Chapter 8 #2
"You’re worried how Damon will react to your past?" Mom's voice was gentle. "Only one way to find out, Mija. I know it hurt terribly when Alan broke up with you after finding out about your baby, but not every man is like Alan, Mija."
Maybe not, but what if Damon was?
After she was raped and the incessant bullying she endured in high school, Grace had dated very little. Then when she finally fell in love and was in a committed relationship she thought would last forever, she still struggled to tell Alan everything.
Not only did he accuse her of not being the person he thought she was and keeping secrets from him, he also thought she was wrong to give her baby up for adoption.
She’d stopped dating for years after that.
Things felt different with Damon, but she still feared he’d walk away if he knew everything. She wasn’t ready to open herself up for that kind of pain again.
That concern continued to echo inside her head as she got ready to go to Riley and Daniel's house. She was half tempted to tell Damon she would meet him there, rather than have him pick her up. But if she did that, she wouldn't get the chance to ask him why he was trying to get to know her mom.
Which is exactly what she did the moment she closed the front door behind them when Damon came to pick her up.
"I thought we could walk—"
"Why did you visit—"
They both spoke at once.
Damon motioned to her. "Go ahead."
"No, you first, please. My question will likely lead to a lengthy discussion."
"Sounds serious." His right eyebrow arched, then he motioned toward the sidewalk. "I thought we could walk to Daniel and Riley's. Their rental house is only a couple blocks away."
"That's fine." Grace fell into step beside him. "Why did you visit my mom today?"
His head jerked back in surprise and his footsteps faltered. "Because I know you hate leaving her alone."
Her heart fluttered at his sweet gesture, but her eyes narrowed on him. "I thought you were going to help your mom paint today."
"I did." His head bobbed in a nod. "She had something come up this morning, so I visited your mom while I waited for my mom to get home with the paint. Then we painted the guest bedroom this afternoon." He gave her a piercing look. "Does it bother you that I want to get to know your mom better?"
Grace gave a little shrug and looked away. "Of course not."
But it did bother her. He was becoming too ingrained in her life. She didn’t want him to see how much she liked him.
"Good, because I enjoy visiting with your mom. I'd like to do it again soon." He grabbed her hand and tugged her to a stop, turning her to face him. "I'd like to get to know you better too, Grace."
The husky tone of his voice sent a pleasant shiver rippling down her spine despite the heat of the late August evening.
Her heart jumped in her chest as her pulse shifted from first to fifth gear, skipping the gears in between.
Every beat seemed to reverberate through her body as a swarming sensation swept through her stomach.
What is he saying?
Last Saturday, he suggested they be friends, but every time she was with him, she got the feeling he wanted more. Although the idea of more with Damon excited her, it was all moving too fast.
Damon stepped closer, his hand tightening around hers, as his gaze dipped to her lips.
The hunger in his eyes set off warning bells in her head.
He's leaving soon!
She wanted to kiss him again, but she couldn't without her heart getting involved.
And she couldn't give him her heart for fear he'd break it.
She'd never been in a long-distance relationship, but from what she'd heard, the longer the distance, the faster the relationship was likely to fizzle out.
When Damon deployed, he would be almost ten thousand miles away!
They didn't stand a chance.
Her chest tightened around her racing heart. When the swarming in her stomach turned to churning, she stepped back and pulled her hand from his.
His face fell, and disappointment filled his eyes.
She forced a laugh. "You'll get to know me better alright.
I still have some bucket list things I need your help with, like digging up some flower beds and planting roses and tulip bulbs.
And Paige needs us to help decorate the rec center for the wedding.
You're going to see so much of me, you'll get sick of me. "
"I doubt that." His tone was flat.
It wasn't the response he wanted, but it was all she could give him right now. She started walking again, and he fell into step beside her.
"Aren't Daniel and Riley building a house out at the Double Diamond?" She already knew the answer, but she desperately needed to change the subject.
"Yes, it should be done in a few months. They're renting the house they're currently living in."
Conversation on the remainder of the walk was stilted and superficial. Grace breathed a sigh of relief when they finally reached Daniel and Riley's house. She relaxed even more when Damon and Gabe joined Daniel outside where he grilled steaks.
"So, Grace, how are you liking Providence so far?" Riley asked as she placed salad makings in front of her.
"A more appropriate question would be how she likes Damon and the Double Diamond." Paige spoke before Grace could, giving Riley a meaningful wink.
"The Double Diamond?" Riley's surprised gaze jumped back to Grace. "Damon took you to the ranch?"
Grace opened her mouth to speak, intent on downplaying her outings with Damon, but Paige beat her again. "He took her horseback riding on Saturday. To Rocky Falls."
Riley's eyebrows shot up. "Ooh that's one of the prettiest and—"
"Most romantic spots on the ranch." Paige's sing-songy voice added emphasis to her words as she finished Riley's sentence. "And yesterday, he took her four-wheeling and shooting. Then they stopped at Charity's for lunch."
Grace loved her soon-to-be sister-in-law. They got along well, partly because Paige was talkative and knew how to draw people out. There were rarely any lulls in conversation when Paige was around, but right now, Grace wished Paige would shut up.
Riley's brows hiked a little higher as she eyed Grace. "He's been home for all of four days, and he's spent two of them with you?"
"Three." Paige said with a giggle. "Haven't you heard the story of how they were trapped in an elevator together during that big power outage in Richmond?"
"What? Are you serious?" Riley pointed the wooden spoon she'd been using to stir the pasta salad at Grace.
"I can't wait to hear this, but Daniel is going to want to hear it too.
You and Damon need to tell us all about it during dinner.
" Then she turned to Paige. "I should have known you'd play matchmaker. "
"Not me." Paige shook her head. "Well, I did encourage Grace to go horseback riding with Damon when he first asked her, but the rest has been all him."
Riley's gaze jumped back to Grace, her eyes full of amusement. "So what do you think of Damon?"
Grace gave Paige an expectant look, waiting to see if she'd answer that question for her too.
"Don't look at me," Paige shook her head and backed up a step. "The only reason I knew you were out with Damon again yesterday was because your mom told me when I stopped in for a visit after school. She didn't tell me what you think of him." Now her look became eager. "So...do you like him?"
A warm flush washed over Grace. She lowered her gaze and gave her full attention to the cucumber she sliced.
She was half tempted to cut her finger just to delay the conversation, but it wouldn't delay it for long.
Judging by the curiosity on Riley and Paige's faces, they would hound her for an answer while they drove her to the hospital.
"Damon's...friendly and fun to be with." She gave a casual shrug. "He's a great tour guide."
Both Riley and Paige burst into laughter. Then Riley said, "Like anyone needs a guided tour of Providence. A thirty-second drive down main street would cover it."
"That's why he's been taking her to the ranch," Paige said, then she pinned Grace with a stare. "That was a very noncommittal answer that in no way explained if you like Damon."
"Damon and I are just friends," Grace insisted. "I mean, he leaves in a little over a week. There's no point in anything more."
Both ladies’ faces fell as they nodded, then Paige pointed a finger in the air. "Except, Damon told me months ago, that if he met a woman who changed his mind, he'd consider not re-upping next spring."
"Really?" Riley's eyes widened. "He loves serving in the Army, I didn't think he'd ever consider leaving it."
Grace thought back on her conversations with Damon. When she asked him if he'd ever come home, like his cousins, he'd said, "Maybe." Then at the diner yesterday, he wondered if he came home, where his place was in Providence.
A flip-flopping sensation hit her stomach. Did that mean he was considering leaving the Army and moving home? Did it have something to do with her? When he said he wanted to get to know her better, did he mean that in the long-term relationship—possibly even forever—sense?
No. He's just missing his family, that's all.
Paige and Riley launched into a new topic, but Grace couldn't get Paige's words out of her head. If Damon came home for good, would she be willing to take a chance on them?