3. Grace
Chapter 3
Grace
I try to put the four Alphas out of my mind the next morning. I have a strange amount of questions about how they became an official pack, about their ranch, about all they’ve been up to, but it’s none of my business and there’s no reason I should care.
Besides, I have something far more important to focus on: William meeting my family. Today’s the day.
We drive up and the moment we enter the driveway, I can hear the clatter of my family. They pour out of the front door, and I’m shocked that so few people can make such a racket.
“Grace!” Mom reaches me first, right as I get out of the car, hugging me tightly. I hug her back, letting her squeeze all the air out of me. “Oh, Gracie, look at you. You’re so beautiful. I love your skirt.”
“Thanks, Mo—oh!” I’m swept up by Dad. “Hi, Dad.” I giggle as he spins me around, like I’m still five years old.
“You’re too damn big, baby girl,” he tells me solemnly as he sets me down. “They treating you right over in that big city? Huh? Are you getting enough to eat? You look like skin and bone.”
“I’ve always been small, Dad!”
“Skin and bone, I’m telling you. You need some proper home cooking.”
It’s true, I haven’t eaten much that isn’t takeout or a restaurant lately. Too busy with work or being William’s date to things. Now that he’s mentioned it, I do miss my dad’s cooking. My stomach rumbles a little. I was so nervous I barely had any breakfast.
“Oh, Gracie.” Gram is next, hugging me tightly. She’s still healthy, still hugs me with strength, but her skin is so soft, and there are so many wrinkles that I don’t remember seeing before.
My heart aches in my chest, and I feel a sting in my eyes. I squeeze my eyes shut and will the emotions away.
“And who’s this?” Mom says, and I turn to see her smiling at William.
“Mom, Dad, this is William. William, my parents, Beau and Nora Whitmore.”
William holds out his hand for my father to shake. “This is such a charming little town you guys have here, it’s nothing like New York. I’ve been so excited to visit.”
Dad shakes William’s hand, and I can already see a bit of a bemused look on his face, like he’s not sure what to make of him. Mom opts to hug William instead, because that’s just how Mom is.
“Hey, hey, baby sister!” Aiden sweeps me up, distracting me. “I was starting to feel like an only child!”
“Aiden!” I scream as he picks me up. “Put me down!”
“Nope.”
He hauls me over his shoulder. I playfully smack his back. At six foot three, it really is far too easy for my annoying big brother to pick me up and cart me around. He’s always done it. It makes me feel like a kid again in a fun way.
“We’ve got you back now,” he teases. “We’re keeping you.”
“Mom! Make him stop!”
“Put your sister down,” Mom says, laughing.
Aiden sets me back on my feet, and I grin up at him. He looks more and more like Dad all the time, same height, same smile, same warm blue eyes, same rugged features. I got Mom’s hair and height.
“Ugh, look at you. You look old.”
“And look at you, you look ridiculous. Are you wearing heels?”
“Yes, specifically so I can kick you with them.”
“Not if I do this.” Aiden picks me up again, this time under his arm.
“ Mom! ” I yell again, but I’m laughing. I missed being teased by my older brother. Aiden was always so cool growing up, always the guy that everyone else relied on, and trusted. I admired him so much. I still do.
I didn’t realize how much I’d missed him.
“You two, stop horsing around, what are you, a bunch of fillies?” Dad says in that stern voice I heard many a time growing up, usually while Aiden and I were tearing around the house. “Everyone inside, I’ve made us a nice meal and you’re going to sit down like civilized people and enjoy it.”
We’re herded inside, where Mom and Gram sweep me up to show me around the house. I’m immediately hit by all the changes as they chatter about the new paintings on the wall.
“Done by Abigail. You remember her, sweetheart, she was a year ahead of you. She’s such a talented artist now—”
There are also new photos on the mantle of Mom dressed up to work at the annual county fair.
“When did you start volunteering?”
“Oh, I just had nothing to do with you kids all grown up, and it’s such fun!”
Gram has a new quilt she’s almost finished, they had to replace the fridge in the kitchen, and Dad’s office got repainted.
I stare out the back door across the porch, squinting. “Didn’t there use to be a fence out there? I had to climb over it all the time, I remember.”
“Oh, yes.” Mom comes up to stand beside me, smiling. “We managed to acquire that land. It’s part of the farm now.”
“When was this?”
“Last year.” Mom smiles. “It’s allowed us to expand the farm and grow more crops.”
“That’s really great,” I say, although my heart twinges a little in my chest. This happened last year, and I had no idea. Maybe I’ve gotten more sucked into my life in New York than I realized. I call my parents pretty often, or at least I thought I did. But now I wonder if I didn’t call as much as I thought, and my stomach sinks.
There’s no judgment or anything like that in my mother’s eyes. Of course there isn’t. But I feel judgment, anyway, inside my heart. Mom was never anything but supportive to me, and she still is, my entire family is.
I just worry now, standing here, that perhaps I haven’t given that support back in return.
There’s a clatter in the kitchen and a curse from Dad. Mom smiles. “I should go help him. And you should help your man, I think Aiden just cornered him.”
Oh, shit.
I hurry over to where Aiden, sure enough, is talking with William and clearly gearing up for the shovel talk. The last thing I need. I’m an adult, I don’t need my older brother protecting me like that anymore.
“Aiden.” I slide up to him. “Are you even letting him breathe?”
“Just letting him know how things go around here,” Aiden shoots back. “We have lots of land, nice soft soil, easy to dig into… that nobody checks…” He lets his voice trail off meaningfully.
“You’re not funny. Except your face.”
“Oh, look who’s talking?” Aiden slings an arm around my shoulders. “You think you can get away with this kind of stuff now that you’re older, huh? I’ll still tickle you.”
“At least it’s not getting me up a tree and then leaving me there, stuck!”
“You got down just fine!”
“I ruined my clothes and scraped myself up. I was not fine.”
“But you did it all on your own.”
“You’re such an ass.” I shove him away playfully. Aiden grins down at me, and I feel so… safe, that’s the word. Safe. Aiden’s always made me feel that way, even when he was luring me up trees and getting me stuck.
I know that if I’d actually been in danger, he would’ve been right there to fix things and help me out of it.
“Well how can I resist when you make it so easy?” Aiden clucks his tongue. “You’d think New York City would’ve made you tougher, aren’t they all supposed to be assholes over there?”
“Ah, but see, I had you to grow up with so I was already immune moving over there.”
William watches this whole exchange with a look of fascination and a bit of confusion on his face. I don’t think he really knows what to make of our sibling banter.
I lean into Aiden’s side and let him give me a squeeze. “So, how are things? Seriously?”
“Seriously? They’re going well. Steady work. There’s always some stable that has a door needing mending. I’ve started some artistic stuff, for the ren faire as well, just a few little things.”
I had no idea. “That’s so cool, can I see photos?”
Aiden pulls out his phone to show me. “I take driftwood, old fence posts, a whole gate once. Wood that people can’t use anymore. I carve it up, paint it, seal it, and sell it.”
I look through the photos. “These are really good, Aiden, seriously.”
He grins at me, full of pride. “Thanks.”
“I really had no idea,” I blurt out.
“It’s okay.” Aiden gives me an indulgent smile, like I’m nine years old again and I stole his bike to ride around town with my friends. Aiden was always so patient with me, he never minded stuff like that.
But I’m not a kid anymore. I’m an adult. And this isn’t just a bike for a joyride.
“Food’s ready!” Dad calls.
I moan with delight as I try Dad’s cooking once again. It’s as good as I remember. It really has been too long since I had a proper home-cooked meal.
William checks his phone as everyone digs into their food. He’s always checking his phone. Work in the financial sector never stops, as he always says. I don’t know much about finance, but I’ve picked up on some stuff dating him and I know it really is a lot. Several of his coworkers have heart problems from stress and they’re only in their thirties.
I just wish he’d put it away while we’re technically on vacation. I don’t want him to be one of those guys on heart medication before they’re forty.
My family distracts me from William, and I get caught up on all of the news. It feels like I’ve been away for a lifetime instead of just a few years. I hear about all the local gossip, who got married, who broke up, who had a baby.
Everybody knows everybody in this area, or at least that’s what it feels like, and my grandmother really knows everyone, she’s been here her whole life. So there’s a lot to catch up on. I let myself be reminded of who’s who, and learn about the people who were only kids when I left, or the people who’ve moved in since.
The whole time, William keeps checking his phone. I can feel irritation growing in the pit of my stomach like a pile of hot snakes, but I shove it down.
I just don’t understand why he can’t at least try to listen.
We finish our meal, and I help with the dishes, chatting with Dad. I love my parents both equally, but I also love alone time with just one of them. Whenever I peek out…
What is he doing on that phone? I can’t help but wonder.
Aiden must be thinking the same thing. I can see him glancing at William from time to time, his brows starting to draw together. The last thing I need is my brother getting snippy at my boyfriend. Aiden’s not one to keep his opinions to himself.
Before I can say anything, Mom links her arm with mine. “Why don’t we go on a nice walk? It’s beautiful out and we can show you the new bit of land we got, how the crops are doing.”
It really is lovely outside. It feels good to be out in nature. “I’d love that. I missed this.”
“Can’t get this in your city,” Aiden agrees, teasing me.
“New York has plenty of green,” I point out, even though my words feel hollow. “Central Park is huge. I go there all the time for my lunch break.”
“It’s not the same, though, is it?” Aiden counters. He gestures around me at the wide, blue sky, the rolling hills, the mountains in the distance. “That’s just a pocket of green. The city’s still there all around you, pressing in.”
I can’t deny that he has a point, but I don’t say it out loud. I don’t want to turn this into a real argument. Aiden and I can get good at those. I think all siblings can. I’m sure it’ll be fine but I really want everyone to keep their best foot forward for my boyfriend.
William is stuck on his phone—well, not right now since he has no service out here in the fields—but I don’t want him to use it as a crutch. I think maybe he’s more unsure about how to be around my family than he wants to admit.
The fresh air is lovely, and I let my parents fill me in on everything. We make a wide circle, inspecting briefly all the different areas of the farm before we get back to the house and settle on the porch.
It’s nice, just sitting and chatting. I know it’s probably a bit slow by New York standards, but it’s so nice to not have work thing after work thing to rush to, fire after fire to put out. I love my job and my work but I needed this vacation more than I realized.
William seems even more checked-out, tapping away on his phone surreptitiously. Or, well, he probably thinks it’s surreptitious.
I get it. He doesn’t know any of these people, has no reason to be interested in any of the gossip. But I wish he’d at least pretend.
My family is being polite and not commenting on it or even really looking at him, except when they want to ask him a question. William’s happy to chat about his life, about work, explaining all the finance stuff to Aiden who looks like he’s trying to keep himself from jumping off a bridge. Aiden’s a carpenter, the last thing he cares about is stocks and bonds, and I think if he had to work in a suit every day he’d die.
We chat well into the afternoon, and it’s simple, and easy, but lovely. I like it. In New York we’re always running around to somewhere. I’ve got work, which is demanding, and William has his work, which is demanding, then he has his work functions. Half the time the reason we eat out is that it’s a work meet-up masquerading as a group dinner date.
This is slow, and relaxed. It’s such a nice contrast. It reminds me of the sticky summer days as a kid, running around doing whatever, not even thinking about tomorrow or anything other than the very moment I was in.
I help Dad and Gram make dinner while Mom, Aiden, and William chat. Well, I can hear Mom and Aiden chatting. William doesn’t seem to contribute much.
I can’t help but make a face. “I think Aiden’s intimidated him.”
Dad laughs as he puts the meat into the oven. “This is the first time you’ve ever brought someone home, and he’s your older brother. He’s got to get a little protectiveness out of his system.”
“Just you wait, if I dare to get the same way when he brings a woman home he’ll have my head.”
“I’m sure you won’t let that stop you.”
Dinner’s enjoyable, and I bask in the warmth of my family and just how much they care about me, how good it feels to be home. I hadn’t thought I’d miss home so much, until I came back, and now it feels like I’m catching up on five years of homesickness all at once.
Mom hugs me hard when we get up to leave. “I’m so glad you’re home,” she whispers.
I hug her back just as tightly, feeling my eyes get damp. There’s nothing wrong, no big crisis or anything, but it still feels like something big is happening, at least inside of my chest.
I almost say out loud, I should come home more often, but I keep my mouth shut. I don’t want to get into it right now. I am home, and that’s what matters.
We get into the car and drive back to the hotel. William’s phone buzzes in the cupholder.
“I know the financial sector never sleeps, but really?” I ask, my annoyance finally getting the better of me. “I don’t think the entire market is going to collapse if you’re unreachable for a few hours.”
“We were just hanging out and talking,” William points out. “It’s not like we were in a movie theater.”
“If it’s your boss…” I grab his phone. “And if you didn’t tell him that you were on vacation, again, because you want to impress him…”
“Grace, put the phone down.” William’s voice is unusually sharp.
That Alpha posturing has never gotten to me. My brother’s an Alpha and so are all four of his best friends, I’m used to it. “You always do this.”
I click on the latest text, not even really registering the name on the screen, and type out William’s password to open it up. “You let him walk all over you, and I know you say this is just how it is when you’re younger, that someday you’ll be the one calling the shots, but if you’re as good at your job as you say you are, and I know you are good at it, then he knows you’re good at it, and—”
My sentence cuts off as I stare at the phone and realize what I’m actually reading. It’s not Jared, William’s dickhead of a boss, the kind of guy who makes every other Alpha look bad.
It’s someone named… I squint at the screen. “Who’s actually named Misty nowadays, were her parents raised in a hippie commune?”
This Misty person has been texting William all day. And the latest text is her saying, I can’t wait to have your big, hard cock inside me again.
There’s a distant ringing in my ears, like a car alarm. Everything feels muffled. I can’t breathe. I feel like I’m underwater.
“Grace. Grace. ” William’s tone of voice suggests he’s said my name a lot.
He yanks the phone out of my hand. I hold my breath and force myself to breathe evenly so that I don’t burst into tears.
“Who is she?” I whisper.
When he doesn’t respond, I repeat the question. “Who is she, William? How long has this been going on? What is this?”
He glances at me sharply as he turns a corner and pulls to a stop. “You’re sounding hysterical.”
My brows fly up and I struggle not to reach across the dash and strangle him. “You’re sexting another woman. A woman you’ve apparently slept with, at least once. I’m not hysterical, I’m pissed .”
I fumble my seatbelt off and stagger out of the car, my chest so tight that it’s hard to breathe. My stomach is churning. I wish I hadn’t had such a heavy meal and eaten so much, because I feel like I might throw up.
William gets out of the car slowly, calmly, with a look on his face like he’s impatient with me. I stare at him, my eyes stinging. “Aren’t you going to answer me?”
“I don’t see that it’s such a big deal.”
“How—how can you say that?” I stutter. I feel like my brain isn’t working. I know I should be saying something, but I can’t seem to find any words. You’re in shock, a distant part of my brain realizes. But just because I know I’m in shock doesn’t seem to get it to stop.
The cool evening breeze kisses my skin and I shiver. I’m in heels and a skirt, my hair all done up, I look cute. I always look cute. I always dress so nicely for him, sophisticated, elegant. He said he liked that about me.
I think about the glimpse of what I saw in the texts and I want to burst into tears. “Are you cheating on me? Answer me. Something—anything, I just want to know. Stop staring at me like I’m babbling nonsense!”
“You are babbling,” William replies. “And I’m not going to try to have a conversation with you when you’re like this. You need to calm down. You look like you’re going to pass out or hyperventilate.”
“Are you serious right now? I’m too upset for you? I just saw a woman say that she wants your cock, again. She’s already had it. How am I supposed to feel about that?”
William just shakes his head, like I’m speaking gibberish. I don’t understand how he can be so calm. So cold. “It’s nothing, Grace. Stop getting so in your head about it.”
I cross my arms. “That’s what you’re going with?”
“Okay. I see that you’re going to need some time to calm down. That’s fine. The night air’s nice anyway and it’s not far to the hotel.”
He turns and walks away without another word, down the road, toward the hotel.
I stare after him. “Am I in The Twilight Zone? ” I demand out loud.
My boyfriend is apparently cheating on me, and just told me it was no big deal, acted like I was crazy for being angry about it, and is now walking away from me like he’s having a nice little jaunt after dinner.
What the actual fuck.
I stare after him until I can’t see him anymore, then it’s like my limbs unlock and come to life.
“You motherfucker!” I scream.
My voice rings out through the empty country air, nobody around to hear me. If William could hear that, he’s too far away for me to tell. Especially when it’s dusky like this.
I fumble open the passenger door to grab my purse, and I realize I’m shaking. I’m shaking so hard that I can’t get my phone out, and my grip on my purse is so weak that I accidentally drop it on the ground, causing a few items to spill out.
“Fuck!”
I snatch my purse back up, but instead of anything useful, I find myself beating it against the car, screaming and cursing.
“You fucking cheating bastard! You faithless piece of shit!”
Dimly, in my peripheral, I hear footsteps.
“You better not fucking touch me,” I bite out, kicking the car. “You asshole, putting your hands all over her! I don’t want you touching me, I don’t want your comfort…”
Someone clears his throat, and I get a whiff of a scent: oak barrels, toasted coconut, and homemade peach cobbler. It’s instantly soothing, and also, very much not William’s scent.
I turn to see Easton standing there. He looks speechless. Not like he usually is, which is just naturally quiet, but rather like he’s not sure what to actually say.
God, I must look like a mess. I quickly wipe at my eyes.
“H-hello Easton.”
My voice cracks a little and I can feel myself flushing. Great. Not only did my boyfriend just humiliate me, but now I’m humiliating myself.
“Grace. Uh…” Easton looks me up and down. “You seem to be in a pickle.”
“I’m not in a pickle,” I snarl. I whack the car with my purse a few more times. “But somebody’s going to be.”
Easton gently takes my wrist, stopping me from hitting the car anymore, and tugs me away. “I can’t let you do that.”
I yank my arm away. “You don’t get to tell me what to do.”
Easton just walks away from me, back toward his pick-up. “Seriously?” I yell after him. “You’re just going to order me around and then walk away? What kind of…”
My voice trails off as Easton reaches into the back of the truck bed and pulls something out, then starts walking back toward me. I squint. Is that… it’s a crowbar.
Easton hefts the crowbar up in his hand, like he’s testing the weight. “What are you doing?” I ask.
“I said I can’t let you do this.” Easton gives me a very small smirk. “I didn’t say anything about what I’d do.”
He swings the crowbar right into the front windshield.
I jump in shock, but Easton doesn’t stop. He hits the windshield until it’s completely smashed up, then goes after the other windows, the hood, punctures the tires.
My mouth falls open. Out of all the men I expected to do this, Easton wasn’t on my list. I’d expect something like this from Jesse. Not that he’d actually bother, since he hates me. But if I had to pick who would beat the shit out of someone’s car because they’re angry with them, it would be him. Not Easton.
But after the shock wears off… it feels good.
I grin as Easton keeps at it, and even give a little cheer. He grins at me, winking. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him smile or wink at me in all the years I’ve known him. He’s always so serious. I didn’t know he had a playful side to him.
I whoop a little louder as Easton goes for the back windshield, and he laughs. I applaud. It’s therapeutic, watching this fancy car that William insisted on renting being destroyed. I just wish it was his fancy little luxury car back in New York.
Even nicer is Easton having my back. I wouldn’t have expected it of him. Not that he’s a bad guy, but I know Jesse hates me and they are pack mates. It’s not like Easton and I were ever close. He’d have every right to just ignore me instead of going out of his way, and especially not to go all-out like this.
It genuinely warms my heart. Makes me feel safe. At least there’s one person who will ruin things for my cheating boyfriend.
“What the fuck?”
I turn, jumping again in surprise, but this time it’s an unpleasant one. William’s back.
“I thought you were going back to the hotel?” I ask as he storms up.
“What are you doing to my car?” William snarls.
My heart leaps up into my throat. He’s angrier than I’ve ever seen him. I didn’t know he could get this angry, actually, and I shrink a little inside even though I stand tall on the outside. I don’t want him to know that he’s intimidated me at all.
Easton looks at the car, then looks at William. His face is deadpan, and I find myself holding back laughter. “Is this some kind of trick question or something?” Easton asks.
I clap my hand over my mouth to smother a snort. I didn’t know he could be funny.
William looks even angrier. “Oh, so you want to be a fucking wise guy?”
I stop laughing, swallowing hard. I’ve never known William to be violent, but he looks ready to throw a punch. I don’t want Easton to get in trouble or get hurt because he was sticking up for me. This could get ugly.
“Do we have a problem?”
I turn, and see Jesse, Cade, and Hendrix all striding up.
Oh boy. Now it’s really a party.