Grace Anne - By Kathi S. Barton Page 0,21
none came, she walked to her dresser and started pulling her brush through her hair. “I’ll follow you out and lock up. If you could have the contract changes to my attorney as soon as—”
“Who was the person who threatened my son?”
The question was so quiet that she almost thought she’d not heard him, but when she looked over her shoulder at him she could see that he had asked. She should have expected the question. She had been thinking about an answer to give him when he did. But nothing came to mind. Nothing, that was, but the truth and, that, she wasn’t really willing to share with a man she’d only had sex with.
“I don’t know, not really. I’ve been…” Could she tell him? Should she? “Once I leave, then you won’t have anything to worry about with Trace. He’ll be fine. They’re just trying to get me to be afraid.”
“And are you?”
She felt the tears at his question, but tried to blink them away.
“Grace, are you afraid of the person who calls you? And I’ve listened to the messages on your phone in the kitchen. They’re getting progressively worse and you know it.”
She thought about telling him it was none of his business, but she knew that the two of them having sex and whoever it was threatening Trace made it his. She didn’t like it, but he had a right to know some of what she had going on.
“I left home when I was seventeen. It was…my family life wasn’t all that easy. Had it not been for my brother and sisters I’m not sure how things would have ended. My parents were more into each other and how badly they could hurt us than they were at providing for us as a family. My father was killed by the police when he tried to kill my sister for ransom.”
“Roscoe Waite. Matt just told me you’re related to him. And Alyssa Howard is your sister-in-law.” He moved up behind her, took the brush, and began moving it through her hair. “I also know your brother-in-law, Payton. We went to school together.”
She nodded. Of course. Payton’s family had money, as did Alyssa. She was just a daughter of a dead ex-con who happened to be related to them all. She turned and took the brush from him. “I think you should go now. I have some things to finish up around here before I sell and, if you don’t mind, I want to be alone.”
“I don’t think so, Grace. I’ll purchase the building because I need it, but you’re not going anywhere. I don’t know what it is about you, but I can’t seem to get enough of you.” He took the brush from her and set it on the dresser. “Finish getting dressed and we’ll meet my family. They’re waiting dinner on us.”
She supposed as they were getting into his limo again that she could have refused. But short of throwing him out, which she was reasonably sure she couldn’t do anyway, she wasn’t sure what to do. She wasn’t even sure she wanted him to leave her alone. It had been so long since she’d…she’d had anyone in her life that she was a little starved for the feeling again. Neither of them spoke on the short drive over.
Trace meeting her at the door of the restaurant made her hug him a little tighter than was probably necessary. He held her hand, talking a mile a minute as he led them to the table overflowing with people. She stopped and felt Michael bump into her from behind.
“This is my family, you know them,” he said in her ear when she didn’t move. “Come on and sit down. They won’t bite.” But he did.
“Grace, honey, come on,” his mother said as she waved at the only two empty chairs next to her. “Michael, go and find that lovely little waitress and tell her what you and Grace are drinking. Then we’ll order as soon as you’re served.”
Michael pulled out her chair and kissed her on the mouth before he moved to do what his mother said. Grace felt her face flame when Joey laughed. She wanted to hunt the stupid man down and smack the shit out of him.
“I guess you two worked out your differences.” Grace flushed again at Joey’s statement. “I’m glad. You two fighting was getting to be annoying.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Mrs. Cunningham. Your son and I are simply