The Runaway

by Jennifer Bernard

  Just what he’d feared. With a sigh, he sent a text to Gracie’s number. No answer.

  Damn. Well, she was an adult. He wasn’t technically responsible for her in any way. Should he go back to the condo or go find a fish burger and fries at the local dive where the fishermen hung out? He’d rather shoot the shit with those guys than spend another wasted minute here.

  He was turning to go when he finally caught sight of Gracie.

  At first, he didn’t recognize her. Her hair was different—it actually had shape, instead of being a mussy, flyaway tangle of blond wisps. And the dress she was wearing…whoa, mama. It was made from some kind of shimmery material that glittered with every move she made.

  Not that she was moving much, because she was locked into a passionate kiss with a tall guy in board shorts who had his hands all over her. All over. Like on her ass, her back, up her sides…

  He looked away, disturbed. Gracie sure had hooked up fast. And with that guy? He recognized him as a lowlife friend of Ian’s, a surfer and weed dealer. He didn’t seem like Gracie’s type, and making out with a stranger didn’t seem like something she would do. But what did he know? He’d only met Gracie a few weeks ago, and apparently, he didn’t know her as well as he’d thought.

  The music pulsed through his veins, the vibration of the bass line making his palms tingle. Time to get the hell out of here. Sophie was digging on the music, Gracie was just fine.

  But halfway toward the staircase, something made him look back. Gracie was still smushed against Lowlife, but this time Mark looked more closely.

  Her arm was dangling limply by her side.

  As if she wasn’t enjoying herself. Or even conscious.

  He pushed through the crowd toward her. He lost sight of her a few times when people passed in front of him. When he finally made it across the room, she was gone.

  A sense of panic gripped him so hard, it took his breath away.

  He grabbed the nearest person, one of Ian’s roommates. “Did you see a girl here a minute ago? She was wearing a shiny dress, blond hair, small.”

  “Hey, man. You mean the girl kissing Blake? The babe with the legs?”

  “Yes,” he said after a moment. “The babe with the legs.” Not that he wanted to think of her that way, but it had to be said. “Do you know where she went?”

  “Nah, but they probably went somewhere to smash. You know how Blake rolls.”

  “Well, why didn’t you stop them?”

  “Not my problem. The girl came to party.”

  Damn it. He pulled out his phone and called Sophie. Across the room, she answered. He could barely see her glow stick crown over the sea of heads. “Hi, Mark. You’re standing again. So fucking sexy.”

  Uh-oh. Buzzed.

  “Where’s Gracie? You were supposed to keep an eye on her.”

  “Sorry, my babysitting duties end when the hookup begins. Let her have her fun, boss man. You’re always so serious!”

  Why was he suddenly the bad guy? “Are you sure that’s what she wanted?”

  “I mean, I just assumed. It’s a party, Mark. Live a little. Come over here and dance with me.”

  “Gotta make sure Gracie’s okay first.”

  “Your little pet.” He heard the pout in her voice. “You care more about your strays than you do about your girlfriend.”

  “Give me a break, Sophie. She’s not used to parties like this. She’s from some tiny little place in the mountains.”

  “Whatevs. Just hurry up. I miss you. I’m bored with this party. I need tacos. I’m craving tacos. Let’s go get tacos!”

  He ended the call. Sometimes he thought Sophie careened from one urge to the next, never thinking that she didn’t have to satisfy all of them.

  Where was Gracie? Gold, shimmery dress. Blond hair.

  When he finally located her in an empty hallway, his worst fear was realized.

  She was leaning against the wall, her head lolling to one side, while Lowlife pushed his hand under her dress.

  8

  Mark hadn’t known he could move that fast. He flew down the hallway and ripped the guy away from Gracie. With one hand, he slammed him against the opposite wall, while holding Gracie up with the other. She slumped away from him, sliding down the wall on boneless legs.

  “Gracie! Wake up. Come on, Gracie.”

  The weed dealer sprang toward him and swung. Mark ducked, and the guy lost his balance, crashing into the wall with a curse. Mark decided he’d rather not get into a fistfight while Gracie might need help. He crouched down and scooped her up like a baby. Holding her in his arms, he charged down the hall, fending off one more lunge from Lowlife with a karate kick to the chest.

  He found another exit door that led to the carport, and from there to the narrow strip of lawn next to the house. Once they were safely outside, he sat Gracie down on the grass, keeping his hands on her shoulders. Her feet were bare, her shoes gone. She swayed back and forth as if vertical was anyone’s guess.

  “Gracie. Can you hear me?” he asked gently. Her eyelids lifted; he could see the effort it took to open them. The fuckhead must have given her something.

  “Mark?” She spoke as if she had cotton balls in her mouth. “Was I kissing you?”

  “No. You were kissing someone else.”

  “Terrible kisser. Not you. Him.”

  “Yeah, well, I think he’s probably a terrible person in general. Did he give you a drink?”

  “No. No drinks. He had Jell-O. I love Jell-O.”

  “Oh shit. He must have put something in the Jell-O. Listen, Gracie, you lost your shoes. Want me to go back for them? Do you know where they are?”

  “No!” She clutched at him. “Don’t leave me. Please.”

  His heart turned over at the fear in her voice. “I won’t. Let me text Sophie, maybe she can find them.”

  He fired off a text. Some asshole gave Gracie something. We’re leaving, can you find her shoes?

  I’ll look. Are you coming back?

  Jesus. What would it take to tear Sophie away from a party?

  “Come on,” he told Gracie. “Let’s get the hell out of here. Can you walk?” Deciding not to wait for her answer, he scooped her up again and strode toward the steps that led from the side yard down to the beach. The thumping of the music followed them, fading as they reached the sand.

  The feel of Gracie in his arms gave him a strange shiver, as if he’d dreamed this moment. Or dreamed about dreaming it, as if it was so distant in time that he couldn’t quite remember the day or the year, or even the place.

  When she slipped out of his arms and landed on the sand, he felt oddly empty for a moment.

  Gracie dug her toes into the sand and brushed her hair out of her eyes. In the moonlight, her dress looked like water. “Did you just rescue me?”

  Her innocent question, and her wide-eyed expression, sent irritation rushing through him. What if he hadn’t come to the party? What would have happened to her?

  “Yes, from your own stupidity. Why did you eat or drink anything at that place? How naive can you possibly be?”

  She flinched at his harsh tone. But at least she was looking more alert. The fresh air was waking her up. “That place? You mean your girlfriend’s brother’s place?”

  “Ian is not to be trusted. Didn’t Sophie explain that to you?”

  Stubbornly, she crossed her arms and stuck out her chin at him. “Why were you there? Sophie said you never go to those parties.”

  “I went because I was worried about you. You don’t know what those guys are like. I do. I’ve seen the kind of shit they pull. You haven’t.”

  “And now I have.”

  “Yes, but it was almost too late.”

  “So I learned my lesson. Important word here—my lesson. I don’t need a babysitter. I can’t believe you went to a party you didn’t want to, just to check in on me. That’s mortifying.”

  Good Lord, where was the gratitude? He’d saved her. “Maybe you should consider than
king me instead of yelling at me. I rescued you, remember?”

  “Maybe I don’t want to be rescued! Maybe I want to make my own mistakes. Maybe I’m tired of being treated like a child. That man in there didn’t think I was a child.”

  Another wave of fury crested through him. “Bad example. That wasn’t a man, that was a slimy-ass sleazeball. I don’t care if you want to have sex with him. But you should at least be conscious when you do it.”

  A stricken expression crossed her face. “I wasn’t going to— I mean— Oh my God, is that what—”

  “It’s okay. Nothing happened. You’re all right.” He cursed himself for coming down on her so hard. “How were you supposed to know he’s such a pig?”

  She whirled around and stalked down the shoreline back toward the marina.

  He hurried after her. “What are you doing? You’re still impaired, you can’t just be roaming around at night like this. Especially not in that.”

  She walked even faster. “In what?”

  “In that…piece of clothing that thinks it’s a dress.”

  She swung back around to face him. He noticed traces of tears on her cheeks, or maybe it was salt from the ocean spray. He should have been gentler with her instead of yelling.

  “Why did you come all the way over here when you could have stayed home or gone out for fish burgers?”

  How did she know he’d wanted fish burgers?

  “I care about the safety of my employees,” he said stiffly. “It’s hard to find good cashiers.”

  “Do you think I’m a child who needs a babysitter?”

  In the moonlight, he couldn’t interpret her expression. What did she want from him in this moment? “No?”

  “Does this dress make me look like a child playing in her mother’s clothes?”

  “Of course not. It looks good on you,” he said reluctantly. Not because it wasn’t true, but because complimenting her felt like the first step down a dangerous road. “Very good.”

  “Like a grown-up, not a child?”

  Was this the alcohol talking? Or the spiked Jell-O, or the combination of the two? Gracie was usually so bright and chipper, always with a kind smile for everyone who crossed her path. But now her eyes were wide pools of doubt.

  “I don’t think you’re a child, Gracie. You look…very beautiful. Alluring.”

  “Alluring.” She savored the word as if it were a pearl. “I like that. Alluring. Mostly when people give me compliments, they say I’m adorable.”

  “I wouldn’t disagree with that, either.”

  “Yes, thank you. I mean, that’s nice of you, but adorable is something you call a kitten or a baby bunny. I’m twenty-three. I don’t want to be adorable, I’d much rather be alluring. So thank you.”

  Her grateful smile took away his good mood in a flash. “Alluring is what got you into trouble.”

  “No,” she corrected. “Eating Jell-O got me into trouble. And actually, a sleazy guy who tampered with Jell-O and then touched me is the real villain. Why are you blaming my outfit?”

  He thought about that. “You’re right.”

  “I am?” She cocked her head at him. “Okay, but you’re right, too, because I should have been more careful. I was trying to prove something, and I guess maybe I over-proved it.”

  They both laughed, the tension of a few moments ago broken. In unison, they turned and strolled down the beach in the direction of the marina. They paced side by side on the damp sand, watching the creamy lines of surf break and recede. He kept a close eye on her to make sure she wasn’t still affected by the damn Jell-O. But the fresh air seemed to have revived her. Or maybe it was something else—their squabble, her bare feet on the sand, the zing of chemistry between them.

  He had to watch out for that chemistry. It was unpredictable. Just like Gracie.

  “You promise to be more careful?” he asked again. “I won’t always be there to bail you out.”

  “I’ll try my best. But you know, I’m seeing the big wide world for the first time. I don’t want to be careful and cautious. I want to experience things. I’ve only seen parties like that on, I don’t know, music videos or reality shows about Orange County. To actually see one with my own eyes—that was pretty exciting.”

  “Is that why you came here? To see the Southern California lifestyle in person?”

  “No. It’s just a side benefit.”

  He waited for her to say more, but she fell into a thoughtful silence, gazing out at the ocean. Gracie wasn’t someone who needed talk to fill the quiet.

  “Have you ever been to the mountains?” she asked abruptly.

  “What?”

  “The mountains. Any mountains. Rockies? Sierras? Appalachians? Alps? Cascades?”

  “You can stop naming mountain ranges, I get it. I’m an ocean guy,” he said lightly. “Snow is not my thing.”

  “How do you know?”

  “How do I know?” What exactly was she getting at?

  “I mean, you must have seen snow to be so sure you don’t like it. Where did you see it?”

  “I don’t need to see it. It’s cold, that’s all I need to know.”

  “So you’ve never seen snow?”

  He scrubbed a hand across the back of his neck. “Why are you so worried about whether or not I’ve seen snow?”

  “I’m not. I just want to know if you’ve ever been to the mountains. You’re the one who mentioned snow.”

  “Why is every conversation with you so confusing?”

  “Why is every conversation with you so frustrating? You don’t like to talk about yourself, do you?”

  “See, you already know so much about me,” he teased. “You know I don’t like snow and you know I don’t like to talk about myself. Don’t you think that’s enough for one night?”

  One more time, she spun around and faced off with him, arms folded across her chest. “No, I don’t, because it’s a simple question and you still haven’t answered it. I’m going to stand right here until you answer.”

  “You know I can very easily lift you away, right? I did it before. Twice. I carried you in my arms like a little baby.”

  “Which means your muscles are probably too tired to do it again.” She planted her feet in the sand.

  “You’re seriously underestimating my stamina.” He grinned at her, since this was clearly now a game—and he intended to win. “I can also just go around you. It’s a big beach.”

  “And I’m super-fast. Just try it.”

  He feinted to his left. She was fooled for a moment, but then dove to block his path again.

  “Tricky.” She braced herself like a football player. “But I’m trickier. I have three older brothers. I know all the tricks.”

  “Oh, really? Fine, I give up. I’ll tell you what you want to know.” He pretended to surrender with a defeated shrug. “The truth is hard to admit, but—”

  As soon her stance relaxed, he dashed around her. But she was still ready—damn, she really did know all the tricks—and she stuck out her foot just in time to send him flying to the sand with a grunt.

  “Holy fuck,” he groaned as he spit sand out of his mouth. “I thought I had you beat.”

  She dropped onto the sand next to him. “Are you okay? I’m so sorry. I didn’t expect…I mean, I thought I’d just make you change direction. I didn’t expect you to topple over like a tree.”

  He shot her a wry glance as he sat up. “First you trip me, then you mock me? Nice. Hey, look at this.” A pile of slimy kelp had broken his fall. “Never been grateful to seaweed before.”

  “I really am sorry. Does anything hurt?”

  “My ego?”

  “I can help with that. The reason you toppled over is that you’re so tall and strong.” She fluttered her eyelashes at him.

  He laughed. “Flattery? Nah, don’t bother. I got beat, fair and square.”

  “Well, I told you I was super-fast, but you hadn’t seen me in action, so it’s understandable that you might miscalculat
e. It’s a common mistake. People tend to underestimate me.” She looked so smug, sitting next to him in the sand, that he had to laugh.

  “I’ll try not to make that mistake again.”

  “So have I earned an answer yet?”

  Wow. He had to hand it to her persistence. Yet another way he’d underestimated her.

  “Okay. But only because I need a moment before I get up and keep walking. I have been to the mountains, but I had a bad experience there, so I’ve never gone back. I’ll probably never go back to those mountains, or any others.”

  Her eyes widened, her lips parted, and he caught the sound of her breath hitching. “Really. What kind of bad experience? How…how old were you?”

  “Young,” he said briefly. “And it’s not something I ever talk about.” At least not to anyone except his therapist.

  “Why not?”

  “Because it was a long time ago, and there’s no point.” He shifted his position so he could rise to his feet. Gracie took his arm to help him, surprising him again with the strength of her grip. He turned his head to tell her there was no need, that he could take it from there. Her face was closer than he’d realized, or maybe she’d moved forward, or he’d misjudged the space between them, but for a shadow of a second, they were so close, he could feel her breath on his face. Light and sweet and warm.

  What would her kiss be like? Unexpected, the way she was? Stronger than he expected? Light and breezy? Unpredictable?

  Just then, a throaty voice floated from down the beach. “Mark? Gracie? What are you guys doing in the sand? Are you okay?”

  He jerked away, as if he’d gotten bitten by a sand crab. Damn. This probably didn’t look good. This wasn’t good. This was exactly what he’d been trying so hard to avoid.

  9

  Gracie leaped to her feet. “Sophie! Hi! Mark was just helping me because that stupid Jell-O knocked me right off my feet.”

  “Please don’t tell me you ate some of that.” Gracie heard the suspicion in Sophie’s voice. If only she could tell her that she was way off base, that she had no reason to worry because Mark was completely in love with the woman.