Chapter Thirty-Two
“The only cure for heartache is honesty. It will either win her heart, or you’ll know it is over.” -Miss Know-It-All’s Gossip Column.
Eric stood behind the bar at Buck’s and took another shot of Jose Cuervo, slamming the glass down on the bar.
Was he working? Hell, yes. Did he give two shits? No.
In the six days since he’d left Gracie at the hospital, he’d started writing four texts and hung up three times after dialing her. Hell, he’d even seen her car at the grocery store and peeled out of the parking lot. This town just wasn’t big enough for the both of them, not with everything he’d been feeling.
“Whoa, dude, what are you doing?” Grant asked.
Eric poured another shot. “Drinking. This is a bar, right?”
“Yeah, but it’s our bar, and we don’t drink when we’re working.”
He downed the shot, and air hissed out between his teeth as his chest burned. “Who says I’m working?”
His little brother puffed up his chest and scowled at him. “If you aren’t working, then get the fuck out from behind the bar, and I’ll find you a ride home. Right now, you’re pissing off the customers.”
Eric wanted to say he didn’t give two nuts and a squirrel about the customers, but he knew he’d regret it. Just like he’d regretted not telling Gracie everything about what he’d written before they’d arrived in New York. Neal had told him that his fight with Gracie had only revved up Vanessa more about the book, but he couldn’t get excited about it. Not when he knew that Gracie might never understand or forgive him.
He’d gone through several stages of emotions. Fury at her for being unreasonable. Guilt as he reasoned her point of view. Then rationalizing his side of things again, and finally, sadness because he didn’t know how to fix it. Wasn’t sure how to make it better.
He stumbled outside and climbed into his car. He turned on the engine and cranked up the heat as he shivered. He’d sleep off the alcohol for a few hours and then drive home.
He pulled out his phone, scrolling through his text messages from Gracie. Some were sweet. Others were sassy. Then there were the downright naughty ones that left him grinning.
He pulled up his email and downloaded the PDF of his reworked book proposal he’d been writing all week and ending for the book, one that Vanessa had loved even more than his original. Then he tapped onto her name, attached the file, and started writing a text.
I never meant to hurt anyone, but especially not you. I wasn’t thinking about anyone but myself when I wrote this, when I edited it, and when I submitted it to publishers. I love you. I don’t care about the book or the publishing contract. I’ll rip it all up, if only you’ll come back to me.
He tapped Send just before he passed out.
* * *
Hours later, Eric woke up to the shrill ringing of his phone and realized he was freezing his balls off. As he searched frantically for his phone, he found it between his seats and nearly broke his hand getting it out.
“Hello,” he croaked.
Jim’s voice blared through his phone’s speaker, making him wince. “Eric? You sound like shit.”
Eric tried to turn his car on and realized he’d run out of gas. “It’s kind of a shitty time, Jim. What do you need?”
“Well, it’s about this text you sent me. I didn’t realize you were writing a book.”
Text I sent? “I didn’t send you anything, Jim.”
The other man chuckled gamely. “Yeah, I figured it wasn’t for me since you told me you loved me, but I did start reading your book.”
Suddenly, Eric was wide awake. He’d sent his book to Jim? Ah, son of a…
“Listen, Jim, I’m—”
“I got to say, son, this is really good stuff.
Eric paused. “Did you read the whole thing?”
“Yeah, your text woke me up, so I figured I’d finish it. Why don’t I pick you up, and we can grab a cup of coffee? I have an idea I want to run past you. I assume you’re worried about what the town is going to think, right?”
“Actually, yeah.”
“Then relax, kid, and trust me one last time.”
* * *
On Friday, Gracie sat in the courthouse lobby, waiting for her turn to be called. Margaret was already there, looking pale and thinner than just the week before. Gracie hated that she was in so much pain, but was too nervous to come up with anything to comfort her.
Suddenly, her phone buzzed, and she pressed the screen to see what it was. An email from Gemma about the Rock Canyon Press .
You need to read this!!! the subject line read.
Curious, Gracie tapped on the email.
Miss Know-It-All Says Good-Bye
Gracie’s heart leapt in her chest, and she kept reading.
Citizens of Rock Canyon. It has been my pleasure to engage you, to thrill you, and, at times, irritate you with my column. Please know that everything I have written has been for the sake of entertainment and not to hurt any of you. Especially the woman I love.
Yes, I, Eric Henderson, have been masquerading as a woman in order to give you titillating gossip. But that’s not all I’ve done.
I have also written a novel, a work of fiction, based on my time as Miss Know-It-All. I realize I may offend some of you, and I hope you know it was not my intention. I wanted to create larger-than-life characters who would jump off the page and make readers love them, hate them, or love to hate them. They are not any of you, however. They are overblown figments of my imagination, with grains of reality at the root. All I mean is, although you may see yourself in a character, it is not how I truly see you.
Take the character of Suzie. She’s a beautiful, selfish woman who plays the hero’s heart like a fiddle. Now, the woman who closely resembles Suzie is kind. She is selfless and loving. She is generous and loyal…
And I am in love with her.
I only hope she sees this final column, and finds it in her heart to forgive. To believe in me and what we have together is very real. And that I want every little piece of her.
“Gracie McAllister?” someone called from the courtroom.
Gracie climbed to her feet, her hands trembling as she turned her phone on silent. Eric had presented her with a grand gesture, a romantic overture in front of everyone. It was a move that would surely gain him some enemies and yet…he hadn’t care. He had stuck his neck out to prove his love was real.
Gracie walked into the courtroom smiling. There was no one there to contest her guardianship, and Margaret spoke of her with such warmth that Gracie wept openly.
When the judge granted her guardianship, Gracie hugged Margaret hard, and they walked out into the sunshine together. Despite the cold wind chill, it was a gorgeous day.
Or maybe that was just the reflection of everything Gracie was feeling.
A rail thin woman in her forties was playing on the front steps with Pip, and when Gracie saw her, she ran down the steps as quickly as she could. Pip held up her arms just as Gracie swept her up and hugged her tight.
Tears pricked her eyes as she whispered, “You get to come home with me, sweetheart. I missed you.”
Pip’s arms tightened around her neck. “Missed Mommy.”
Gracie’s heart somersaulted in her chest. Mommy. I’m mommy.
“Gracie, this is my daughter, Hazel. She’s Pip’s grandmother.”
Gracie moved Pip to one hip and held her hand out to Hazel. “Nice to meet you.”
“It’s nice to meet you too. Thank you for taking care of her.”
The woman avoided Gracie’s gaze and she waited for her to ask to see Pip as well, but she didn’t. It was so strange that Margaret could be so focused on everyone else, yet her daughter didn’t…
No, no more judging people. It wasn’t any of her business why Hazel wouldn’t want her granddaughter, anyway.
Margaret kissed her cheek, and Gracie hugged the older woman. “We’ll see youtomorrow.”
“All right, honey.” Margaret kissed Pip, and as her daughter helped her down the stairs, Gracie knew how hard this must have been for Margaret. It was why Gracie planned on giving Margaret the picture of Pip and Margaret that Ryan had takenwhen she saw her tomorrow. She was hoping to help ease the other woman’s sadness as best she could.
Gracie smiled into Pip’s glowing face. “Wanna go home?”
“Home!”
They headed down the steps and back to Rock Canyon. Gracie would wait until Pip was asleep before she dealt with Eric. Her parents had decided to move back to Rock Canyon and were trying to find a place to live. They could keep an eye on Pip tonight for half an hour or so.
She had a date with destiny.