Chapter 29
Grace opened her front door, unhooked Lily’s leash, then blew on her hands. She enjoyed her daily walks with Lily, but she’d enjoy them a lot more if it wasn’t so cold outside.
She looked around her living room. It wasn’t as cold, but it looked just as gloomy as the gray skies outside. Work and walking Lily were the only things she looked forward to each day. Even studying, which she had enjoyed initially, had become a drudgery.
She talked to Gabe and Paige regularly and visited with Charity occasionally, but after the withering look Damon gave her the last time she was there, she wasn’t sure he’d ever soften and give them a chance.
Her phone vibrated in her pocket as she walked into the kitchen to feed Lily. She pulled it out to find a text from Damon’s Mom.
Charity: It's your day off tomorrow, isn't it?
Grace: Yes.
Charity: Would you like to drive Damon to his appointment in Richland tomorrow?
Grace was so surprised she nearly dropped her phone.
Would I?
She'd been hoping for an opportunity to talk to Damon, not that she knew what to say to him. Mostly she just wanted him to want to talk to her.
Grace: I doubt Damon wants me to drive him.
Charity: Maybe but he's not in a position to make demands right now.
Grace chewed on her lip as she recalled Damon's words when he broke up with her in the hospital. "I don't want you here, Grace." Any time he caught sight of her now, his expression screamed those words.
Charity: How am I supposed to play matchmaker if I can't get the two of you in the same room without him looking like he might explode?"
Grace: Him exploding is what I'm worried about.
Charity: He may be grumpy and sullen, but I don't think he'll take it out on you too badly. I raised him better than that.
That didn't make Grace feel any better. Spending two hours—an hour each direction—cooped up in a car with a sulky Damon was something that would end up on her Dumb Things I Did list.
Grace: I thought you were planning on driving him.
Charity: I was, but I can't now. Something has come up. I don't know what it is yet, but I'm going to be busy tomorrow.
Grace laughed. Not only was Charity playing Damon, she was manipulating Grace as well. She wasn't sure how to feel about that.
Charity: And I'll make sure Steven and Matt and their wives are busy tomorrow too.
Charity: And Faith. And anybody else that he might ask to drive him.
Grace: You're making it very hard for me to say no.
Charity: Of course I am. That's the point.
Mom looked up from her breakfast plate and grimaced. "By the way, I won't be able to drive you to your appointment this afternoon." She held up a hand as Damon was about to protest. "Don't worry. I've arranged for someone to drive you."
"Who?"
"Grace."
Damon dropped his fork, his appetite vanishing. "No."
She looked at him like he was a petulant child.
"I would take you if I could, son, but Amy called me in tears yesterday. There’s been a hiccup in her supply chain and she is freaking out, trying to keep the restaurant open with only half the supplies she usually operates with.
" Mom's face looked truly contrite. "I told her I'd come in and help her figure things out. "
"Then find someone else to take me." His words were sharper than he intended.
She scowled at him. "Your father would tan your hide if he heard you talk to me like that." Then she shook her head. "I'm sorry, I called everyone I could think of, but everybody is busy."
"What about Steven or Matt?"
"They're doing inventory at the store, so Steven isn't able to break away. And Matt is the only pharmacist in town, you know that. He can't just drop everything, not with people depending on him."
"Did you ask Isabella or Maria?"
"Yes." Mom picked up her plate of half-eaten food and headed to the sink.
"Isabella helps out at the school on Tuesdays reading with kids who are struggling.
And Maria is taking little Bella to an ear, nose and throat specialist in Pasco this morning.
Poor little thing might have to get tubes in her ears.
She's not likely to be back in time to turn around and take you to Richland. "
"What about...Aunt Faith." Damon was grasping at straws now.
"She's headed to Spokane for a funeral."
Damon's mind raced through the rest of his family members.
Uncle James was a doctor and would be working as well as Riley, his nurse practitioner.
Aunt Hope was the high school principal and wouldn't be able to break away on a weekday.
Nor could Paige who taught elementary. Even Gabe was already in Pasco today, working at the PT office there.
As the sheriff, Robert probably wasn't available. Ben was no doubt working in his law office. Damon's mind jumped to Jake, but then he dismissed it. Even though things slowed down on the ranch in the winter, Jake was still plenty busy.
Daniel. Maybe he can take me.
Damon grabbed his phone off the table and texted his best friend growing up.
His face fell a few minutes later when he received a response.
Daniel: Sorry, man, I'd love to, but I have a meeting with Austin Reed this afternoon to finalize the house designs for the new subdivision they’re starting soon.
Damon considered driving himself, but he wasn't sure he was ready to do that yet.
He was still too jumpy, seeing everything as a threat.
Even having his mom drive him to PT caused his blood pressure to spike.
He never knew when something would trigger him.
More than anything, though, he didn't want to tackle this hurdle alone.
But I don't want Grace with me either.
Except he did. He wanted to be able to talk and banter with her like they used to. He wanted to tell her how hard these past two months had been. He wanted to hold her hand and kiss her lips.
He put the brakes on those thoughts. How was he supposed to spend the afternoon with her and pretend he hadn't hurt her terribly? That he didn't still care about her? Much more than he wanted to.
His mom stuck around long enough to make sure he made it through his shower without any problems, then she was gone. Leaving him with two hours of solitude that he had no idea how to fill.
Damon was fed up with trying to find something worth watching when Grace's car pull into the driveway.
His heart rate took off like an F/A-18 Super Hornet leaving a Naval Carrier, He turned off the TV, grabbed his crutches and started for the door, still wishing there was another option.
He'd even considered hiring an Uber until he saw the cost and decided to swallow his pride.
Even if it meant he might choke to death on it.
He was reaching for the doorknob when he heard a short knock, then the door swung open in his face. He stumbled back to avoid being hit, caught his left crutch on the bench in the entryway, and lost his balance. His shoulder slammed into the wall before he ended up sprawled on the floor.
His mind screamed, “Take cover!”
"Oh my gosh!" Grace clapped a hand to her mouth. "I'm so sorry.”
The cry of alarm snapped Damon’s nervous system into high alert.
His vision dims, tunneling in to identify the threat.
Heart racing.
Lungs seizing.
His jaw locks.
He raises his gun to neutralize the threat. But it feels all wrong in his hands. Too light. Powerless.
His muscles bunch, preparing for hand-to-hand combat.
Tension, thick and heavy, fills the air.
Then a deafening explosion splits the air.
Heat.
Pressure.
Dust.
Yelling.
The acrid taste of smoke and blood.
He freezes up under the sensory overload, struggling to breathe.
Except...there’s none of those things.
Only cold air and bright light. The scent of sunshine and flowers.
“Damon?” The voice comes from far away.
The angelic voice repeats his name.
He blinks repeatedly and studies his shaking hands. No rifle. Only a metal crutch.
Trembling, he lowers his makeshift weapon and his head. But his muscles don’t recognize that there is no danger.
Get it together, man. You’re home. You’re fine.
But his body doesn’t feel fine.
His heart continues to slam against his ribcage. His chest feels hollow, as though the adrenaline burned up everything inside him.
Just breathe. In for four. Out for six.
“Are you okay?" Grace’s concerned face filled his vision.
And then her hands were on his body. One at his waist the other on his shoulder as her gaze continued to rake over him.
He flinched, still trying to convince himself she wasn’t a threat. Anger and irritation—with himself and Grace—filled the emptiness inside him.
Then comforting warmth seeped through his shirt where her hands rested and slowly spread through him, calming his angst.
"Did I hurt you?"
No. But your touch is doing crazy things to me.
Much more enjoyable things than the terror he’d just experienced.
“I’m fine.” He shook his head in a jerky motion, his words clipped and sharp.
He straightened slowly, careful not to move too fast, fearing his body might revolt if startled again. He exhaled, attempting to dispel the fog that hung over him.
"I'm fine," he repeated, a little softer this time. He shrugged his shoulder, hoping she would remove her hand.
She did, and a chill swept over him. He told himself it was because the door was open, letting in the chilly winter air, and not because he missed her touch.
Embarrassed and eager to put some distance between them, he hobbled out the door, letting her close it behind them. She hovered nearby as he made his slow descent down the stairs, spiking his irritation.
When they hit the driveway, she hurried around him to open the passenger door. Nervous energy radiated off her, making the air surrounding them crackle with electricity. She stayed close to his side, blocking his way.
"I can get into the car by myself," he snapped.
Her smile faltered, and she fell back a step. "Right. Of course you can." She rounded the car and climbed into the driver's seat, staring straight ahead.