Grace Anne - By Kathi S. Barton Page 0,8

kid who she didn’t have time for. The two of them were having a lot of fun. With each other anyway.

Grace ignored him. Well, as much as he’d let her. He had no idea why he baited her, but he enjoyed watching her bite her cheek. He knew she was doing it because Trace had told her that she was going to wear a callous there and then she’d looked like the elephant man like he’d seen on television. Michael had burst out laughing, which had earned him a glare and he was sure a few hundred dirty names in her mind. And yet, nearly three hours later, she was still with them.

“I’m going to get the blue bed with the race car. It’s not too much and I’ll have enough left over to get the curtains I want too.” Trace looked longingly at the bunk beds before he continued. “And I’m going to get the matching blankets, and the lamp for my desk.”

She glanced at the bunk beds too. Michael was about to tell his son that he’d pay the difference when she stepped in. He was suddenly very glad he’d brought her along.

“That’s a good choice. Of course, you managed to save over a thousand dollars in such a short time, right?” Trace nodded and glanced at the bunk beds again. “Maybe you could, I don’t know, borrow the money from someone. I’m betting you’ll get a few bucks at your party today, and you’re not really that short, are you?”

Michael could see the joy leap in Trace’s eyes, but he didn’t jump at the idea. He’d heard them talking about how much money he’d had to spend and the difference between the bed he was getting and the one he wanted was huge. Over a grand difference.

But Michael liked the bunk beds better too. They were wooden, solid oak that had a dresser under one end and a desk the other. The second bed, the lower one, jutted out from under the first in an L shape. It was well made, practical, and the perfect thing for a kid’s room. Hell, he wanted Trace to have them as well and was just on the verge of making the offer when Trace turned to him.

In ten minutes of wheeling and dealing, they had a deal. He’d work for the difference by keeping his grades up and his room clean. And, in exchange, Michael would foot the difference. In less time than it took them to pay for Trace’s new bedroom set, Grace had finished up her own purchases.

Trace got the bedding for each bed and he’d even gotten himself a couple of really “coolness” rugs to set by his bed. Michael was impressed. He wasn’t sure that at this boy’s age, he might have been a lot more impulsive with his purchases. He even offered to pay him interest on the loan he was fronting him. He, of course, told him if he made his payments on time, then he’d be fine. For now. They were coming out of the store when Grace turned to him finally.

“Mr. Cunningham, it’s been very lovely spending time with your son, but I have to get some things done. You two have a very nice rest of the day.” She even held out her hand as if he would take it and then go away. He smiled at her and she took a step back.

“You’ve been invited to spend the day with us. I’m pretty sure that we had more plans, don’t you think, Trace?” He knew he was being a bastard, but he found that he didn’t want to leave her just yet and, apparently, neither did his son.

“I want you to be my date, Grace. Please? It’ll be fun. All my uncles will be there and my aunts. Besides, you were sure helpful when I needed it. I have to repay you now. Besides, you hanging with us made that weird sales lady keep away. She was all over Dad the last time we were here.”

Michael could feel the flush on his face at the boy’s comment. The sales person had been right there with them the entire time. She’d even offered to give him her phone number—several times. Then this time there had been an occasional question answered and Grace had made sure that the answers had been directed at Trace. Something else he’d enjoyed, her putting Trace above their differences.

“Trace, I don’t think your grandmother meant for you