“He did?” It was too complicated a scenario to not be true. Gracie could actually see Sebastian helping a young boy out that way. But if she was to believe that, she wished he would’ve trusted her with the truth.
Rhonda nodded. “Yes, and I’m very grateful to him, but we’re only friends now, Gracie. I swear it.”
“You broke his heart. I think he’d care more for you than just as a friend.”
Sebastian’s ex shook her head. “I didn’t break his heart. I never wanted out of our relationship. He broke up with me, and he let me save face with the public by claiming I broke up with him. It was silly of me to do that, but Sebastian went along with it for my sake. You see, he’s a really good guy.”
Gracie pulled air into her lungs. “It’s a lot to take in.”
“I know, but whatever the press wanted you to believe about me and Sebastian isn’t true. And if you’ll allow me, let me show you something.”
“What?”
Rhonda pulled out her cell phone and scrolled until she found what she’d been looking for. “Here we go. Just hit the arrow for the video.” She handed Gracie the phone and she turned the video on. She seemed to be watching a track-and-field event.
“That’s Lonny. He’s on the track team now in high school. He’s always been fast and he loves to run. A short time ago, he might’ve landed in juvenile detention, but look at him now. He won the race and the coach is very impressed with him. With Sebastian’s guidance and a little encouragement from his big sister, Lonny is the happiest I’ve seen him.”
The impact of this wasn’t lost on Gracie. She’d known boys who hadn’t been that lucky and had gotten into major trouble, only to drop out of school. She had a brother, too, and only wanted the best for Enrico. Just like Rhonda wanted for her younger brother. “This is wonderful to see.”
“It is. The only drawback is that you and Sebastian aren’t together anymore. And I feel responsible for that.”
“It’s not your fault. Sebastian is the one who made the mistakes.”
“Everyone is worthy of a second chance. Lonny got one, and hopefully Sebastian will, too. Please think about it. Oh, and congratulations on the baby. I know you both will make wonderful parents.”
Hope jetted through Gracie’s heart. She’d refused Sebastian’s explanations because she’d been extremely hurt. She’d lumped all of his mistakes and her misgivings into one tidy package and labeled it “Unforgivable,” and she hadn’t thought anything he said would be enough to change her mind.
And now, thanks to a supermodel and a fifteen-year-old kid, she had a better understanding of why Sebastian had done what he’d done. “Th-thank you. And you don’t have to worry. Sebastian won’t know a thing about this.”
“So you’ll give him a second chance?”
“I’ll think about it.”
“Good.” Rhonda smiled and glanced at her watch. “I’d better go. I promised Lonny we’d go out for ice cream after his practice today, but he wanted a protein shake instead. I’m so proud of him.”
The winsome look on her face filled Gracie’s heart. It was as if both of them were getting a fresh start. “You don’t want to be late. And thank you, Rhonda. I do appreciate your honesty.”
Gracie walked her out and watched her drive off in a sporty silver car, her heavy heart easing a bit learning of Sebastian’s motives.
In just two hours, Gracie had a private early bird childbirth class. She closed her eyes and concentrated on that, instead of the eye-opening conversation she’d just had with Sebastian’s ex-girlfriend. Gracie sighed, afraid to hope, but even more afraid, not to hope.
* * *
The next day, Gracie dressed in a black wool blazer and slacks, with a cozy blue cashmere sweater underneath to keep her warm. The weather had turned nasty, the clouds overhead gloomy. It would’ve been a good day to stay in, but she’d done enough of that lately. She wasn’t about to mope all day. She’d had a very informative childbirth class at her home last night, when the instructor, Maddy, had let it slip that Sebastian had also hired her for a private class. Maddy had kind eyes, and there was a soothing softness in her voice as she spoke. Perhaps she was a bit of a matchmaker. So Gracie didn’t call her out on the possible intentional slip but instead questioned Maddy on why she supposed he’d done that. And the woman had simply replied, “He wants to support you when the baby comes.”
Every time Gracie thought about that, the frost in her heart thawed a bit. Heck, who was she kidding? She was melting inside, and all signs pointed to Sebastian being a good guy. Still, she couldn’t fathom why he’d rejected her marriage proposal.
She headed to The Eatery, opting to do some work this morning. A frigid wind swept her inside and she took off her blazer and weaved her fingers through her tangled hair. She glanced inside the work area, and found Lauren and Sutton, apparently in a private moment.
Quietly, she moved into the back room, giving them privacy.
“Is that you, Gracie?” Lauren called out.
“Don’t mind me,” she called back. “Go back to what you two were doing.”
Lauren walked into the back room and they came face-to-face. “We weren’t doing anything other than talking. How are you, Gracie? What are you doing here so early?”
It was early for her. She usually didn’t start working on the books until nine, and it was only seven thirty. “I, uh, just had to get out of my house. I couldn’t sleep, and well, I guess I needed a friend.”
Lauren put out her arms, and she walked straight into them. “You’ve got a friend right here.”
“Thank you.” Tears came to her eyes. Lauren’s friendship meant so much to her.
“Is it about Sebastian?”
She nodded. “I love him, Lauren. And I think I’ve made a terrible mistake. I’m not sure about anything anymore.”
“It’s a confusing time.”
“It is,” Gracie said hoarsely.
“But if you know you love him, why not hear him out?”
“I know, I should.” She pulled back to search Lauren’s eyes. “Right? Everyone’s been telling me to give him another chance...”
“I think you should.”
“So do I.” The deep voice came from behind and she turned to find Sebastian there. Immediately her heart started pumping hard. “Sorry, I overheard.” Then he smiled.
“What on earth?” Gracie looked at Lauren.
She shrugged. “I guess you thought I was with Sutton.”
“You know I did!”
“Sebastian came by to talk, the same way you did just now. It seems like kismet that you were on the same page, and we all know this mistaken-identity thing can get really baffling.” Lauren gave her an innocent look. “So I guess I’ll leave you two alone now.”
Dumbfounded, she stared after Lauren, watching her leave the room, and feeling Sebastian’s overwhelming presence in the room.
And when she finally turned to meet his eyes, he wouldn’t stop smiling.
Her lips curled up, as well. She was glad to see him, too. Even if the twin-switch mistake had happened to her once again. Couldn’t one of them style their hair differently or something? They looked identical, and she wasn’t really thinking that Sebastian would come to talk to Lauren so early in the morning. So when she’d first walked in, she’d assumed it was Sutton.
“I’ve missed you, Gracie.”
She nodded, unable to speak at the moment. He’d heard everything. And she wasn’t angry or embarrassed about it. She was glad. Yes, glad that her feelings for him were finally out in the open. She’d been sheltering her emotions for too long. It wasn’t healthy, and now she felt liberated. “I’ve missed you, too.”
“There’s a lot I want to say to you, but not here. Will you have dinner with me tonight? I want to take you someplace special.”
She smiled. “Yes.”
Se
bastian took a big gulp of air and sighed in relief. The look on his face was filled with gratitude and promise. “I’ll pick you up at six.”
“I’ll be ready.”
He grinned. “Until tonight, then.”
And he leaned over to kiss her cheek, leaving her to wonder just what he had in store for her tonight.
* * *
Gracie could hardly concentrate on what she was doing. Sitting in the back room at the computer, she opened and closed the inventory app for The Eatery half a dozen times, her hands shaking. Excitement and curiosity crowded her mind to the point that there was literally no room inside her head for anything else.
“Why don’t you quit for the day,” Lauren said, coming to stand beside her at the desk. “You’re not going to be able to get anything accomplished today.”
Gracie ran her hands down her face. “I think you’re right. My heart’s not in it right now.”
“That’s because your heart is where it should be. With Sebastian.”
Gracie tilted her head toward Lauren. “Thanks to you.”
“Sure, I’ll take credit if you want to give it to me. But you have to know that I had no idea Sebastian was coming over to speak to me until early this morning, when he texted me. I think Sutton put him up to it. He said his brother was pretty desperate and needed to talk it out with someone close to Gracie. Me.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really. The guy’s nuts about you. And when you opened up to me this morning, I couldn’t know that he’d overheard. But I’m glad he did. You two have been dancing around each other for weeks now.”
“True story.” She was ready now to hear Sebastian out. After her conversation with Rhonda, she was ready to give him the benefit of the doubt and try to move forward. Finally admitting that she was in love with him, saying it aloud to Lauren, made it all seem real and attainable. At least, she was willing to give it a try.
“So go home, gussy up and have a good night with Sebastian.”
“That sounds like a plan,” Gracie said. “Are you sure you don’t need me?”
“I’m covered here, and the inventory can wait. Just go.”
Lauren was already handing Gracie her blazer. “Keep warm, it’s cold out there.”
“The baby’s keeping me warm.” Which was true. Being pregnant had some advantages, like she was never too cold. The added weight and her hormones kept her from turning into a popsicle during the winter season. “You should try it sometime.”
“The Eatery’s my baby right now. But someday in the future, our children will be playing with each other. I’m sure of it.”
“That’s a beautiful thought. Thanks again.” She hugged Lauren. Their friendship was rock-solid. Lauren and Beth had given Gracie nothing but support lately. She was lucky to have both women in her life right now.
One hour later, Gracie was home, soaking in a nice hot bath. Her nerves were so rattled she’d lit candles and put on her favorite soft country rock music before stepping into the tub. The only thing missing in the bubbles was champagne and... Sebastian.
Oh, boy. The champagne would have to wait for months, but Sebastian wouldn’t.
The hours dragged by, and finally it was time to dress. Gracie chose a slinky scarlet gown, the high-low hemline making a statement of its own. She wore tall heels and her best gold jewelry, along with wide hoop earrings. Glancing in the mirror, she could see her baby bump was evident now, the slightest little rounding of her belly filling her heart with immeasurable pride.
When Sebastian pulled up to her home, she was ready and greeted him at the door.
“Wow,” he said immediately. “You look gorgeous.”
“Thank you. So do you. Handsome, I mean. Do you want to come in?”
He took her hand. “Trust me, you don’t want me to come in. If I did...”
She couldn’t argue with his logic. He was right. She’d never get over seeing him look so dashing in a dark suit and tie, his facial hair groomed just enough to make him look sexy and dangerous. She’d missed him, both in and out of bed.
He kissed her cheek again and helped her on with her coat. With a hand to her back, he walked her to his car and opened the door. “Where are we going?” she asked as she slipped into the passenger seat. His gaze roamed over her legs, and a swell of heat shot through her body.
“You’ll see.”
He was being cryptic all of a sudden, and she didn’t know what to think.
“It’s someplace special to me. To us.”
He started the engine and turned on the music. The song playing was from her favorite band. Softly, she sang along with the tune, her voice no match for theirs, and yet it put a smile on Sebastian’s face. Had he remembered her favorite music?
They headed down the road, away from her house, and after ten minutes, he pulled up to the Texas Cattleman’s Club. Her brows rose in surprise. What was he up to?
The question in her eyes prompted him to say, “This will all make sense soon.”
He helped her out of the car, and hand in hand, they entered the club. After they checked in, the receptionist said, “Everything’s ready for you, Mr. Wingate.”
“Thank you.”
She handed him a key and Sebastian led them down a hallway to a private room. He stopped to open the door and ushered her inside. The room was magical, with dozens of lit candles, a roaring, wood-burning fire in the fireplace and arrangements of beautiful flowers throughout the room. In the middle of all of it, a table was set for two.
She turned to face Sebastian, her face probably revealing her awe. “This is amazing. You did all this today?”
He nodded. “I had to work fast. It was worth it to see the look on your face. But before we talk about the future, I need to talk to you about the past.”
Sebastian pulled out a chair for her, and she took a seat. Then, sitting down to face her, he took her hand. It was as if he needed the connection, needed to touch her in order to proceed. “It isn’t easy for me to admit this, but I’ve made a lot of mistakes with you. And I hope to rectify all of them tonight, Gracie. First of all, thank you for hearing me out. I want us to start out with a fresh slate, so I’ll admit to not being perfect.”
“Nobody is,” she said. In her youth, she’d thought of him that way. Her crush had known no bounds. But she was steeped in reality now. “I’m not perfect, either.”
“From where I’m sitting at the moment, I’d say you are.” He scanned over her face, gazing into her eyes.
She smiled, loving the way his hand was softly squeezing hers, as if he needed her strength to go on.
“I was never after your money. Never. The thought never once crossed my mind. The Wingates are financially sound, and whatever struggles we have will be taken care of professionally. You bought the house, and that helped us, yes, but it was never about money between you and me. In fact, I wasn’t thrilled that you thought so little of me.”
“I didn’t want to, Sebastian, but there were so many other things that confused me, too.”
He inhaled. “I know, sweetheart. And that’s on me. I wasn’t sure about how to convince you about my feelings for you. You seemed to have the notion that I only cared about the baby, that I never wanted you because you weren’t good enough for a Wingate. That I never seemed interested in you before this.” He released a ragged breath. “But the truth is, I had a thing for you, too, Gracie. I just never acted on it because your father worked for us. And also because you were Beth’s best friend. In my mind, you were off-limits. So yes, I never thought of us as a possible couple, but not because I didn’t think you were worthy. And certainly not because I felt superior to you.
“More recently, I thought it best not to bombard you with my growing feelings because I didn’t want to rush you. You seemed to need time, and I thought I was doing what you wanted. So I held back. Perhaps I shouldn�
�t have. But I’ve always cared for you, Gracie. Make no mistake about that.”
He squeezed her hand. “You may not even realize it, but you turn heads when you walk into a room. And to know that you’re carrying my baby only makes you more beautiful to me.”
Tears welled in her eyes. This time, she wouldn’t blame it on hormones. This time, it was hearing Sebastian open up his heart that gave her hope and brought on deep emotion.
“About Rhonda,” he began.
She held her tongue, keeping her promise to his ex that she wouldn’t divulge anything they’d spoken about. Besides, it was better to hear it from him.
“I was only trying to help Rhonda’s younger brother...”
Gracie listened to his full explanation and to his apology. She already had forgiven him in her heart. “I understand. It was a good thing you were trying to do.”
“I’m still trying. I plan to be in the boy’s life to a degree.”
“I wouldn’t expect anything less, but why didn’t you just tell me about it? Didn’t you trust me?”
“I—I didn’t want to rock the boat. It was hard earning your trust, Gracie, and I wasn’t sure I had it at the time. I gave my word to keep Lonny’s problems private. It wouldn’t have done anyone any good to bring light to his troubles.”
She nodded. “I get that, Sebastian. I really do. You were trying to protect Lonny, just like I was trying to protect our baby. I, uh, I probably shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions about you. I thought the worst of you, when in my heart, I’d always believed you were a good guy. I guess that’s why I was so confused and hurt.”
He squeezed her hand once again, keeping their connection solid. “I made a mess of things, but you have to know, I didn’t want to fail our baby the way I failed Lonny in the past.”
“I understand that.” But she had to ask. She had to clear the air, and even though it was hard for her to do, she couldn’t let this go without an explanation. “I guess what hurt me the most was when I proposed to you, and you looked like the devil had cornered you in the bowels of hell.”
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