Here In Your Arms (Fort Haven Book 1)

by Nicole Highland

  By the time the weekend arrived, the choppy waters had all but settled at Sophia's house, though her anxiety coursed through her more and more the closer Saturday came. It was one thing to make his mom happy. But this was a huge step.

  And she couldn't afford to blow it.

  Nervous energy thrummed through Sophia as she stood by Gray’s side and waited for Grams to appear at the door. Maybe to the rest of the world, meeting someone’s extended family for the first time wasn’t that big of a deal. But to her, it was important. She wanted them to love her just as much as she loved Grayson.

  Love. The word seized hold of her so fast it nearly took her breath away as she stood in front of Lillian Osbourne’s door. Was this that what she was starting to feel? Love?

  For a moment she went dizzy. Maybe it was. It wasn’t like she’d ever cared for another human being the way she cared for him. To Sophia, the world began and ended at his feet. And she’d do anything to keep him forever.

  The door finally opened, and a short, white-haired woman came into view. With thick, dark, penciled-in eyebrows, bright red lipstick, and jewelry for days, Lillian appeared every bit as artsy as Gray had described.

  Lillian’s mouth stood agape as her eyes locked on Gray’s. “Oh, honey, I wasn’t expecting you to come over today,” she said, opening the front door.

  Grayson exchanged a look with Sophia. Of course, he’d told Grams of his plans earlier in the week. But she didn’t remember. In fact, he was lucky she even remembered who he was at all. Thank God, he thought. At least she appears to be having a slightly good day.

  “Did you bring a friend?” she asked.

  “Girlfriend, actually,” he said, his cheeks heating. “But yeah, this is my girlfriend, Sophia.”

  Sophia extending her hand, taking Lillian’s tiny, frail hand in hers. “So nice to finally meet you. Gray talks about you all the time.”

  Mixed with the smell of potpourri and something burnt, the annoyingly strong scent hit Grayson and Sophia’s noses as they stepped inside, and Gray closed the door softly behind them as Lillian shuffled her way to the kitchenette. Sophia looked around, her eyes lighting up as she took in the numerous paintings and photographs on the walls. Her home wasn’t a fancy place. Not by a long shot.

  But for the time being, the facility would have to do. It was only temporary.

  Or at least, that’s what everyone in Gray’s family had told themselves.

  With a spatula that looked about as old as Lillian was, she scooped a pile of completely burnt cookies on a plate and placed it on the counter. “I think I left them in there a little long!” she laughed. “Hope you like them a little more crispy.”

  Grayson remained silent as sadness settled in his chest. There wasn’t anything funny about the situation, and he had a sneaky suspicion she’d completely forgotten the oven was even on.

  And that was a scary thought.

  Lillian shuffled her way back into the tiny living area. “Feel free to sit wherever you’d like.”

  Sophia and Gray sat side by side on the couch, watching as the tiny woman shrank to nothing in her oversized recliner. The chair had seen better days, but it would be the last thing on Earth she parted with.

  Grayson sighed. Even to this day, the sight of her in his grandfather’s chair was a little heartbreaking. God, he missed the old days, when life was simpler. He’d give anything to go back.

  Anything except give up Sophia.

  “Tell me about yourself, Sophia,” Lillian asked. "I want to hear all about you."

  Gray looked down at Sophia’s hand, resting gently against her leg. It would be so easy to reach out and take her hand in his. Someday he wanted to live to be Gram’s age. But he wanted Sophia by his side, and he craved to touch her, to tell her exactly how he felt.

  And yeah, maybe the world was a scary, unforgiving place at times, but as long as Sophia was by his side, he could take on the world.

  And then some.

  Early Februrary

  The snow fell silently as Sophia turned the key in her ignition to head home. After four and a half hours working of staring out into a nearly empty store, she was exhausted beyond belief. Her feet were aching, and truth be told, her heart was aching, too. Between school and work, and in particular, Grayson’s ever-expanding work schedule, time was growing scarcer by the minute.

  She blew into her hands, hoping the warmth would be enough to take the dull ache away. If Grayson had been there, he could’ve held them and warmed them back to life. But as she sat in the nearly empty parking lot, her heart sagged.

  Yeah, making money was great, but it wasn't like she made that much, anyway. And now that the holiday rush was over, standing around waiting for customers to walk into Martelli’s was like watching paint dry. She would’ve much rather spent the evening with Grayson.

  Even if all they did was sit up in his room and talk.

  She let out a sigh. Even if she would’ve been off work, the odds of him being off at the same time would’ve been virtually zero. Pizza Palace had been slammed as of late.

  Or at least, ever since Mancini’s rat fiasco.

  Of course, things had been on the upswing for Pizza Palace before then. But as soon as the health department caught wind of the mess going on at Mancini’s, practically everyone in town had jumped ship, leaving Pizza Palace to fill the void.

  And in truth, the busy nights hadn’t been all bad for the two of them. With the onslaught of business, Gray had replaced his tires in no time.

  But some nights, Gray hadn’t even come home until well after midnight. And sure, it made the time fly by, and he was able to bring home a little extra cash. But what good was that when they couldn’t spend hardly any time together?

  She rested her head against the steering wheel, wishing the tears forming in her eyes would disappear. Why did everything have to be so complicated?

  And why did it have to feel like she was being stabbed in the chest every second they were apart? She sat up, wiping her eyes with the puffy sleeve of her coat. She needed to get it together.

  But, still, every moment spent away from each other was precious time they would never get back, no matter how hard they tried.

  Her tires spun slowly as she made her way down the main aisle, leaving the half-lit Martelli’s sign behind in her rearview mirror. She mumbled under her breath. Of course, the plow people weren’t going to bother with the snow until it was done for the night, but driving through it was a bitch in such a low-profile car, and at the rate she was going, she’d be lucky if she made it home by midnight herself.

  Sophia let out an audible groan. Maybe someday the two of them would run away off into the sun, leaving this life behind. Yeah, it wasn’t a perfect plan.

  But what plan ever was?

  Sophia’s knuckles tensed as she gripped her steering wheel. The combination of snow and sleet made for a treacherous drive, and even though her phone kept vibrating in her bag, she kept her hands frozen in place, resisting the temptation to respond. Grayson could wait. Didn’t change the fact that her hands itched to reply.

  But he could wait.

  Nearly an hour later, Sophia finally made the turn down her street. Flashing red and blue lights reflected off the houses, and she squinted into the darkness, trying to make out which house the cops were at. If she didn’t know any better…

  She blinked furiously, wondering if her eyes were playing tricks on her. The cops appeared to be at her house.

  But why?

  A surge of panic shot through her veins. Nothing about this made sense.

  And maybe it hadn’t been Grayson texting her, after all.

  Sophia parked in the street, watching from her car as the lights shut off on the first squad car and pulled out of the driveway. Her parents, both shellshocked and horrified, stood in the driveway, desperately waiting to see her, and when at last the second squad car left, Sophia charged up the driveway, trudging through the snow. Her eyes widened as they zeroed in on the liv
ing room window, completely shattered beyond all belief.

  “What the hell happened?” she cried. “Are you guys okay?”

  “We’re fine,” her father said. “There’s been a break-in, but we are okay. No one got hurt.”

  Tears stung at Sophia’s eyes. “A break-in?” she squeaked. “Why the hell would someone do this to us?”

  Her mother shook her head. “I don’t know, honey. I don’t know.” Hot tears rained down her cheeks. “I’m just glad the worthless bastard left the hammer they used behind.”

  Smart criminal, Sophia thought sarcastically. At least the asshole might actually get caught, then.

  Provided they had a record, at least.

  “There’s a good chance whoever did this is the same person who’s been behind the other vandalism,” her father said.

  A wave of nausea settled in Sophia’s stomach. All she wanted right now was for Gray to hold her in his arms and tell her everything was going to be okay.

  Even if they both knew that wasn’t the truth.

  Her vocal cords tightened as she tried to choke out her words. “How are we supposed to feel safe again?”

  Her father wrapped an arm around her shoulder, squeezing her tight. “We’ll get there. It will just take some time.”

  Valentine’s Day

  From the moment Sophia’s eyes opened, she could hardly wait for seven o’clock to roll around. For once, Valentine’s Day wasn’t going to suck; a statement she could never have said any other year of her life. But this year was different.

  And for once, she actually had a reason to care.

  She rolled over, sending Gray a quick text before she rolled out of bed.

  Ready for our date tonight?

  She was ready. Beyond ready.

  And now she just needed the next twelve hours to go by in a flash.

  Dancing on her tiptoes, she bounced down the stairs, feeling as light as a feather. Somehow, the coffee and pancakes smelled sweeter today.

  But wasn’t everything supposed to be sweeter on this day?

  Her mother glanced over her shoulder as Sophia bounded into the kitchen. “Morning, Soph.” She poured herself a cup of coffee, smiling to herself as her daughter bounded into the kitchen. She remembered what that was like, when everything was new and exciting, flying by at a million miles an hour. Oh, to be that age but have the wisdom I have now, she thought. “Are you excited about your date tonight?”

  Sophia’s eyes lit up. “Yeah. I just wish I didn’t have to sit through class for a million years first, though,” she said. “What about you? Are you excited for your little getaway weekend?”

  Her mother smiled. “Of course. Your father and I haven’t been anywhere in ages.” She took a swig of her coffee. “It’ll be nice.”

  Sophia grabbed her bag from the counter and headed toward the door.

  “Be careful tonight,” her mother called after her. “And be smart.”

  Sophia rolled her eyes. Parents could just be so damn awkward at times. “Yeah, Mom, love you too. Thanks for the much-needed advice,” she called.

  Sophia squinted as she opened the front door. Like usual, the air was crisp, but for once, the sun had made an appearance, bringing with it the promise of a good day ahead. A really good day ahead.

  And her mood did not go unnoticed.

  As always, Cassie was at Sophia’s locker, but today Cassie had a grin like she’d won the lottery. And judging by the look on Sophia’s face, she was having a pretty damn good day, too.

  “Well, you’re in a good mood,” Sophia said. “Did you finally score a date with Skyler?”

  Cassie rolled her eyes. “No, but I think this is even better. Well, at least for you.” She held her phone up to Sophia’s face. “Guess who got busted!”

  Sophia’s eyes grew wide as saucers as she scanned the headline on the screen.

  Police ID suspect in recent break-ins, vandalism

  Sophia read it again, studying the mugshot on the screen.

  No. There was no way it could possibly be him. She couldn’t get that lucky.

  Could she?

  “Is that…”

  “Yep!” Cassie squealed. “It’s freaking Steve!”

  “Holy shit. Wow. I mean, I can’t say I’m surprised. He’s been weirder than usual lately.”

  Cassie nodded. “Yeah, and get this. He had several pounds of dope on him when they caught him. So, it looks like you’re not gonna have to deal with him for a while.”

  “Yeah, and at least I won’t have to worry about him staring out the window at me, either.”

  ♥♥♥

  The night had been nothing short of perfect.

  It didn’t matter that it wasn’t their first date. Or their second. Or their third. This night would always be a special night.

  And one that they would never forget.

  With weary legs, Sophia bumbled out of the car, swaying as she raised her arms high over her head. Yeah, she could barely stay upright, she was so tired.

  But damn, it felt good to get out and stretch.

  “Easy now,” Grayson said. “Don’t need you falling flat on your face.”

  She let out a small laugh. “I’m fine. I just need some sleep.” Time stood still as her hand hovered over the doorknob. It was a strange feeling to come home to an empty house. Not to mention it had been years since Sophia’s parents had gone away for any decent length of time. And now, with the house all to herself, there was something slightly eerie about it. “Can you come in with me?” she asked. “I hate walking in by myself when nobody’s home.”

  Grayson’s brows lifted. “I think someone’s been watching too many horror flicks.”

  “Something like that.” Sophia reached for his hands and begged like a small child. “Pretty please? I know it’s late, but you could always stay the night. If you wanted to, that is.”

  Grayson’s heart thudded in his chest. There was nothing he wanted more than to wake up with her in his arms. “I will if you want me to.”

  Sophia reached up, wrapping her arms around Grayson’s neck. “I do.”

  “Consider it done, then.” Grayson crushed his lips to hers, eager to taste every corner of mouth until she begged for more. He’d been waiting for this from the moment he’d arrived earlier in the evening to pick her up. And now, he couldn’t take it anymore. He was practically crawling out of his skin, desperate to kiss every inch of her. He wanted her all to himself, uninterrupted.

  And for once, he was finally going to get his wish.

  “We better go inside,” she whispered.

  “I know. Or we’ll never make it into the house.”

  Taking her hand, he took the lead and pushed the front door open, fumbling for the light switch.

  “Oh, God, I’m freaking blind now,” she whined, shielding her eyes. “Warn a girl next time.”

  Grayson couldn’t help but laugh. “Well, how else are we supposed to find our way around? By flashlight?”

  “Maybe,” she groaned. “Well, at least I’m wide awake now. So, thanks for that.”

  The cold hardwood floor felt freezing against Sophia’s feet as she kicked off her boots and padded her way to the kitchen. With a flop, she plunked her purse down on the counter and shrugged her coat off, feeling the full effect of the cool air as it touched her skin.

  “Aren’t you cold?” he asked. “I can load some wood in the fireplace if you want.”

  Her teeth practically chattered as she spoke. “That would be amazing,” she said. “I don’t think the damn furnace is working.”

  With a huff, she marched over to it, squinting at the display. Shit. Well, this is going to be a miserable weekend.

  Not to mention her parents would be pissed. Things like that weren’t exactly cheap to replace around the house.

  She let out an exasperated sigh. “Nope, it’s not working,” she called.

  Silence filled the room, and Sophia peeked around the corner, only to realize Grayson had already headed out
to bring in the firewood.

  She smiled to herself. If he was any sweeter, she’d be in a freaking sugar coma for sure.

  With Grayson off and running, she made her way upstairs, feeling only a tiny bit warmer as she reached the top step. She rubbed her hands across her arms. It could be the coldest day of the year, but somehow, just the thought of his arms around her was enough to warm her body and heart.

  She tugged at the tie around her neck, letting her dress fall to the floor in a heap, and with the moonlight streaming into her room, she gazed at her reflection in the mirror, noticing the way the moonlight danced against her arms and legs. She’d never been comfortable in her own skin.

  At least, not until Gray came along.

  He loved every part of her, every angle, every side, and his love gave her all the confidence in the world. She could achieve anything as long as he believed in her.

  And by God, he would never stop believing in her for as long as they both lived.

  She pulled the old Pizza Palace shirt he’d given her from her drawer. It didn’t matter that it was way too big and way too baggy to possibly be hers. She loved that damn thing, and even if it got holes or stains, it would always be her favorite. She would always cherish it.

  Her thoughts drifted to Gray. She’d never shared a bed even with a friend before, much less someone she was in a relationship with.

  She swallowed hard. Maybe he was just as nervous as she was.

  She’d wanted this for so long, but still, the thought was nerve racking, sending little butterflies fluttering in her stomach. There would be no going back from this. They would be forever tied from this point forward.

  She quickly brushed her teeth then fumbled around the bathroom drawer, hoping to find her dental floss, but as her hand reached all the way to the back of the drawer, her heart sank. Shit.

  So much for that idea.

  “Soph?”

  She jumped in place, half-startled by his voice. “I’m in the bathroom. I’ll be out in a second.”

  Sophia looked down at underwear, suddenly feeling awkward about the pink stars printed on them. So, they weren’t the cutest pair from Victoria’s Secret. Big deal. Would that really matter? Would Gray even notice at all?