Divine Grace (8 page)

* * * *

67

Jack had just said goodnight to Adam and Ethan when his cell phone rang. The men exchanged a worried look. Calls at midnight couldn’t be a good thing. Caller ID confirmed it.

“It’s Charity’s phone. Grab the keys,” Jack said as all three ran out the door. Jack answered the call.

“Hello, Charity. What’s happening? Are you all right?” Jack asked as he pressed the speakerphone button so they could all hear. Ethan jumped behind the wheel and started the vehicle.

“For the moment, we’re fine. I’ve already called 911. I have them on the line now. Owen is banging on the front door and has been for the last couple of minutes.”

“Has Grace opened the door?”

“No, she told him to go away several times, but he won’t listen. He’s drunk as a skunk and yelling at her about video games. He says he won’t leave until she returns the videogames she stole from him. Can you hear him?” she asked, and they could indeed hear muffled yelling and thumping in the background.

“Yeah, I can hear him. We’re already on the road into town. Did 911

say how far away the police officers are?”

“They said they were sending someone now, and we can hear the sirens coming.”

“Is there anyone with Owen?”

“Yes. Earlier, there were two guys sitting in his truck. I’m looking out the window, and they are in the yard now trying to get him to leave. Oh, great! Now they are fighting in the front yard. They must all be drunk. Hey, Grace wants to talk to you. Here ya go.”

“Jack?” All three of them heaved a sigh of relief when they heard her voice. She sounded tired. The pounding on the door started again, and so did the yelling. Grace was trying to talk, but they couldn’t make out what she was saying because of the noise.

“Grace, whatever you do, don’t open that door until the police get there and tell you it’s safe.”

“I won’t. Charity wanted to, but I wouldn’t let her. She has her shotgun with her. I see flashing lights out front. Charity, go look out the bedroom window to see what’s going on. I hear them scuffling on the porch. Is it
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safe? Okay. Jack? She said they have him and one of his friends facedown on the ground outside. How far away are you?”

“We just turned onto your street. You’ll see us pull up in a few seconds.

Stay put. I’m going to hang up, baby.” He stuck the phone in his pocket and jumped out of the SUV as soon as Ethan put it in park.

The police officers had Owen and his friends on the ground and were handcuffing them. Owen started to yell again, going on about his video games. Jack was in the lead and made it up the porch steps first. He called to Grace through the door.

She opened the door and reached out for him, for all of them. They surrounded her, hugging her, hugging Charity, thankful that they were both all right.

Jack wrapped his arms around Grace and hugged her close to him. “You okay, darlin’?”

She smiled up at him and said, “I am now that you’re here.”

The officers marched Owen and both of his buddies over to one of the squad cars and placed them under arrest for drunken and disorderly conduct.

After a few minutes, one of the officers, Jack’s friend Hank Stinson, came up on the porch and knocked on the screen door. Jack opened the door for him and shook his hand.

“Sorry, Jack. We swung by just a few minutes before we got the call about a disturbance over here. We were clear across town. We’re taking them in for drunk and disorderly conduct. Is that his truck parked out in the road still running?”

“Yeah, it is.”

“It’s blocking the road. Do you want to move it, or should I call and have it impounded?”

“It’s his vehicle. We don’t want responsibility for it.”

“I’ll have it towed, no problem. Hey, Grace, sorry to have to pay a visit so late at night. Can I ask you a few questions?”

“That’s all right, Hank. It’s been a long day for all of us. Did your softball team like those new jerseys we printed for them?” Grace asked. Jack had forgotten about referring Hank over to Harper’s for new softball jerseys.

He was glad that if she had to speak to a police officer this late at night that it was at least someone she knew and was comfortable talking with.

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They all sat down in the living room, and Grace answered all of Hank’s questions regarding what had occurred as well as what had taken place earlier in the afternoon. Grace agreed to come down and press charges against Owen in the morning.

After they were finished, Jack turned to Grace and Charity. “Do you want to come back to the ranch with us?” he offered, still hoping.

“He’s not going to bother me anymore tonight. Charity is here, so I know I’ll be fine.”

“I’d feel better if one of us stayed here with you. Would you mind?”

Jack asked, reluctant to leave the two of them alone again tonight. He wished now that he had made the offer earlier.

“It’s fine with me if it’s all right with Sis,” she said, not seeing the enthusiastic nod and thumbs-up signal Charity gave to Jack. He had to cover his grin.

* * * *

“It’s up to y’all who stays, Jack. Don’t make me choose,” Grace said, then yawned.

“I can stay. My first appointment isn’t until nine in the morning,” Adam said, volunteering for duty. The other two nodded and stood up.

“Jack, Ethan, thank you for coming so quickly. Once again, you’re all my heroes,” Grace said.

Jack hugged her tight and kissed her forehead, and then Ethan hugged her and kissed her cheek. They both hugged Charity and thanked her for being well prepared. Adam shared a quiet conversation with them on the porch and then left.

“Can I borrow a blanket and pillow, Grace?” Adam asked. “I’ll sleep on the couch.”

Charity shook her head at Grace and pointed at herself, letting her know she could sleep on the couch. Grace shook her head firmly and mouthed a
no
to Charity when she followed Grace down the hall to the linen closet to get what Adam needed.

Charity whispered, “I don’t mind, Grace.”

“I do, Charity. I kissed him for the first time an hour ago. I’m not ready for that yet.”

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“Heh–heh. Yet is right.” Charity snickered softly as she retreated down the hall to the bathroom. Grace went in the kitchen and put ground coffee and water in the coffeemaker and set the timer to start brewing early the next morning.

Adam slipped his boots off and lay down on the couch. Grace turned off all the lights except the one on the end table next to the couch. Charity said goodnight and excused herself. Grace knelt down on the floor by Adam’s head and leaned in to lay her head on his chest. She hugged him as he wrapped his big, strong arms around her and gave her a little squeeze.

He turned onto his side and moved up against the back rest of the couch.

He patted the cushion in front of him. “Come sit with me. I don’t want you kneeling on the bare floor.”

She moved up onto the cushion, and he wrapped his arms loosely around her waist.

“Are you going to be able to rest after all this excitement?” he asked.

His warm fingers caressed her through the fleece of her robe.

“I’m one of those weird people who respond to stress by becoming groggy. My mom could always tell when something was bothering me or if I was upset because my response would be to want a nap. I’ll be all right. To know you are out here trying to sleep on my couch may be a distraction, but I’ll do my best. Will you be comfortable enough?”

He nodded and looked at her, his eyes partially hidden in shadows with the lamp lit behind him. His gaze was like a physical touch, warming her.

He reached up and caressed her bruised cheekbone lightly with the backs of his fingers. His mouth hardened momentarily, even though his soft touch didn’t hurt in the least. She had a strong urge to just lie down and curl up with him and not worry about the rest of the world. Let him deal with it.

“Grace,” he began, speaking softly in a deep voice that made her quiver inside, “I think I fell in love with you when I laid eyes on you the first time.

It took a lot of trust to tell me you loved me when we’ve only known each other a few days. We feel
very
protective toward you. Maybe a little possessive, too.”

“I love the gentle way you reach out and touch me, sometimes in innocent ways, like when you tucked that lock of hair behind my ear tonight, taking care of me. But also when you touch me the way a man touches a woman he wants. My body reacts to you in shameless ways. I knew I loved

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you tonight when you proved you were willing to defend me and protect me.

The outrage on your face and the determination in your eyes did it for me.

“I feel laid bare before you,” she continued in a shaky voice. “Like there is not a thing about me that is held back from you. You asked if I could trust you. I trust you with everything. I trust you to protect me. Obviously, you earned that trust in spades the last few days, but I also trust you with my appearance, the way I’m built. I have learned to build up a wall around myself over my body image, and for you to call my body a work of
art…
”

She paused, her voice catching a little bit. “It felt good to be accepted like that. You know, I was afraid to turn my back on Owen for fear of his remarks about my rear end. My rationale, I suppose, was the less I showed him, the less I provoked him. I don’t feel like that with you. I even have the feeling that maybe you like it.”

She giggled as she watched a naughty grin spread across his face like he
was
thinking about her ass. Confirming her suspicions, his hands slid down and stroked her ass through her robe and gown.

“Okay, I showed you mine, now you show me yours,” she said, snickering when he rolled his eyes.

“You couldn’t think of a less torturous way to put that?”

“Bad girl. What can I say? Tell me how you know you love me. How could you fall in love with me on sight? I’m dying to know.” She stroked his arms, still wrapped around her.

“That’s an easy one.” He reached out and fingered a curl lying over her shoulder as he continued. “I looked out the window at the funeral and watched you walk up the drive to the house, and something in me just clicked. The guys were teasing me some, I suppose, because I couldn’t take my eyes off of you. There was just something about you, your curves and your shape. The smooth, graceful way you moved made my mouth water.”

He grinned when her jaw popped open, and she tried to hide her hot cheeks.

“I loved you on sight, baby, and everything I have learned about you since just convinces me more,” he murmured, grazing her cheekbone with his fingertips.

“You are really good for a girl’s ego, I’ll tell ya, Adam,” she said, beaming down at him before taking on a more serious tone. “I don’t know what to expect from you or Jack and Ethan. I feel very confused when I’m with all of you. I’m still trying hard to process the fact that I am so strongly
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attracted to all three of you, that I’m
in love
with all three of you. My mind should be screaming at me that this is all wrong, but it’s not. I’m also concerned about becoming more intimate than we already are too quickly.

It’s not that I’m afraid of y’all. It’s just going to take some time to adjust to that reality. Plus, I need a little bit of time to get Owen out of my head.”

He smiled up at her gently and asked, “Do you trust me, baby? Do you trust Jack and Ethan?”

She smiled and nodded quickly. “Yeah, of that I am certain. I trust all of you. I don’t think trust is the main issue.”

“Then everything is going to work out just fine. Talk to us and tell us what you’re thinking. We’ll be open and honest with you. You can bank on it when I say the last thing we want to do is rush you into anything you’re not ready for. You’re too precious to us for that.”

She leaned down and kissed him, desiring the contact but not wanting to push him too much. His hands slid up her spine, then down her arms as she sat up.

“Baby, you’re tired. Why don’t you get some rest since you have to work in the morning? You keep kissing me like that and I’m never going to get any sleep. I’ll be thinking about you in your bed, just a few feet away, all night.”

As she got up, his callused hand slid up the back of her thigh. Her breath caught, and he groaned softly, then removed his hand.

“Bad boy,” she whispered, smiling sweetly at him, appreciating even more that
she
didn’t have to make a move to stop him because he did it himself.

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Grace yawned as she pressed the start button on the coffeemaker. She looked out her kitchen window and heard soft movements behind her.

Adam’s large, warm hands slid ever so gently around her torso and pulled her into his immense, comforting embrace. One muscled arm wrapped around her waist, and the other crossed her shoulders, pressing her back to his front. He sighed sleepily and swept her long, tousled hair from her shoulder and pressed his warm lips to her throat, beneath her ear. Her head fell back against his chest, and she tilted her head and allowed his lips to traverse her throat to her shoulder.

“Oh, boy,” she groaned softly. “I died and this is heaven.” He chuckled deeply and squeezed her to him. A breathy shudder left her lips as she became aware of his large, fully erect cock resting against her lower back. It was a crying shame they had clothes on.

“Good morning, baby,” he murmured.

“Oh, it is.” She turned in his arms and gazed up into his sleepy green eyes.

He gazed at her silently for a few seconds, then whispered in a husky voice, “God, you’re beautiful.”

She felt a warm, languorous wave flow through her as she held his gaze.

She didn’t blush hard, which should have been her reaction. She could see in his eyes that he meant exactly what he’d said, that it hadn’t been just flattery designed to get a reaction from her. To him she was beautiful, and she smiled happily at him, accepting his truth.

“Thank you. You make me feel beautiful.” What would it be like to start every day like this? Oh, hell. What would it be like to start every morning like that
times three
? Her body bloomed with arousal, answering that question.

Whoa, horsey! Slow down.

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“Did you sleep last night, Adam?”

“A little, baby.”

“Want coffee? I hope you take it strong.”

“The stronger the better.”

Grace chuckled and got mugs down. He made himself a cup of coffee, and she poured one for her sister and took it into the bedroom.

She tiptoed to the bed and poked her sister while carefully placing the hot coffee on the bedside table. She sang as she poked Charity’s shoulder, just like their mother had when they were little to wake them. “
Birdie with a
yellow bill…
”

She heard a muffled, “No.”

“…Hopped upon my windowsill…”

“No.”

“…Cocked his shining eye and said…”

“Fuck off.”

Grace fought laughter so hard she had tears in her eyes
“…Ain’t you

‘shamed you sleepy head!”

Charity pulled the pillow up and looked at her sister through tousled, messy curls, and they both burst into a fit of laughter. “You’re way too frickin’ cheerful this morning for someone who didn’t get laid the night before.”

“Shhh!” Grace put her finger to her lips and looked at the bedroom door.

“He’ll hear you, idiot!”

Charity grinned broadly. “So the knight in shining armor is still here?”

“Yes. Get your ass out of bed and I’ll make breakfast.”

“You’re bossy now that you’re all liberated. Is this mine?” she asked, pointing at the cup of coffee.

“Yes. Strong the way you like it,” Grace said as she left her sister to rise and get dressed.

Grace made Charity and Adam breakfast, then took Adam back out to the ranch so he could get on with his workday. She headed over to the police station with Charity to file a complaint and press charges against Owen.

Hank told her Owen had gotten his phone call, but nobody had come to bail him out, and his truck was still in the police impound lot. Hank also asked Grace to consider the possibility that she might need to file a restraining

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order against Owen if he continued to harass her. Grace cringed on the inside at the thought of doing that.

People broke up every day. They got over it and moved on with their lives, and she hoped he’d do just that. Maybe the judge would sentence him to court-mandated drug and alcohol rehabilitation. She didn’t know for sure if he was using drugs. She did know that he was having blackouts when he drank, and that was a bad sign. He needed to get clean before the alcohol killed him.

It dawned on her that Jack, Ethan, and Adam were the first men in her life since her dad passed away who made everything better just with their mere presence. She tried to think of a time when Owen did this for her—made it better—and she couldn’t think of one time. She had a flash of insight then, realizing who she had truly been to Owen all these years. She’d been his mommy. Taking care of him and cleaning up after him. Buying him what he needed. She didn’t know which of them had been a bigger dumb ass—him for using her like that or her for being so stupid.

The week progressed quietly from that point, and Charity went home on Thursday, promising to come back and go shopping with her on Saturday.

They would make a morning of it and then have a girls’ lunch together.

Thursday morning, Martha and Rose pulled chairs up to Grace’s desk before they unlocked the front door.

“Honey, we want to talk to you for a second,” Martha began.

“Uh-oh. What’s wrong?” Grace asked hesitantly, laying her work orders aside.

Martha and Rose looked at each other and smiled broadly before Martha continued, “Nothing, honey. We want to ask you about something.”

“Oh, heck! Is this about Jack, Ethan, and Adam coming by the shop?”

During the week, the men had made a point of stopping by to check on her. They only stayed for a minute or two when they came in, but she’d wondered what Martha and Rose made of it. One day, Ethan and Jack both came in at the same time and both kissed her cheek while Martha and Rose were in the room. Grace noticed after the men left that the women were both blushing and had big smirky grins on their faces, but they hadn’t said anything. Maybe they were worried she was getting herself into something she couldn’t handle.

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Martha shook her head and grinned. “Um, no. That’s not it. Although we are
dying
to know what’s up with you and those three handsome hunks.

Mind you, we’re glad they’re looking out for you because Owen’s gonna be mad as a hornet when he gets out of jail.” Grace had filled them in about the whole affair. “What we want to talk to you about is totally unrelated.”

“Oh.”

“Rose got a call from her mama’s doctor in Florida. She’s not doing well.”

Grace reached out and took Rose’s hand and said, “Oh, I’m so sorry, Rose. Is there anything I can do to help?”

Rose nodded her head. “Yes, honey. There actually is something you can do. If you’re of a mind to, that is.”

“Rose would like to move down to Florida to be with her mom and spend the time she has left with her. Now that the kids are grown and gone, there’s really no reason for her to stay in Texas if her mama needs her.

We’ve talked about your savings and investments before, and I know you’ve been very careful about the money your mom and dad left you. We were wondering if perhaps you’d like to buy Rose out of her partnership in Harper’s Embroidery. I’d love to have you as a partner. You handle your responsibilities around here as though you were already invested. Of course, we’d hire somebody to take on your duties.”

“Wow.” Grace was floored. This was an opportunity for her to be self-employed. That was something she’d always dreamed of.

“Of course, we don’t expect an answer now, honey. You take all the time you need to think it over.”

“Yeah, Grace,” Rose said, checking the clock and removing her keys from her pocket. “It’ll be at least four months before I move. It’s not an emergency situation or anything. I just know it’s inevitable and felt like we might as well get the ball rolling.”

Man, when it rained, it poured. “It’s a very tempting offer.”

Martha pulled her chair back over to her desk. “I’ll sit down with you later and give you all the particulars so you have a clear picture of what we’re talking about. We just wanted to get a feel for whether you’d be interested or not.”

On Friday, Grace hand-delivered the work shirts they’d embroidered for Ethan to The Dancing Pony. Grace knew Ethan would be available to pick

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them up, and Harper’s didn’t normally deliver unless it was a big order, but Martha agreed when Grace offered to deliver his shirts to him that afternoon. Grace finished the work she had started, hugged Martha, and left with the shirts.

She pulled up to the club and parked in one of the front spaces. It was a little after six o’clock when she arrived, and there were already quite a few cars in the parking lot. She hooked the hangers over her fingers and carried the shirts in the front door. The cold air conditioning in the darkened interior of the nightclub felt good after the glaring heat and oppressive humidity outside. She stopped in the entryway and allowed her eyes to adjust to the dimmer lighting.

She saw Ethan, clipboard in his hand, behind the bar, where several patrons were already seated. One of the bartenders tapped his shoulder and pointed her way. It warmed her heart when she saw the happy grin that spread over his face when he saw her. He walked around the bar and hugged her, then kissed her on the cheek. She loved the feel of his arms around her and looked up into his twinkling blue eyes. He took the shirts from her and gave them to the bartender to put in his office.

“Are you thirsty? Would you like a drink? Or a soda?”

“I’d love a Coke. It’s really hot today. But I’m not complaining. At least I have an air conditioner!” she said, grinning.

“Coke it is. Come sit at the bar.” He stood there and talked with her, waiting on customers here and there as more came in. People were sitting at tables now as well, and the waitresses showed up for their shifts.

Someone came in and sat down in the seat to her right. She was telling Ethan about Martha’s partnership offer and didn’t really pay attention to the person as he sat down. More customers came in, and they started to get busy. Ethan left for a moment to use the cash register, and she looked around the interior of The Dancing Pony.

The club had a large dance floor in the center, which was surrounded on three sides by the seating area, and the bar ran along the opposite wall. Most of the tables were high-topped, surrounded by tall cushioned chairs. Against one wall near the dance floor, an enclosed DJ booth was set up on a raised platform. Ethan worked the end of bar where she sat, and the other bartender worked the opposite end.

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Ethan was busy mixing a drink when the man who sat next to her finally caught her attention. She got a whiff of something. Stale sweat. She hated that. There was nothing wrong with a sweaty man in her book, not by any stretch of the imagination. But a daily shower and a change of clothes were prerequisites for showing up to socialize at a night club. He greeted her nicely enough when she turned to smile and nod at him, but there was something about the way he looked at her that made her a little uncomfortable. His hair was shaggy, in need of a trim, and there was something a little greasy about him.

He asked her to dance, and she kindly refused, wishing that Ethan could come and talk to her some more. He smiled and winked at her as he placed money in the cash register when she made eye contact with him. It made her heart do little flip-flops. He sauntered back down her way, delivering a beer to the customer on her other side.

Just then, the man on her right leaned way too close and said rather loudly in her ear, “I don’t normally beat around the bush so much. I prefer to beat
in it
. What do you say we go somewhere a little more quiet?”

To say she was shocked speechless was an understatement. It wasn’t that the words shocked her sensibilities all that much. Yes, he was incredibly crude, but Owen had been, too. His attempt at a come-on had left her at a loss for words.

Ethan stopped what he was doing and leaned both of his clenched fists on the bar in front of her and said, “So, Gracie, are we still on for tonight?”

Still shocked, she looked up at him and caught his wink. Whatever paralysis she had been suffering from released her, and she smiled back.

“I can’t wait, Ethan,” she said enthusiastically. Then she turned to look at the greasy man. He was already climbing down from his seat. He slunk around to the other side of the bar and sat next to another poor woman who looked to be a regular. She probably knew how to deal with a slime ball like him.

“Thank you for saving me, Ethan, yet again! Does he use that line with every woman he talks to in here?”

Ethan laughed and nodded. “Yeah, I hope he develops some better openers or finds a new stomping ground because that line is gonna get him decked one of these days.” The customer to her left laughed when Ethan said that, and Ethan introduced her to him.

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“Gracie, this is a good friend of mine, Bill Duggan. Bill, this is Grace Stuart. Bill is one of my
decent
regular customers.”

“Don’t go telling her that. I might have some lines I want to try out on her,” Bill said, laughing and shaking her hand.

“I’m sure they couldn’t be as bad as his,” Grace replied.

“No hitting on my girlfriend, Bill. I sat her over here with you so she would be
safe
.”