Grace (The Family Simon #5)- Juliana Stone Page 0,9

sneak a glance toward the bar—back to where he’d been standing—and Matt straightened up. Had she seen him walk in?

“So, just a heads up. Grace is in town for the fundraiser.”

Matt was quiet for a moment. Betty knew him too well—they had no secrets. He’d told her about his night with Grace and she’d given him proper shit.

“I heard,” he replied.

“Oh.” He could see the wheels turning. “I just found out. How do you know?”

“Because I’m standing in the Grill looking at her.”

“Oh. Shit.”

“It’s no wonder that was your kid’s first word.”

Betty ignored the barb. “You need to stay away from her.”

Matt rubbed the back of his neck, his scowl deepening. He knew Betty was right. Grace Simon and Matt Hawkins were never going to be a thing. He knew he should have stayed away from her that night in Nashville. And yet…

He couldn’t help himself and glanced back to her booth. His heart sped up. Which caused his pulse to race. Which made him hot as hell, and he tugged at the collar of his jacket. Her eyes were on him.

“Matt?”

“Yeah.” Jesus it was hot in here.

“You sound weird.”

“Huh?” He tore his gaze from Grace’s and gave himself a mental smack. Get your shit together.

“You sound weird,” Betty growled into his ear. “You need to stay away from her Matt. She’s a sweet girl and nothing good can come out you two hooking up. Grace has been hurt before. She’s a fixer and you…”

“Can’t be fixed. Yeah. I get it.”

“No. I mean. You know I didn’t mean it the way it sounded.” She sighed in his ear and something inside him deflated. She was right. Of course she was right. He knew it. Hell, everyone in this damn town knew it.

“Don’t worry. I’m outta here,” he said abruptly.

“Matt.”

“Betty, I gotta go. No worries. You’re right. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He pocketed his cell and turned—his intention to head back to the bar, pay his tab, deal with Sasha, and leave.

But that wasn’t happening on account of the dark haired spitfire staring up at him. He watched Grace closely for a few moments, not really knowing how to proceed. That was a new one for Matt. He was used to being in control.

“I was just leaving,” he said eventually, breaking the silence.

Grace took a step forward and thumped him on the chest. “No you’re not.”

A shot of adrenaline rushed through Matt, a spark that set off all sorts of things. Hot things. Needful things. Wrong things to be thinking about.

“I’m not?” He was dancing on the edge again and damn but it felt good.

“No.” Grace took a step back. “We need to talk.”

You need to stay away from her. Betty’s voice echoed in his ear and he winced.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Too bad,” she retorted, pointing to the washrooms. “Let’s go.”

He stared down at her, rubbing the back of his neck and shuffling his feet like a damn schoolboy. Grace Simon was fierce and from the look of her, she wasn’t taking no for an answer. She obviously needed to get something off her chest and after the way he’d just up and left her in Nashville, it was the least he could do. Give her a chance to tell him what he already knew. That he was a no good and all-around asshole.

Maybe then he could stop thinking about her. Maybe then he could get on with his life.

She stepped aside…

And Matt followed her down the hall.

5

Grace’s heart was pounding so hard that she was pretty sure everyone in the bar could hear it. It filled her ears and she exhaled, pushing into the woman’s washroom before she lost her nerve. Thankfully it was unoccupied and when Matt followed her inside, she shoved past him and locked the door.

Resting against the wall she took a few moments to gather her thoughts, but it was so hard to think straight. Matt Hawkins was a big guy and he filled the room. Draped in leather and denim, with a few days’ worth of stubble darkening his jaw, he was a walking advertisement for testosterone.

And Lord but he was beautiful. Not pretty-boy beautiful—but a raw, masculine, and dangerous kind of beautiful. Any woman would look twice. Hell, any woman would want a taste of him. Was it just his looks that got to her? Was this just a physical thing?

She took a moment, thoughts whirling as she attempted to calm herself. But she knew. There was more. There was something