola joined her and helped load it into her car.

  “Viola, I was wondering…do you think her great-grandmother would let me see Pip?”

  Viola hesitated as she closed the trunk of her sedan. “I can ask if she’d be open to it, but it might be a good idea to give Pip some time to adjust.”

  Gracie nodded. “I’ll get her out if you want to install the car seat.”

  Gracie opened the door, determined to put on a brave face for this little girl. “All right, sweet monkey, let’s get out of there.”

  Pip wrapped her arms around Gracie’s neck tight. Gracie hugged her back and whispered, “It’s okay, honey. You’re completely safe. You’re going to take a ride with Miss Viola, and she’s going to drive you to meet your grandma. She’s very nice and cannot wait to see you.”

  Pip’s grip grew harder.

  “And just because you aren’t here with me, doesn’t mean we won’t see each other or I won’t be thinking of you. I’ll miss you every day.”

  Viola pulled her head out of the car and watched them grimly. “It’s time.”

  Gracie reached behind her neck and loosened Pip’s hands. The minute Viola put her hands around Pip’s waist, the toddler went nuts, screaming and clawing for Gracie.

  “It’s okay, Pip. Really.” Gracie’s stomach rolled and twisted as Viola put the little girl in the car, fighting her the entire time. Gracie ran to the other side and opened the door. She leaned acros
s the seat and held Pip’s hand, which the little girl gripped hard. Tear-streaked cheeks and desperate whimpers nearly destroyed Gracie.

  The last buckle clipped in, and Viola disappeared out of the other side and shut the door.

  Gracie kissed the back of Pip’s hand. “I’ll see you soon, baby.”

  And before she completely lost it, she pulled out of Pip’s grip and closed the door.

  Viola patted her shoulder as she passed, but Gracie didn’t want her comfort. She stood behind the car where Pip couldn’t see her and watched Viola pull forward and drive out onto Highway 30 and slowly drift out of sight.

  Only then did Gracie climb back into her car, and break down, violent sobs wracking her entire body.

  * * *

  Eric locked the door to Buck’s a little after two in the morning, and pulled his jacket tighter around his body. The wind was really blowing, dropping the already frigid temperature by ten degrees. He was looking forward to getting home to his warm house, crawling into his bed, and going right to sleep. Which was strange, considering sleep usually eluded him after work. Maybe he was finally getting too old for the night shift.

  He snorted at himself. If he told his old man that, he’d laugh his ass off. Buck had only really let go of the reins completely about three years ago; there was no way he’d jump fully in again. He filled in every once in a while, but for the most part, he enjoyed the quality time with his wife.

  Besides, Eric loved the bar. He was just tired and grumpy. When you worked a job six days a week, sometimes for twelve hours or more, you needed a little vacation.

  Which brought him back to Gracie. Technically, he was still giving her until tonight to decide, but he was impatient. He’d already promised not to press his luck. What more did she want, it signed in blood?

  Eric climbed into his car and started the heater, blowing into his cold hands as he waited for the air to warm. When he finally could feel his fingers again, he pulled out his phone. Scrolling through his contacts, he stopped on Gracie's name and tapped out a text.

  You have sixteen hours, Gracie Lou.