Saving Grace (13 page)

She was strong, he liked who he was around her. She brought the best out in him, and then showed him he could be a better man. He rolled his eyes. Damn, he was turning into a girl. He shook his head. Also, Grace’s doing, but he didn’t care. She was the pop of color that lit up his dull, gray life. She was fun to hang out with.

He glanced at his watch. Was she still up? It had been all of ten minutes and he was already wondering what she was doing.

One thing was for sure, Grace needed help. Shouldering the burden of her uncle and the kids? Why didn’t she ask him for help? He may not know much about Alzheimer’s, but he did have connections in this town, and all it would take is a phone call to the new facility—what had she called it? Belle Verde—to move her uncle right up to the first name on the list. As for the rent, Chord had plenty of money. He would gladly help, but Grace hadn’t asked. He grabbed the shampoo and squeezed a glob in his palm. He lathered his hair. She wouldn’t ask for help, because the thought probably never crossed her mind.

Well, he was going to help her whether she liked it or not. Tomorrow, he’d call Belle Verde and find out what it would take to move her uncle there. Hell, he’d find the best damn Alzheimer’s Care Unit in town, and that’s where he’d send Uncle Vernon. He might even drive out and meet her uncle. True, it was none of his business, but Grace was his business. She needed less stress, and helping her was the right thing to do.

He smiled to himself. Maybe in her eyes, that would make him a hero—a real one, and not just for Superhero Sunday. She’d be so thankful, and he’d let her show her gratitude in whatever way she felt was necessary.

He rinsed and used the body wash Grace had bought him and stuck in his shower. It certainly was better than his plain bar of soap. This body wash stuff smelled nice and made his skin soft. She was making his life better, so he’d do the same for her.

Helping her made him feel invincible—like Superman only without the stupid cape and tights. The adolescent urge to do things for her and make her smile made him pretty damn close to giddy. He scrubbed with extra vigor. He was mighty damn proud of himself. That fact that he was giddy at the prospect of doing something for her should have made him feel stupid, but all he came up with was happy anticipation. Tomorrow, he gets to play the part of Grace’s savior. For once, he’d be saving Grace instead of the other way around.

He rinsed all over, turned off the water, and grabbed a towel off the hook next to the door. He walked to his side of the double vanity and didn’t spare a glance for Alice’s half…not Alice’s half, just the half that wasn’t his. For that matter, he could use both sinks. Well, not at the same time, but he could maybe alternate days. This was his bathroom, and he didn’t have to share it with anyone.

It was time he took charge of his own bathroom.

Defiantly, he scooped up his toothbrush and toothpaste, turned around and walked to the other vanity. He uncapped the toothpaste, squirted some on his brush, slapped the tube down, and brushed his teeth. After he’d finished, he rinsed with water, and set his toothbrush down next to the toothpaste.

The steam was starting to melt from the mirrors and he analyzed his body. His skin was tanned, but unlined. He wasn’t old, but he wasn’t young either. Forty was just around the corner, but he didn’t feel forty. In his mind, he was twenty-five, but his body could no longer take the hits he’d brushed off in his twenties.

He ran a hand over his abs. There was still definition there, but nothing like fifteen years ago. If only Grace could have seen him them. If only he’d met Grace then, he’d have spent the last twenty-odd years laughing and enjoying life instead of juggling home and family.

What would it have been like to have her as his kids’ mother? He smiled to himself. She would have enjoyed pregnancy like Summer Grayson did. Cherishing every little milestone that her body took while creating life. She would have been there by his side while he agonized over Cart and HW’s tiny preemie bodies as he held and rocked them for hours all by himself, because Alice didn’t like hospitals. And Grace would have held him on the nights when he was sure his two little boys wouldn’t make it…they would have held each other when the fear and the tears where overwhelming. Grace would have been there, for him, for the kids, because she wanted to be there.

That was the biggest difference between Grace and Alice, Grace wanted to be right where she was and that’s why she wouldn’t go out with him.

His shoulders shook with the desperate laughter. The irony was astounding. Grace wouldn’t sleep with him because she might lose him.

She had all the freedom in the world, but wanted to be tied down by his family, and Alice who’d been tied down wanted nothing but freedom. What he wouldn’t give for an uncomplicated relationship.

There was a light scratching at the door. Speaking of complicated relationships.

He made sure the towel wrapped around his waist was secure, walked into the bedroom, and opened the door.

He looked both ways down the hallway to make sure no one witnessed this.

“Come on in.” He shuffled out of the way.

Clementine lumbered through the doorway, moseyed over to the bed, and hopped up.

“Same rules as last night. You stay on your side of the bed, don’t kick, and keep the snoring to a minimum.” He patted Clementine’s head. “And you have to leave before sun up. This is our little secret.”

Clementine yawned, laid his head on the pillow, and went right to sleep.

Grace was everything Alice was not and more. Grace had taken three kids and their dad and made them into a family. He owed her, but that wasn’t why he was helping her tomorrow. He crawled into bed. Thinking about his motivation for helping Grace was deeper than he wanted to probe tonight. He let himself off easy. He just wanted to help, because he liked himself when he was around her, and he liked the family she’d created. It was selfish, but he hoped she’d stay forever.

The next morning, Grace lined up four brown paper sacks on the counter and filled them each with a sandwich, an apple, a banana, a juice box, a bottle of water, some chips, and a homemade chocolate chip cookie. After grabbing a Sharpie from the junk drawer, she carefully wrote names on the lunch sacks.

They were beginning to get into a routine. She made breakfast, they all sat around the kitchen table to eat, after everyone, except her, gathered their things for the day, they took their lunches and left. She was working on having them actually pick up their dishes and rinse them, but one thing at a time.

She scooped up the lunches and stood by the garage door. This was something her aunt had always done every school day morning. Since Grace was winging this whole child-rearing thing, this seemed like a good idea.

CoCo was first in line to head to the garage.

Grace handed her a lunch sack, leaned down, and kissed her on the cheek. “Have a wonderful day.”

“Okay.” CoCo looked around like she was missing something.

Grace was willing to admit it was awkward at first, but CoCo didn’t pull away or say anything snotty.

HW was next.

She handed him a lunch and said, “Have a super stupendous day.”

She kissed him on the cheek.

“Thanks.” He stepped into the garage and headed for the family Suburban. Chord would drive them to school.

Next up was Cart. He took his lunch and leaned up on his tiptoes for his kiss.

Grace bent down and made loud smooch noises as she kissed him. “Have a marvelously, incredible day.”

His face turned a deep red, and he wrapped his arms around her wanting another kiss so she kissed his other cheek too.

“Thanks.” He let go and shot his brother a yep-I-got-more-kisses-than-you look as he walked into the garage.

Chord was last. He popped in a Tootsie Roll.

Grace handed him his lunch and said, “Have an awesome day.” She stepped back.

“Where’s my kiss?” His tone indicated he’d been robbed.

“You got yours last night.” While she might want to kiss him, there wasn’t a chance it was going to happen in front of the kids.

“Come on, I get a cheek kiss just like the kids.” He pointed to his cheek. “Right there. Lay one on me.”

She took a step back. “You’re going to be late.”

“Looks like you’re chicken.” He sucked in air through his nose. “Yep, smells like chicken in here.”

He flapped his arms and made clucking noises. “Chicken…chicken.”

“Your capacity for adolescent behavior is astounding.” She rolled her eyes.

“I am pretty amazing…but you’re still a chicken.” He sing-songed.

“Fine.” She stepped into him intending to kiss his cheek, but he turned his head, and her lips found his. The garage door slammed shut, and he pushed her up against it. His mouth was hard and demanding as he used his tongue to push the Tootsie Roll into her mouth. The doorknob pressed into her back, but she didn’t care. His mouth was warm, and he was a talented kisser. Desire sizzled through her body. His hand snaked up under the hem of her sleep camy, rested over her left breast, and tweaked her nipple through her sports bra.

He pulled back. “Sports bra? The bane of man’s existence.”

His hand slid away.

“You look a little shell shocked.” There was a ton of male pride in those six words.

She sucked on the Tootsie Roll. “I’m not shell shocked, its pain you see.”

She made a big deal of rubbing her back where the knob had been. “Doorknob.”

He dropped a kiss on her nose. “Have a fantastically unbelievable day.”

Reaching around her, he opened the door. He took a step into the garage, and then turned around. “I’ll be home around six.” He blew her a kiss.

In the passenger’s seat, CoCo’s face screwed up, and her eyes locked on Grace.

Oops. CoCo didn’t miss anything. How would she feel about her father dating Grace?

She closed the garage door and leaned against it. How did she feel about it?

It had been a long time since she’d been this attracted to a man…if ever. Neither one of them was looking for love, but there was no denying their chemistry.

Since she never lied to herself, she needed to admit she and Chord were going to have an affair. It’s not that she was a foregone conclusion, it’s just with all that chemistry between them, there wasn’t a chance in hell of avoiding it. The best she could hope for was holding him off for as long as she could.

***

One of Chord’s favorite times of day was driving his children to school in the morning. When the kids had been younger, they all sang at the top of their lungs, and it had been crazy trying to get all the wiggles out before school.

He touched the
Bohemian Rhapsody
album cover on his iPhone and Queen’s best song boomed out of the speakers. The boys liked country music, and CoCo liked pop, but everyone loved vintage rock.

Cart took lead vocals, and everyone joined in on the chorus. They hadn’t done this in weeks, but today, Chord needed a distraction so he wouldn’t turn around and go straight back to Grace.

She was turning into quite the pastime for him. If thinking about her were a sport, he’d be a gold medalist. Even though it had been all of ten minutes since he’d kissed her goodbye, he wanted to call her and see what she was doing. His head was anywhere but on football.

Mentally, he changed course; he had meetings today starting at eight. He glanced at the clock on the dash. It was seven-ten. He could still make it, if he hurried.

The feel of Graces’s nipple drifted into his head. She had small, high breasts that just filled his palm. What would it be like to fill both of his hands with her?

He licked his lips. Exploring her body would be a pleasure for both of them.

“Dad, what are you doing?” CoCo whacked him on the arm. “Turn.”

He shook his head to clear it. He’d almost missed the turn into West Lake High School. He jerked the wheel at the last minute and made the turn. The car behind him slammed on the brakes and honked.

CoCo hunched down in her seat. After school, she’d give him a scathing lecture about how much he’d embarrassed her, but now, she just glared at him.

“Here’s fine.” She pointed to the curb outside of the Performing Arts Center.

Gently, he tapped the brakes until they came to a stop.

CoCo hopped out and covertly waved goodbye. He eyed the crowd of boys sporting football letter jackets that pointed to him and waved. He waved back and noticed more than one followed CoCo with their eyes…hungry, horny eyes. It wasn’t that long ago he’d been a teenaged boy with hungry, horny eyes.

If one of those little fuckers so much as laid a finger on CoCo, he would kill them…slowly. Or better yet, he’d hand them off to the Lone Stars. CoCo was more or less their little sister. She’d been coming to practice with him since she was in diapers because Alice had never been able to wrap her head around motherhood.

He turned back onto Highway Three-Sixty toward West Lake Hills Elementary.

Alice. When he thought about her it didn’t hurt anymore. Now, it just pissed him the hell off. How any woman could up and leave her children was beyond him. Sure, they’d had problems, but nothing that serious.

If it had been Grace, she wouldn’t have left. In fact she would have loved and appreciated the kids. She wouldn’t have whined and complained about her swollen pregnant feet and how big her stomach was getting. She wouldn’t have thrust CoCo on him because she couldn’t deal with an inquisitive four-year-old while she was carrying twins. She wouldn’t have withheld sex when she was angry.

Grace loved life and his kids. He chewed on his bottom lip. It was way too early to even think of the ‘L’ word when it came to her, but yet he’d made the connection. If the last weeks were any indication, life with her would be zany and fun and happy. Also, there was no denying she had a great body. More and more, he just wanted to hang out with her—see how her mind worked, and what would come out of her mouth next.

Her almost date had been a wakeup call. He needed to make his move before someone else snapped her up. But how?