The Stand Page 17

  Chapter 21

  Grace felt her resistance break. Snap in half from the strain. She’d taken risks before. And even when those hadn’t worked out, she’d still come out strong. But she’d never taken a risk on love.

  Love…no, that’s not what this was. It couldn’t be. Nathan liked her. She liked him. A lot. She could see herself spending time with him. See them walking hand in hand like that couple on the shore. See a future like Riley had with Maddy…

  Her mind snapped to attention. No! She couldn’t be falling in love with him.

  But she was. And she could do it. She could take this risk. Just this once.

  “Okay,” she whispered.

  “Grace?”

  She forced herself to look up. To meet those hopeful eyes. She infused some of that strength into her voice. “All right. I’ll try.”

  It seemed so easy for Maddy and Kara. Both had clearly followed their hearts, finding love and embracing it with everything they had. Why couldn’t she do the same? Why couldn’t she simply turn to Nathan and tell him how she felt?

  His fingers brushed the top of her hand, still holding onto the canoe. “Damn, I’m glad you said that.” His smiled warmed her. “Would you like to fish?”

  She laughed. “Yes.”

  He passed over a pole and opened the tackle box. “You should have dinner with me.”

  “We just had lunch.”

  “I didn’t mean right now.”

  She felt some of the tension ease. “When?”

  “Next week.”

  “I might be able to find some time.”

  “I certainly hope so,” he replied, putting bait on her hook with a grin. “Because I’ve been waiting a really long time to go to dinner with you.”

  She blew out a breath. It had been a long time. She could do this. If she just kept repeating that to herself, if she reminded herself that Nathan really was a good guy, that he wasn’t planning on going anywhere, she could do this.

  Grace cast her line over the water and watched the bait disappear beneath the surface several feet out from the canoe. “Where are we going to go?”

  “How about…whoever catches the first fish gets to decide.”

  “A challenge?”

  “Yes.”

  Grace looked over, her competitive fire already ignited. “I like that. What if I catch the first fish and decide I want hot dogs?”

  “I love hot dogs.”

  She laughed. “Where would you choose?”

  “Honestly, it doesn’t really matter as long as you’re there.”

  Grace tilted her head. “Then why are we doing this?”

  “Because a little competition is healthy and fun.”

  She reeled in her line slowly, focusing on the water.

  “Did your grandpa teach you how to fish?”

  “Yes. Grandpa taught me how to do pretty much everything.”

  He was silent so long she found herself looking over. “Something wrong?”

  He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I was thinking about Lewis. He’s planning on staying around, right?”

  “That’s what he said.”

  “You still don’t think he has anything to do with finding the star?”

  She reeled in more of the line. The water lapped against the canoe. “No, I don’t.”

  “What about your mom?”

  Grace shifted on the bench and looked down at her foot. She wanted the wrap off already but knew her ankle still wasn’t strong enough. “I guess…I don’t know what to think about her. I didn’t think I wanted her to come back but now I don’t know.”

  “You’ll tell me, right? If you see her?”

  She looked at him again.

  “I worry, too, Grace.”

  She switched her grip on the pole and reached out with her free hand. He immediately took it, giving it a firm squeeze. “I’ll tell you,” she promised. “But try not to worry.”

  “You sound like Maddy.”

  “How’s that?”

  He smiled. “She’s very confident everything will turn out all right and there’s no need to worry.”

  “I think that’s a good thing.”

  “It is to a point. But on Riley’s end, things aren’t so simple.”

  Grace frowned, squinting her eyes in the bright sun. “He’s really that worried?”

  “He wants to be extra careful. I can understand why.”

  “Is that how you feel, too?”

  Nathan focused serious hazel eyes on hers. “Yes.”

  She felt a tug on her pole. Grace immediately released Nathan’s hand and jerked back. The line pulled, and she began reeling in. “I think I caught one.”

  Nathan moved beside her, reeling in his own line to help. He stood halfway from his seat.

  “Hold on, wait–” she began, yanking the pole again. The canoe rocked back and forth, and she laughed, reeling quickly. “It’s strong.”

  “Keep reeling.” Nathan peeked over the side.

  “I am.” Grace pulled back again and saw the fish jump out several feet. “I see it.”

  “Good, you almost got it.”

  She reeled the line in further, hands steady. “I’m really thinking about hot dogs now.”

  “How can you still be hungry?” he asked with a chuckle. “There he is.”

  Grace looked down and saw the fish splashing by the canoe. She leaned in, ready to reach down, and Nathan moved at the same time.

  “Hold on,” she began, but the boat already tipped, causing Grace to lose her balance. Her ankle twisted, and she lost her grip on the pole. “Nathan–”

  She lunged for the pole and the boat tipped dangerously. Nathan lost his balance just as she went over the side.

  The water closed over her head in a quick, cold rush. Grace pressed to the surface and felt air almost immediately. She opened her eyes, saw the canoe floating several feet away, balanced properly. But she didn’t see Nathan.

  She swam in the direction of the canoe and heard her name. “Grace!”

  “Nathan?”

  His head appeared around the side of the canoe, face drawn in worry. “Are you okay? Can you swim?”

  “I’m fine.”

  “Did you hurt yourself?” He grabbed her arm and pulled her to the canoe, reaching up for the edge to keep them both buoyant. “Is your ankle okay?”

  “I just twisted it a little. I lost the pole.”

  He pulled her close with one arm and let out a giant breath. He leaned his forehead against hers. “I don’t care about the pole.”

  “Nathan, I’m fine.”

  “Let’s get inside the canoe and then we’ll see.”

  “Hold on.”

  He looked back, water dripping from his hair, rolling down his face. The water was freezing and her ankle throbbed, but she was in the middle of Lake Serenity on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, after two helpings of fried chicken. It was the least stressed she’d felt in a long time.

  Still close, she wrapped her arms around his neck, relishing the flutter in her belly. That he could make her feel, really feel. That he could make her want more.

  His arm tightened around her and she moved in for a hug, water lapping against her chin.

  “You’re cold,” he murmured.

  Her teeth chattered. “I don’t care.”

  He held her more fiercely, lips against her ear.

  “Don’t let go,” she said.

  “I won’t,” he answered, keeping his arm tight.

  Grace inched back and laughed, feeling her voice shake. “I meant the canoe. Don’t let go of the canoe.”

  He smiled. “I see.”

  “I just don’t want to get stuck out here.”

  “I wouldn’t let that happen.”

  He leaned in, lips light on hers. She squeezed his neck, letting out a quiet breath before she pulled back.

  “Can you wait here a minute?” he asked, loosening his hold. “I think it might be easier if I tried to get in first.”

>   Grace nodded. He released her completely. With one wobbly boost, he hefted himself over the edge of the canoe, bobbing the water around her.

  She paddled closer and he reached out. “Maybe if I just grab the edge–”

  “Give me your hand, Grace. I’ll pull you in. Trust me.”

  And she did. She lifted her hand and decided, finally, to trust Nathan.

  ~ ~ ~

  By the time they reached the shore, the wind had picked up and Nathan saw Grace shivering. He hopped out of the canoe and dragged it in quickly to help her out. “Come on, we’ll get inside.” He looked over sharply when she stumbled. “Your ankle. Grace–”

  “No, it’s fine.”

  “Come on,” he said again, grabbing her around her waist. She leaned on him and the guilt increased. “My mom probably has something you can wear.”

  She laughed. “Nathan. Please, let’s just sit outside in the sun. Warm up a little.”

  He started to argue again, but she just smiled at him, wide eyes appealing. He gave in too easily and helped her onto the deck. “All right, let me get blankets or something. And then we’ll look at your ankle.”

  “Na–”

  “No more compromises,” he warned. “I’ll be right back.”

  He hurried inside, sneakers squeaking on the tile of the kitchen floor. His mother looked up at his entrance, smile freezing on her face when she saw him. “What…?”

  “Blankets, Mom,” he said, trying to keep his voice low so he wouldn’t wake up Colby.

  “In here.”

  He followed her to the living room and she drew a stack of blankets out of a chest that resembled his own. One his father had made. He gave a reluctant chuckle when his mother bypassed him with the blankets and went out to the deck.

  He prepared himself for her to fuss over Grace.

  “What did he do, hon? Toss you in?”

  Grace laughed, accepting one of the blankets with a grateful smile.

  “Hey, I’m wet, too,” he told Lisa. She tossed him a blanket unceremoniously and he laughed out loud. “We fell in.”

  “I do not want to know how that happened.”

  Nathan was amused to see Grace’s cheeks redden. “I caught a fish,” she tried to explain.

  “She was trying to stop her pole from falling in the water.”

  Lisa dropped another blanket around Grace’s shoulders. “You must be freezing. Are you sure you don’t want to come in?” She shook her head at Nathan before either of them had a chance to answer. “I’ll make coffee.”

  Nathan watched her disappear inside, then sat next to Grace. He tucked the blanket around her shoulders. “Should we go in?”

  “No, I don’t want to get water all over her furniture.” She sighed and smiled. “Your mom’s funny. Let’s sit out here for a bit. The sun is nice.”

  “You should change. You’re shaking–”

  She continued to laugh. “That was great. I really needed this.”

  He studied her face, eyes still tired but clear. “I know. How’s your ankle?”

  “Too cold to tell.”

  Nathan nudged her arm. “Come on, let’s see.”

  Grace sighed and obliged, turning in his direction. She started to lean down but he stopped her. “Oh, right,” she said with a smile, letting him draw her leg up.

  “Grace.”

  Her face went serious and she pulled the blankets tighter around her. “You said to trust you, Nathan. I’m trying, okay? This is how I have to do it.”

  “Sweetheart, I’m sorry,” he murmured, touching her cheek, “you’re right. Let me look.”

  He watched her sigh, lean back and close her eyes. Her hair waved around her cheeks and clung. He turned his attention to her bandage and unwound it.

  “I still think it should count,” she whispered.

  “What?”

  “The fish. Technically, I caught it. In fact, it’s still probably attached to my pole somewhere out there. Poor fish.”

  He chuckled and dropped her shoe to the floor. “So you’re saying you want hot dogs?”

  “I don’t know. It was a really big fish. I might have to go for something fancier.”

  “Anything you want,” he said, removing her sock as well. He touched her ankle. “Does it hurt?”

  He watched her face, saw her cheeks go taut. Her fingers gripped the blankets tighter. “A little.”

  “Grace. Tell me the truth.”

  Her eyes opened. She bit her lip. “Sorry.”

  Nathan shook his head. “It’s okay.”

  Lisa returned from the house with two mugs of coffee. She passed one to Grace and frowned. “Did you hurt your foot, hon?” She pressed her lips together. “Nathan.”

  “I know, Mom.” He accepted the cup of coffee.

  She sat down across from them and frowned. “You need us to take you to the doctor, Grace?”

  “No.” Grace looked at Nathan. “No, I think it’s fine.”

  He gave her a smile, not agreeing entirely but willing to at least let her finish her coffee.

  “Next time you should try fishing from the dock,” Lisa said, giving a matter-of-fact nod. “It’s a lot safer.”

  “A lot drier, too,” Grace commented.

  Nathan dropped his blanket over her legs. “We’ll do that next time.”

  Chapter 22

  Grace sat on Riley’s shadowed front porch sipping lemonade. Riley had poured her a glass, ushered her outside, and made her prop her foot up.

  After the weekend, after the rough fall out of the canoe, Nathan had insisted she visit the doctor. Though she’d gotten out of a cast, she’d had to promise the doctor she’d put the brace back on and use her crutches again. She’d had to promise Nathan she’d keep off her feet as much as possible, and Riley was doing his best to make sure she kept her promise.

  Which meant hovering.

  She heard him inside talking on his phone. He’d insisted on bringing his work home with him and spending the entire Friday with her even though she’d grumbled some about not needing a babysitter.

  Time was moving along quickly, already bringing them to the end of May. Only nine weeks left to find the star. Her foot still hadn’t healed, Maddy was pregnant, Kara had already experienced another episode with the star. None of it looked good. She could understand why they wanted everyone to stick close.

  Grace found herself wishing Nathan were here. He did a good job at distracting her. Or a good job at focusing her thoughts if that’s what she needed. Right now, that’s what she needed.

  A tablet of paper sat in her lap, mostly blank. She was supposed to be working on ideas for the youth center. She was supposed to be figuring out where else to look for the star. But instead, she was thinking about Nathan and wondering where they were going to dinner. He wanted to take her tonight and time couldn’t move fast enough.

  She hadn’t seen him much since she’d promised him she’d try. Try to trust him. Try to let down her guard. The time had done her good. Put her thoughts into focus.

  She wanted a future with him. She also had no idea what she was doing. She wasn’t like Riley. She liked being on her own, coping on her own. Except when Nathan was around. He seemed to make all that so much easier.

  Looking at the paper, Grace sighed. She still wanted to open the youth center by the end of summer. Sooner than that. Before school started. Which put the deadline shortly after the deadline with the star. So much to do…

  A rusty white car pulled around the corner and chugged its way up the street, winding in a wide arc and stopping in front of the house.

  Curious, Grace dropped the notebook on the table next to her and lowered her foot to the ground. When she saw someone open the door and get out, tilting their head in the direction of the house, she struggled to her feet.

  A tiny woman who looked to be in her late forties moved around the car and stood at the end of the driveway. Grace hobbled to the porch rail. “Can I help you?”

  The woman placed her hand
s on her hips in a gesture that was almost familiar. Something stirred inside Grace.

  “I’m here to see Riley, but…” The woman smiled and moved closer, angling her head. Grace swallowed hard. She watched as the woman shifted a hand through her graying blond hair. “Are you Grace?”

  Grace yanked in a breath. She knew who this was. Knew suddenly why this woman looked so familiar. Why her slight build and mannerisms put Grace on edge.

  “I’m Grace,” she whispered.

  “Gracie, I’m your mother.”

  Grace gripped the rail, supporting her weight. Suddenly her knees felt shaky and her ankle throbbed. She looked back when she heard Riley’s voice.

  “You’re supposed to be using your crutches,” he said, appearing at the door. She watched his gaze jerk toward the woman on the lawn halfway to the porch. He stepped through the screen door, letting it slap behind him.

  “Hi, Riley.”

  “Marlene,” he said with a slight nod. “What are you doing here?”

  “Well…” She shifted her weight and shrugged. “I thought I should come back to visit. It’s been a long time.”

  Grace opened her mouth to speak but Riley gave her a nudge. “Maybe you should sit down.”

  Marlene ventured closer, peeking down at Grace’s foot. “What happened there, sweetie? How’d you hurt your foot?”

  Words froze in Grace’s throat. She couldn’t think anything bad about this woman who stood in front of her. She couldn’t remember any of the things she’d wanted to say if she ever saw her mother again. All she could see was the smile of a woman who looked so much like her, the smile of her mother. She had a mother.

  “Would you like to sit?” Grace gestured to the chairs behind her.

  She caught Riley’s look but ignored it. Marlene bobbed her head with enthusiasm and she moved quickly up the stairs. She tossed Riley a timid smile and skirted around him to sit in a chair opposite Grace.

  “So what happened to your foot?” Marlene asked.

  “I fell off a ladder.”

  Marlene winced and shook her head. “What were you doing up on a ladder, sweetie?”

  “She was painting.” Riley leaned against the porch rail instead of sitting. He kept his eyes on her, changing the subject. “Lewis came back into town recently. He told us you might be coming.”