Eric set you up. That he’s the one stealing from River’s Bend.”
He knew she was about to say this, but it sounded so absurd that he barked out a laugh. “Eric O’Neill isn’t remotely smart enough to do something like this.”
“Maybe, maybe not. But maybe he has help.”
He could see she wasn’t going to back down. He sighed, taking her hand. He wanted to burn something down—preferably Eric’s place—at the thought of him threatening her. But at the same time, another emotion pierced through the darkness: gratitude. And awe. Both because this woman put herself on the line to find out the truth.
He pulled her into an embrace. “Thank you,” he said. He couldn’t say anything more.
“I’d do anything for you.”
He just held her tighter, his heart about to burst from his chest.
He didn’t deserve her. Burying his face into her hair, he knew this with a clarity that tore at his soul.
Chapter Fifteen
Although Grace would’ve preferred to stay at Joy’s for the foreseeable future, she knew she couldn’t avoid her parents forever. She also needed clean clothes. Thus, she made her way back home, wondering if she could sneak inside without anyone noticing.
Seeing not only her parents’ car, but Adam’s car—and another one with a Massachusetts license plate, which she knew was Gavin’s—she had a feeling she wasn’t going to be able to sneak around anytime soon. She took a deep breath. Might as well get this over with.
When she went inside, she first went into the kitchen, but found no one. It was eerily quiet. She glanced upstairs before she walked into the living room. Seeing her entire family sitting there, she stopped in her tracks.
Her mom and dad sat on one couch, while Adam and Joy sat on the other. Gavin with his young daughter Emma sat on a chair, and Grace thought Gavin looked particularly uncomfortable. He’d just arrived in Heron’s Landing with Emma last night, but Grace had been so preoccupied that she’d honestly forgotten all about it.
“Gavin,” she said, choosing to ignore everyone else. “Emma!” She embraced the little girl, who didn’t hug her back. She drew back into her dad’s embrace, like she didn’t know how to take having her aunt standing in front of her.
Gavin whispered something in Emma’s ear. She stood up, and then he embraced Grace.
“Nice to see you, sis.” He pulled back to look at her. “How are you?”
She rather felt like crying. It might’ve been because Gavin looked older and tired, and she could detect silver strands in his dark hair. When they were younger, he and Adam had often been mistaken for twins even though there was two years between them. Now she thought that Gavin looked older. She wanted to ask him about Teagan, about Emma, about himself, but she could feel the stares of the rest of the family on her back.
She forced a smile. “I’m all right. I’m glad you’re here.”
He gave her a lopsided smile, but only patted her on the arm. Emma sat down on the ottoman in front of the chair, her face decidedly blank. She had white blonde hair and the biggest blue eyes Grace had ever seen. She also had an uncanny knack to sit and watch people without saying a word. Grace hadn’t seen her niece much since Gavin and Teagan had been living in Boston, but she hoped she could get to know her, now that they were in Heron’s Landing.
She heard someone clear their throat. Turning, Grace looked at each person in the living room, almost daring them to say something.
“Grace, dear, why don’t you sit down?” Julia beckoned to her to sit on the couch next to her.
Grace almost said no, but at her mother’s look, she decided not to fight. Sitting down gingerly, she asked, “Are we having a meeting of some sort? Because I have to tell you, I didn’t get an invitation.”
She could see Joy looking like she wanted to say something, while Adam looked like he had a dark cloud hovering over his head. Grace didn’t want to look at her father. She knew he was glowering at her.
“We’re glad you came home,” Julia began, touching Grace’s knee. “We wanted to talk to you about something.”
“I feel like it’s time for me to say that I did not agree to this,” Joy said. She gave Adam a look, and he gave her a “we’ll discuss this later” expression.
“Thank you,” Grace replied. “I think?”
“This is ridiculous. Just cut to the chase, will