Fallen from Grace (8 page)

“It’s not fun. I had to spend the rest of the vacation in the lodge while my family went hiking and snowmobiling.”

“That is no fun. Does your family live around here?”

“Yeah, my dad’s an ADA, acting district attorney, at Precinct 13, and my mom is an interior designer.”

“And you have a sister?”

Rebecca looked at the candle on the coffee table, then snorted. “Yeah. She’s a model for Guess, and the perfect child. I got my mom’s short physique while she inherited our dad’s long legs.”

Grace felt they were getting somewhere; this had
nothing
to do with Judas. She glanced at the clock; Ellis was probably downstairs waiting for her. She looked at Rebecca who was still staring at the candle.

“And what do you do, Rebecca?”

“Nothing, really. I was going to school for art history, but I dropped out last spring.”

“Do you mind if I ask why?”

Rebecca shrugged. “Because I fell into the wrong crowd. I started going to art shows and doing drugs and drinking a lot. When my dad found out, he cut off my tuition. And once I got a DUI and possession charge, they cut me out of their life. I haven’t seen them in months. I was supposed to have dinner with him a couple of weeks ago, but he stood me up.”

“Do you have a job?”

She shook her head.

“Do you have a place to live?”

“Yeah, my mom has been letting me live at one of her showroom apartments, but she’s given me a month before I have to leave.” Rebecca wiped the tears from beneath her eyes. “They hate me.”

“I’m sure that’s not true. Perhaps they’re only doing what they think is best, even if it is the wrong way. Do you still use drugs?”

She nodded. “And I drink too. I wish I could stop, though. I don’t like who I am when I do it.”

The intercom beeped. “Dr. Winters, your ride is insistent I let you know he is here.”

Grace knew Ellis wasn’t a patient man, but it upset her that Leslie had most likely told him she was in a session, and he undoubtedly forced her to interrupt.

Pressing the button, she said. “Thank you, Leslie.”

“I’m sorry,” Rebecca stood, sweeping her purse off the floor, “I’ve kept you too long.”

“Please, don’t be sorry,” Grace said. She bent down and took a business card from her purse, then handed it to Rebecca. “My e-mail, cell and home number are on the card, so call me anytime. I’ll be leaving town for a few days, but I’ll be back on Tuesday. Stop by the desk on your way out and have Leslie set you up with an appointment.”

“Really?” Rebecca took the card and held it in her fingers. “I don’t know…money is…well, I don’t have any.” Tears filled her eyes again.

Grace hated to leave Rebecca in this state, but Ellis would never understand canceling their weekend for a patient.

“Don’t worry about money. We’ll figure it out. Have Leslie set you up for next week.”

“Thank you so much, Dr. Winters.”

“Of course.” Grace accepted the hug Rebecca swept her into. When she let go, Grace asked. “Do you have someone you can call or talk to until we meet next time?”

Rebecca nodded. “I do,” she sniffled, “Judas, the guy I was with at the restaurant.”

Grace’s heart lurched in her chest; conflict of interest flashed neon green in the front of her mind, but she ignored it and smiled. “Good. Until next week then.”

“Great.” Rebecca smiled.

This was what Grace loved about her job; someone walking in sad and lost, but leaving with hope in their eyes. Rebecca walked to the door and stepped into the hall, and Grace grabbed her briefcase, purse and luggage before following behind her. She stopped at Leslie’s desk.

“Set her up for next week, please.”

“But...” Leslie looked confused.

Grace had adamantly denied dozens of potential clients because her workload was already overwhelming. But she wouldn’t refuse Rebecca the help she needed.
Was it because it would keep a connection with Judas?
That would be unethical, and not who Grace was.

She was doing this to help a girl who was strongly in need of someone to talk to. What if she turned her away and something happened to her? She couldn’t live with another death like her brother’s, and
Cade
was just like Rebecca.

Lost.

Alone.

And hanging by a thread.

“Next week, Leslie.”

“Of course, Dr. Winters.” She turned to her computer.

Grace rubbed Rebecca’s arm and gave her a warm smile. “I’ll see you next week.”

“Great.” She beamed.

Downstairs, Ellis was standing next to his two-door, silver Mercedes coupe. She was surprised to see him absent of his usual Town Car and driver, Robert.

His narrowed gaze followed her as she walked outside. “You’re late,” he said, when she was within earshot of his taut voice.

She flushed from his reprimand. “I’m sorry, please don’t be upset. I was with a patient.”

His expression softened. “I only forgive you because I have you all to myself for the next three days,” he stated, his lips curving into a sly grin.

She suddenly had the urge to turn and run in the opposite direction. He took her suitcase and briefcase from her grasp, then placed them in the trunk. During the drive to Long Island, Ellis talked on his Bluetooth, but when they stopped for lunch, he treated her as if she were the center of his world, holding her hand and sitting next to her in the booth.

Once in the car, however, he was back on his Bluetooth, discussing the Health Care Bill to a fellow Senator. Forty-five minutes later, they reached her beach house, and he ended the call.

“Our weekend of R&R begins.” He leaned over and pinched her chin, then kissed her.

Grace pulled away, looking into his green eyes. “Are you sure this is okay? You’ve been pressing me to take some time off, and I’ve been worried about leaving my patients, but it sounds as if you need to be working as well.” She peered up at him and laid her hand on his thigh.

His lopsided grin faded. “Don’t patronize me, Grace. Your patients may insist on your approval, but I’m perfectly capable of managing my time and my schedule.”

“I was just being polite, Ellis. You don’t have to be rude.”

He laughed, massaging his jawline. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re purposefully trying to start a fight.”

“And why on earth would I want to do that?”

Tilting his head, he asked, “I don’t know, why would you?” There was a note of aggression in his tone.

“When does the R&R supposedly begin?”

He shook his head. “It was supposed to start five minutes ago.”

Grace sighed. “I’m sorry, a new patient has me concerned.” Why
was
she being so hostile? Was it because her instincts were screaming he was going to propose? She had picked out a dress for their dinner tonight and lingerie to go beneath for celebration, though what she chose wasn’t exactly Ellis’s taste. It was racy and erotic, a sexy see through fabric that had never appealed to her. It wasn’t until after she got home, she realized the person she imagined wearing it for was Judas. But she didn’t have time to exchange the outfit before her trip.

She and Ellis hadn’t slept together in two weeks; not since she’d met Judas Woods. Ellis had been constantly traveling back and forth, between D.C and New York, on business. She had been arduously forcing him from her mind, but failing as he continued to appear in her thoughts and dreams. What she felt with him was foreign
—
h
ot, heated emotions that overtook her reasoning and logic.

She was confident she would never see him again, and what they had experienced was some ridiculous fluke. Passion like that didn’t survive, and he’d lose interest as soon as he had her.

I want you, Grace.
The line still made her heart flutter and stomach tense, yet here she was, taking on his
friend
as a patient. She didn’t think it were necessary to tell Ellis about the kiss, she didn’t intend to be alone with Judas Woods ever again.

Ellis was a good man; a bit controlling and defensive at times, but he dealt with powerful men and had to develop a thick skin in the process. There had never been anything sexually wrong between them. It just wasn’t...explosive.

She glanced out the window at the two story house, and her heart sank. It had been years since she’d been here. How could her mother have thought this would be a good idea? The sands out back were covered with memories of Cade. They grew up here, running to the beach and sliding across the blue ocean on boogie boards.

Ellis’s phone buzzed. “Dammit, I have to take this call.” He answered the phone as he opened the door, climbed out, and shut it behind him. Grace watched him slide a hand through his tidy, brown hair as he glanced through the window at her, then turned his gaze away.

She never got involved in Ellis’s affairs, and knew it was why he chose to be with her. Grace was easy, baggage free with no jealous ex-boyfriends or newsworthy history. She was clean, easy, and convenient.

Until now.

The kiss she’d shared with Judas would definitely be of interest to the vultures who circled Ellis. He always seemed to attract bad publicity, and normally it was unmerited, but Grace got the feeling he was hiding something—a secret he didn’t want anyone to know.

She forced herself to step out of the car, then pulled her keys from her purse and unlocked the house. Everything had been prepared; the furniture was dusted, and the windows were clean. Walking across the polished wood floors to the kitchen, she removed her jacket and sat her purse on a breakfast stool.

Fresh fruit lined a deep dish on the counter, and Grace remembered how Cade would run through the front door and grab an orange, then clamber onto a chair and peel it at the granite counter top. Their nanny, Sylvia, would always bring them food from the local market in Queen’s.

She heard the front door open, and her baggage echoed off the hardwood floors. Ellis sauntered into the kitchen, his signature lopsided grin, which was plastered across dozens of twenty-five foot billboards in the greater NY area, coiled the corners of his mouth.

“Your home is beautiful.”

Grace placed the
orange
she was holding back in the bowl. “Thank you.”

“Are we okay?”

“Why wouldn’t we be?”

He shook his head and laughed. “You’re acting strange, love, and I don’t like it.”

“Well, you’re acting
strange
as well.”

“Does this have anything to do with that woman in your office?”

Grace gasped. “How could you pick her out as a patient from everyone who entered the building? There are at least a dozen other businesses?”

He shrugged. “She looked distraught, you were running late. I only put the two together.”

Ellis was perceptive, but something felt...off. Grace shook her head.

“No, it has nothing to do with Rebecca.”
Crap.
Did she just give out a patient’s name?

Grace was beside herself as she thought back to her teachings; what would Dr. Carson think? He was the greatest teacher she’d ever met, and he’d introduced a set of principles for patient relations that she’d incorporated into her own standards. Grace always knew she wanted to help people, but he had taught her that she was only a stepping stone and that help was only possible if someone desired it.

“It has just been a long two weeks,” she finally said. “I’m sorry, I don’t want to ruin our weekend. This was very sweet of you to plan.”

Ellis looked relieved as he closed the space between them and pulled her into his arms. His lips brushed her forehead. “I have a surprise for you tonight,” he murmured, nearing her lips for a kiss.

His cell phone buzzed between them in his breast pocket. He groaned. “I promise this will be the last call, then I’m shutting it off.”

“Take your time, I’m going to take a shower and get ready for dinner.”

Ellis grinned, then opened the sliding glass doors and answered his phone as he stepped out onto the deck. Grace grabbed hers and Ellis’s luggage and carried them up to her room on the second floor. The staircase was lined with pictures, including photos of her brother. She took a deep breath and continued up to her room.

The two story, beach front property had been in her family for two generations. It was also one of the oldest and best kept houses in the area. A family reunion used to be held at the house every year, and people would come here from all around the country, but it had been many years since her mother had arranged one—six years to be exact. Cade had just turned twenty-one when…

She cringed and shut down the emotions that were surfacing.

Grace walked into her room, and it looked exactly the same. The familiarity was almost too much to handle as the sunlight streamed through the white sheer curtains and onto a quilt folded on the queen sized bed.

She used to stay here with Cade and talk through the night about who they did and didn’t like. Back then, things had been so simple, but after he’d died, everything had become complicated and she’d been forced to grow up and abandon those adolescent notions.

Life wasn’t about who you did or did not like. It was about facing things head on—developing a thick skin and learning to survive. And instead of teaching those values to her brother, she’d indulged in his fantasies and failed him as an older sibling.

This wasn’t a good idea. What was she doing here? She wanted to leave; run and cry all the way back to the city. Instead, she unpacked her suitcase and took a long, hot shower. Standing in front of the double sided sink of her bathroom, she wiped condensation off the glass mirror with a washcloth. Her face had a tired, worn appearance—a look she’d noticed many in her profession shared, but she loved what she did. This was her passion.

Grace wouldn’t be like her father, though. She wouldn’t bring her work home and let it take over her life. There was a line that must exist between her work and her home life; a home life that would include Ellis Randall as her
husband
.

A tingling sensation started in her fingers and spread to her chest, then she couldn’t breathe. She grabbed the counter and gasped. Her heart was racing, and when she realized it was a panic attack, she focused on controlling her breathing. Grace placed her hands on her chest, took a deep breath in through her nose, then slowly released it—just as she’d taught her patients to do. She repeated it several times, then turned on the faucet and splashed cool water on her face as tears began building; burning and blurring her vision.