Chapter 28
GRACE
Walking in the door, I’ve barely gotten both feet inside before Winnie and my mother are interrogating me.
“Hi, honey. How was your weekend?”
“Did you have a good time?”
“Did you get to take in a show?”
“Meet any nice men?”
The two of them take turns peppering me with questions. I can barely think straight. Not to mention, there’s that little issue of not wanting to share too much. I mean, as dreamy as my trip was, it was simply that. A whirlwind Vegas weekend that likely got out of hand.
But now, instead of replaying my Viva Las Vegas fantasies in my head, I’ll be forced to remember the annulment instead. It’s only a matter of time. This man is bound to get home and back to his everyday life and wonder what the hell he was thinking.
He was thinking he needed a wife to join him for dinner with Milton, so he could finally secure the property he’s worked so hard for.
That’s all this is, Grace. Sure, I got caught up in a whirlwind weekend too.
Don’t get clouded by all that hot, drunken sex with an older, experienced player.
There’s no sense kidding myself. He’ll be on to his next project soon enough.
I mean, this gorgeous man has the world at his feet. While I’m balancing a fault line.
I try to pacify Mom and Winnie with generic answers, hoping it’ll keep me from accidentally letting something slip. It’s best if my mom never finds out about this.
The phone rings in the distance, and my shoulders tense as I notice the way Mom and Winnie immediately look at one another.
“Mom?”
“I’ll get it,” Winnie says. She walks over to the phone and slowly lifts the receiver. The action in complete opposition to the way she handles most everything else life throws at her.
“Hello.” Pause. “Yes.” Pause. She starts prattling off my mother’s date of birth as if she’s answered this question a dozen times. Because she probably has. “Yes.”
My eyes never leave her face. Is it the bank calling? Have we bounced one too many checks? Has the hospital had to get collections involved? Will the pharmacy stop sending her meds? My heart is hammering in my chest.
Yet Winnie smiles as she looks over at us. Relief washing over her features. “Thank you.”
“Who was it?” My mother asks quietly.
“It was the hospital.”
Ugh. I knew it. So why does she look so relieved?
“It was the caseworker you had when you were hospitalized recently.”
“Oh, thank goodness.”
“Why? Why, thank goodness? Have the bank or collections people been calling?” I can’t risk my mother hiding this from me until they come and take the house. Then where would we go?
“No, honey.” She hesitates before adding, “Your dad. He’s been calling.”
I slump into the chair beside me. “What?” Neither of us has even so much as breathed his name in over a decade. I mean, what’s the point? There’s nothing but heartache associated with that time. “What about him?”
“He started calling for you while you were away. And when you didn’t call him back, he became more persistent.
Apparently, he’s gotten some bad information.
Someone must’ve told him you were modeling or something.
I’m pretty sure his congratulations on your newfound success are only an attempt to squeeze you for a piece of the pie. ”
Wow. I don’t know which is worse? The fact that I’d be utterly humiliated if my mother found out what I did, or the fact that it’s the only reason my father has attempted to get in touch with me in almost twenty years.
Is that the odd sensation of being watched I keep feeling?
Is he the man I keep seeing around town?
Has he been following me to see if he can share in the windfall?
Not that I’d recognize him after all of these years. And here I thought it was Brad.
I scratch my head trying to calculate when I first started sensing someone was watching me. But that was long before the magazine was published. Wasn’t it? I feel like I’m losing it.
Good grief, Grace. Get it together.
“What did the caseworker want?”
“She said there was an anonymous donation made to the hospital. It stated that the funds be directed to cover the outstanding debt of some of our patients who would benefit from continued therapy and medication they might not otherwise be able to afford.”
My eyes spring wide. “What are you saying?”
“Everything is taken care of. The hospital bill, therapy, and her medications.” Winnie beams.
What?
Ben
Okay, this sucks. I’m married. But I’m waking up alone. How do I go from having the best weekend of my life to this? Is this going to be like that Friends episode where Ross and Rachel try to annul their Vegas wedding?
Fuck. I hope not.
I start to pace. What do I do? What do I do? Running my hands through my hair, I tug at the ends in frustration. Then it hits me.
Tuesday! She’ll know what to do.
I rummage through my wallet to find her number. Once I’m finally connected, I’m dejected to hear the sound of a male’s voice.
“I’m sorry. This is going to sound a bit nuts. But do you have someone working there named Tuesday? She was an incredible help to me the last time I called and was hoping she could assist me again.”
“That doesn’t sound nuts at all.”
Is he being sarcastic?
“She was one of the very best employees we’ve ever had working at our shop. We get requests to speak with her all of the time.”
My heart plummets to my belly. Was?
“She got hitched and moved to a little town called Sycamore Mountain, North Carolina. She opened her own Cygnature Blooms franchise there.”
“No shit! Sorry.” I try to get myself together before continuing to speak in such a crass way to this kind gentleman. “I mean, no way. I’ve actually been there. She was there the whole time?”
A friendly chuckle travels through the phone. “Most likely. I’m happy to give you her store’s number.”
“Yes. Thank you. I appreciate that.” Yet something tells me, for this. I might need to visit in person.
I arrive back in Sycamore Mountain, and Dave and his buddy, Matt, greet me at the local airport. The perks of having money.
“Welcome back, stranger.”
“Thanks.” I shake each of their hands. “It’s good to be back. Well, maybe minus so much snow.”
“Aww, don’t knock it.” Dave grins. “Getting snowed in here has its privileges. Some of the clientele you’re looking to entice might enjoy a tricked-out mountain chalet experience.”
There’s something familiar about his tone I’m not picking up. Matt shakes his head with a knowing grin, seeming to be in on the private joke. But his statement holds some merit.
“You could be on to something. But I think after this, I might try someplace warm year-round. Like Sanibel Island.”
“Oh, I always wanted to go there when I lived in Florida. We lived in Candy Cane Key. Never made it to that side of the state. But Harrison says it’s a great place to vacation with kids.”
“Yes. Your brother was the one who sold me on the idea. Just don’t tell him I said so. I need to focus on one project at a time.” I chuckle nervously. If I ever make it to another one.
“So what brings you here?”
“I’m actually looking for Tuesday.”
They both share a stunned expression. “Alex’s wife?”
I hold my hands up in surrender. “Nothing like that. She helped me out before with a floral emergency.” I sound like a nutcase.
That’s because you are a nutcase.
“I take it this is about a girl?” Matt asks timidly, one brow arched.
Jeez. Just take my man card already. “Yes,” I huff.
Suddenly, Dave bursts out in laughter and slaps me on the back. “Welcome to the club. We’ve all been there.”
“Well, maybe not in the flower-emergency type of way.” Matt snorts. “But we’ve all done our share of pining and whatnot to win our girls.”
My shoulders relax. “Wow. I appreciate that. Thank you for not making this any more awkward than it already is.” I wince. “Never thought in a million years I’d be bonding with new friends over this.” I laugh.
“Heck, if it’s any consolation, we’re blissfully happy. So whatever humiliation you’re feeling right now is temporary,” Dave says.
“Spoken like a true newlywed,” Matt teases. “No, he’s right. One day, you too could be married with kids.”
Well, I may have managed to cross the married part off of my to-do list. Just need to keep it there. Kids, on the other hand, not so sure either of us are ready for that yet.
The guys escort me to Tuesday’s shop, and thankfully, leave me on my own to speak with her. This afternoon’s confessions have been humiliating enough.
The metallic clink of a bell above the door chimes, and the beautiful girl at the counter makes eye contact with me as I enter. She has light brown hair, big green eyes, and a captivating smile I would anticipate is befitting of someone like Tuesday. “Good afternoon. How can I help you today?”
“Hi. I’m hoping you can assist me. I’m planning to surprise my girlfriend this weekend. I want to go all out.” I beam.
Girlfriend? Well, it feels odd announcing to anyone that we’re technically married.
When even I don’t know if Grace would still consider us married.
We really should’ve had a real conversation before flying back home.
Instead, we spent the entire next day in bed before obtaining a bikini for Grace so we could hit the pool.
I mean, it was on the Viva Las Vegas bucket list. And I can safely say I’ll never get the vision of her in that royal blue bikini out of my head.
When morning came far too quickly, we managed to make our flight but slept through the majority of it. Once we landed, I was running late to a meeting, and she was in a rush to get home to her mother.
“Oh, how fun.” Tuesday claps. “Is it a special occasion, like an anniversary or her birthday?”
Should I tell her I want to propose? How do you ask someone to marry you, who’s already married to you? “No. Someone really wise told me to up my game. That I needed to push myself in the romance department.” I smirk.