Chapter 25
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Grace was jotting down notes for a class lecture in her bedroom even though the new term was yet to begin.
It felt so natural, really, almost like she was her old self, even if she was simultaneously an entirely different person.
The past six months since she’d lost Gram had changed her in a way she’d never imagined.
It had been true agony, the worst time of her life, but she’d found something inside herself as well.
Some kind of strength or resiliency. It was possible to rebuild a life, even if that life would never look the same.
It was possible to keep going, even if some days felt insurmountable.
Because there were also days that felt.. .okay.
There were also days that she missed Rafael.
Yes, fine, she could admit it to herself.
She missed him every day. She missed her tiny bedroom and just knowing he was sleeping right next door.
She missed pomegranates on the counter and heated looks and the lines around his mouth when he smiled.
Perhaps she’d made the right decision, and it was all for the best. Perhaps they could be friends one day without the sexual tension.
In fact, Rafael was probably already over the whole incident.
But not Grace, not yet. She needed a bit more time.
There was a light knock on her door, and Grace looked up to find Alma peeking through the crack.
“Hey.” Grace grinned up at her best friend.
“Hey,” Alma said, joining Grace on the bed. “You’re going to Sacromonte tonight?”
Grace nodded. “Yes. My students feel so special. I guess Raf and Christian were right about that. Keeping the exhibit as a hidden gem did make it exciting and extra desirable.”
“No kidding.”
“I won’t lie. I don’t know if anyone would care if it was just a museum. But it’s a private museum, so almost everyone is coming.”
“And there’s free food,” Alma added. “That’s always a big draw.”
“Good point. And now that they’ve finished up the rest of their exams, they’re ready to celebrate,” Grace said. Alma smiled, but Grace felt like she was being analyzed. “What is it?”
Alma cocked her head to the side. “I was just wondering if you knew that Christian tried to cancel the event.”
Grace frowned, confused. The event had been planned for a month. Christian had been on board from the beginning. She didn’t know why he would want to cancel. “What do you mean? How do you know this?”
“I had lunch with Rafael, and I’ll admit I had some ulterior motives. I saw how the two of you were at the exhibit opening, and I thought maybe I should just see…”
Grace froze, unsure of where this was headed. “What?”
“If he really has changed. I thought maybe I could dance around it a little, try to get a sense of what’s going on in his head, if he really had feelings for you, but I didn’t even have to try, Gracie.”
Grace shifted uncomfortably. “I’m still confused.”
“Christian called Rafael while I was there. Apparently, he has a friend who wants to host an auction as soon as possible, and Christian wanted to push your student night to accommodate their schedule.”
Grace swallowed. She was surprised, but not shocked exactly. Who wouldn’t want to cancel a free night for students when there was money to be made? “Then what happened?” she asked, her heartbeat fluttering.
Alma’s lips twisted into a smirk. “Rafael said no.”
“What do you mean Rafael said no? To Christian?”
“He said a lot of things—that it was a bad precedent, that clients wouldn’t be able to trust their schedule, that it was unethical, and that he’d already put all the work into the event, and changing it was an impossibility.”
Grace let out a breath. “Well that’s…”
“Unheard of,” Alma finished. “I’ve never seen him stand up to a client like that.
He always does whatever he can to please them.
Honestly, it wouldn’t have surprised me in the least if he went right along with what Christian wanted and cancelled the event, even if it was double the work for him.
But he was livid, Gracie. He outright refused. ”
Grace put a hand to her chest, where something was cracking open inside her.
“I think,” Alma continued, “that I might have been wrong about him. Maybe he is different now. I mean, he’s never even talked that way to our father, let alone someone he’s working for. But he stood up for himself.” Her eyes narrowed. “He stood up for you.”
Grace jerked her head up. What was Alma saying? Yes, Rafael had told his client it was ridiculous and unprofessional to cancel a previously scheduled event, which might have been a little out of character, but surely Alma wasn’t reading more into it than that?
“Maybe you didn’t end things with him because of me. Maybe you had a million other reasons. But if it was because of me…”
“You told me he wasn’t a relationship person, that he didn’t know himself enough to be ready for a serious commitment.”
“I thought he wasn’t. And maybe he’s not. I don’t know. But this—talking to a client like that, caring so much about doing something for someone else—is different for him. And the way you talked to Papá at the exhibit? It sounded like maybe you haven’t quite given up on Rafael yet.”
Grace tried to compose herself. “What are you saying, Alma?”
“I’m trying to say that you have every reason not to give my brother a chance.
But if I’m the biggest reason, then…I don’t want to be anymore.
You were right when you said you could make your own decisions.
And you were right when you said you’re stronger now.
And if everything goes to shit with you and Rafa, then we’ll manage. ”
Grace brushed a hand through her hair, trying to process this.
Maybe Alma had been wrong about whether or not Rafael had feelings for her, but everything else she’d said—all the reasons Grace had called it off—were still true.
She was still vulnerable and trying to put herself back together.
He could still just change his mind tomorrow when things got hard.
He could leave her in an instant. “Where is this coming from? One lunch with Rafael, and he’s changed your mind completely? ”
Alma shook her head as if she couldn’t believe it either.
“If he would have just told me he wanted you, I still wouldn’t have believed him, but I saw it, Gracie.
I saw how different he was. And if you want to be with him, then you should be, regardless of what I say.
It should be your choice. And whether or not it works out or whatever happens, you’re my sister. Nothing changes that.”
Grace took a breath. And then another. She wasn’t sure whether she was about to burst out laughing or break into tears. “That’s sweet,” she said, “but please don’t say I’m your sister, because that would make dating your brother very weird.”
Alma laughed. “That’s a good note.” She raised an eyebrow and nudged Grace’s shoulder. “So, you want to date him?”
Grace’s stupid heart leapt into her chest. She could barely think straight. Did she want to date him? Yes, obviously. That still didn’t mean she should. “You’re right that there are a million reasons not to be with him.”
“And it’s okay if you don’t want to. I’m done pressuring you either way, though. You know I’d do anything to protect you, but it’s a decision you have to make for yourself.”
It was a decision Grace didn’t know how to make. She was rebuilding her life after all, brick by excruciating brick. And Rafael had the power to bring so much of it crumbling down.
But she would still have Alma, no matter what. She would still have her students and art. She would still have Spain. Maybe she could have Raf, too, if she was willing to try.
“He’s probably over this whole thing by now. He probably doesn’t even care. Just because he saved one little event. I mean, it’s a savvy business decision.”
Alma snorted. “Yeah, maybe, but I don’t think cancelling a free student event would hurt the little museum too much with the kind of company Christian keeps.
I doubt Christian really needs to hold any events at the museum.
He just gets an ego boost from its existence.
I think there was no way in hell that Rafael would let something happen that would hurt you.
And that’s the kind of motivation I can understand.
” She took Grace’s hand in hers and squeezed.
“But I don’t know. I guess he’s the person you have to talk to.
Or don’t. Do whatever you think is best, and I’ll love you no matter what. ”
“Thank you,” Grace almost whispered.
Alma sighed with mock exasperation. “Why are you thanking me this time? I thought we’d moved past this.”
Grace leaned forward and rested her head on Alma’s shoulder. “I don’t know. This is just a big blanket thank you, I guess. Thank you for being you. Thank you for telling me about what happened. Thank you for being my friend.”
Alma wrapped an arm around Grace and squeezed. “Thank you for being my friend. You literally let me sleep in your tiny bed for a week when I was fighting with Obinna, and you never even complained when I stole all the blankets.”
“I was cold, too,” Grace teased.
Alma flicked her arm. “So, what now? What are you going to do?”
“I have no idea.”
“Is Rafa going to be at the event tonight?”
“I don’t know.” Could she really be in the same room with him now that she had Alma’s permission to care about him? What would that even look like?
“But you have feelings for him, right? I’ve been watching the two of you, and even if you were pretending to be normal for my sake, there was something there.”
Grace pressed her lips together. “I need to think for a while.”
“Right,” Alma said, getting up. “Very smart. You ponder it for a while and let me know if there’s anything I can help with.”
Grace sunk back into her pillows, still unmoored by Alma’s revelations. “What would you help with, Alma?”