by Jaycee Ford
She nodded, and we headed into the living room. She sat, staring at the bookshelf. I followed her gaze to Mike’s picture. I didn’t want to compete with a ghost, but I could sure use his help right now. If anyone knew Grace, it was Mike. I had never wanted to receive signs from a ghost so much in my life. I hoped the things Grayson and Chloe had told me were true and that Mike approved of this. Too bad she’d given up already. I turned to face her and found her closely watching me.
“I’ve never held hands with anyone else before, Wyatt,” she explained. “I don’t know what I’m doing.”
I put my water bottle on the floor and reached out for her hand. I could do this, but I needed her with me. She was so close to getting there, if only she would explain what was going on in her head. Something had happened between Dixie’s and the car, and I needed to find out what it was.
“Can I be honest with you right now?”
She nodded as I clasped both of my hands around hers.
“This right here. This is more than enough for me. I want to be here. I want to be in your life. I want to be in Chloe’s life. If what you need is someone to hold your hand once in a while, then I want to be that guy. I don’t want to ruin us. I’m fine with this. I’m happy to be whatever you want me to be.”
“I don’t know how to do this. I don’t know how to let anyone else in.”
“I’m already in, Grace. Even if it’s only the smallest bit, I’m already in.”
“You can’t, Wyatt.” She slowly pulled her hand out of mine. “You need to have a life. Fooling around with Megan while still hanging out with me and Chloe isn’t a life. I don’t need a babysitter. I’m okay.”
“Is that what you think I’m doing?” I reached out for her hand again, and she let me take it. “Do you think I’m just babysitting you? Making sure my partner’s wife is surviving?”
“Kind of.”
“Grace…”
“I don’t want to be some charity case. It’s been a year. We’re okay. You don’t have to keep doing this.”
I let go of her hand, stood, and walked over to Mike’s picture. Come on, buddy. Help me out here. I placed my hands on the shelf holding his picture. The war we were fighting was different than I had originally assumed. I was fighting to stay with her, but she was fighting for me to go. I needed her to fight for us.
“You’re not some charity case, Grace. That’s not it at all.” I turned around and looked into her glossy eyes as they fought back the tears. I didn’t know what to do. “Don’t you see that I want to be here? You have to see it.”
“I don’t know what I see, Wyatt. Everything’s just really confusing. I’ve been taking advantage of your friendship for so long that I never saw how it was keeping you from having a normal life.”
How could I tell her that she was my life? I wanted so badly to say the words, but they refused to come.
“I think you’re overthinking things,” I said. “We’re friends. I’m not losing that.”
“Friends,” she paused, looked down and nodded.
The world around us fell silent. I didn’t know what to say as she stood up and began to walk away.
“Grace,” I called out just before she went down the hall.
She turned around, keeping her eyes down. I walked over to her and pulled her into my arms. She hugged back, resting her head on my chest. I couldn’t remember the last time we’d shared a hug like this. Probably Mike’s funeral, and just like then, I felt like I was losing my best friend.
“I want to be whatever you want me to be,” I said gently into her ear. “Just let me be in your life.”
She turned her face into my chest, her arms squeezed tighter around me. “You promise you’re not just babysitting me?”
“The farthest thing from it,” I whispered as I breathed in her scent. I pressed my lips against the top of her head. There was no other excuse for the action but to show her I was here for reasons other than babysitting.
“I’m sorry, Wyatt.”
“You have nothing to be sorry about. You should never feel worried about talking things out with me. That’s what we do. We talk things out. I’m always here for you, and it has nothing to do with Mike. I’m here because I need to be. I need to be here with you or I’ll go insane.”
She lifted her head from my chest and gazed up at me. My eyes focused on her lips. I swore she was looking at mine too, but I couldn’t kiss her yet. I moved my hands to her cheeks, slowly brushed my lips against her forehead, and pulled her into me. I didn’t want this moment to end. I wanted to keep her in my arms like this forever. The thought of losing her was crippling, but being able to stand with her like this made it almost worth it. She was worth everything.
“You know,” I said quietly. “The day after tomorrow is New Year’s Eve. You better rest up because I’m going to wear you out.”
Her grip around me loosened as she stepped back and stared wide-eyed.
“We are going to dance for at least five hours,” I clarified.
She laughed it off. “I guess I better wear flats then.”
“Yeah, because I’m not carrying your stinky ass around Dixie’s.”
She pushed me away and headed down the hall. “Don’t deny it. You like my stinky ass.”
I watched her walk away, my eyes taking in the small of her back, moving down to that very same ass. There was not a damn thing wrong with it. It definitely wasn’t stinky.
“Oh, you have no idea.”
She turned around, catching my gaze. A smile crossed her face as she walked into the bathroom, the door closing silently behind her. I released all of my stress in a single breath. I smiled to myself. All of this weirdness was only because she didn’t think I shared her feelings, but I did. Everything seemed so clear now. She wanted to be with me.
—
Her fingers brushed softly up my arm, her bare body pressed against my back. I reached back for her hand and wrapped it around me, placing her palm on my heart. She pressed her lips to my back and rested her chin on my shoulder.
“I love you, Wyatt,” she whispered in my ear.
A smile rose up my cheeks. I wanted to look into her eyes when I said it back. I turned over and my face planted into the back of the sofa. My eyes popped open and I realized the moment I was having, snuggling with Grace was just a dream. I scooted off the sofa and wiped the sleep out of my eye. I was still at her house. The smell of bacon filled the air. I walked into the kitchen to find Grace at the stove, wearing nothing but extremely short shorts and a tank top. Her eyes were fixated on me; although, it wasn’t exactly my face drawing her attention. I looked down and realized I wasn’t wearing a shirt and my pants were still unbuckled. I hung my thumbs from my belt loops, but this caused my pants to sag a little more. I might have let things become extremely uncomfortable in the best way possible, but the smell of burning distracted me.
“I think the eggs are done, Gracie.” I told her.
“Huh?” She didn’t turn away.
“The eggs, Gracie. The eggs.”
“Oh!” Laughing, she lifted the pan and scraped them into a plate. “Sorry. I’m still pretty tired.”
“Uh huh,” I whispered as I walked to her and reached for the plate of eggs.
She cleared her throat and followed me to the table with a plate of stacked bacon. “Sorry, it got so hot last night. I forgot to turn the heat down before I went to sleep.”
“I don’t mind.” I cocked my eyebrow and checked her out, not trying to be discreet. I reached for the mug of coffee sitting next to an empty plate. “Do you mind?”
“Um…”
I took a sip and continued staring at her. This was way too much fun.
“Well, it’s still a little hot.”
I could have taken her comment in so many directions, but I decided to take it easy on the first day of active pursuit. “We’ll cool down soon enough. It’s still winter out there.”
“By the way …” She glanced away from the eggs and bacon
. “Did you just call me Gracie?”
“I did. I figured you might prefer that over Stinky.”
She stared at me a moment, pondering this new name.
“It’s definitely a lot better than Stinky.” She handed me the plate of bacon.
“I might still call you Stinky Gracie from time to time.” I traded her the plate of bacon for the plate of eggs.
“Well, it would be so unlike you if you didn’t.”
“I have to work a double today. Will y’all be okay tonight without me? I can come by when I get off, but that won’t be until about one in the morning.”
“We should be okay. Why are you working a double?”
“Well…” I didn’t know how much I should say. “I kind of wanted to take off both New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.”
“Oh, that makes sense,” she said. “It’s a big football day after all.”
“Something like that.” She was so oblivious sometimes. It was adorable. “Maybe I can make Chloe that lasagna she likes on New Year’s.”
“You want to spend New Year’s Day with us?”
“I’ve gotten kind of used to being here, but I don’t have to come over if you don’t want me to.”
“Hey.” She rested her hand on my leg. “Don’t think that. I do want you here. I’ve kind of gotten used to you being here, too.”
“Are you sure don’t want me to come over after work tonight?” I grabbed the hand resting on my leg.
“Well, I do, but I think I need to have a talk with Chloe.”
I didn’t hide my smile as I nodded. While I should probably have told her about the conversation I had with Chloe a few days ago, I had a feeling Chloe would fill her in tonight when they talked.
“I bet she’s excited about her New Year’s Eve slumber party.” I had to change the subject or I’d never leave this house.
“She is. That’s where she went last night. They had to plan the music. Apparently, it’s essential to the party.”
“Her words, I’m sure.”
“I have no idea where she gets her brain from.”
“Says the ER nurse. That’s not exactly an easy profession, you know. And you did it while raising her. From where I’m sitting, it seems pretty obvious how Chloe got so smart.”
She smirked. “You’re laying it on thick this morning.”
“Oh, you haven’t seen anything yet.” I rose from the table and grabbed my plate. “Thank you for breakfast, Gracie.”
I kissed the top of her head and left to have a shower, leaving her to her thoughts. A cold shower would be mandatory. I had to curb my natural impulse to love her completely. New Year’s Eve was going to change everything, and I couldn’t wait for what was to come.
December 30th
OUR DRIVE BACK to town was quiet. The emotional wall that had been built up brick by brick had been bulldozed, the path to the future now clear of all obstacles. As Grace took the exit from the highway, I reached over for her hand. She held it tight while managing the road. We approached the town’s lonely signal light. She pulled to a stop even though there was no traffic. I brushed my thumb against her knuckle. She glanced up at me, a smile teasing at the corner of her lips. One day, I told myself, I would kiss that beautiful smirk of hers. Tomorrow night, I would have her in my arms for hours. The thought brought a smile to my face, a smile I didn’t bother to hide. From now on, I would let her see how happy she made me. I wanted to be the person to make her smile in the way she deserved. I wanted her to see it was okay to be happy.
The car honking behind us jarred us both back to reality. She eased on the gas, releasing a quiet giggle. It wasn’t long before we turned into the station parking spot and pulled up next to my truck. I was still holding her hand. I noticed she was staring at our hands again. When she peered up at me, her brows furrowed but the smirk still teased her lips. It was clear all of this was still confusing for her, but I could tell she was ready.
“Just call or text if you need anything,” I told her. “I’ll come right over.”
She rolled her eyes. “We’ll be fine, Wyatt.”
“I know, but that doesn’t mean I will be. Just text me anyway and let me know y’all are okay.”
She nodded. I gave a final, reassuring squeeze of her hand and let it go. I opened the car door and got out. If I stayed any longer, I would never leave and we’d both be late for work. I started to walk away before realizing she wasn’t pulling away. I turned and saw her sitting in her car, waiting. I waved for her off. Her smirk spread into a full grin. I stood fixed in place, refusing to turn away until I saw her reverse from the parking spot and pull away, driving off down Main Street.
I crossed the empty street and stared up into the sky. Behind the grey clouds, I could feel the sun trying to push its way through. I approached the building and pulled open the glass door. I walked into the station wearing a huge grin and a well-pressed shirt, but I didn’t care. I didn’t care about anything except Grace.
“Somebody’s happy.”
I glanced over at Charley and winked. I didn’t need to elaborate. I’d only kissed Grace’s head three times in the past ten hours, but I was walking around like I got laid just as many times. I knew I had a job to do, and I knew that job involved catching a murderer, but dammit, I just wanted to be happy for once. I turned down the hall and walked into my office. Of course, Lara was already there.
“How’d it go last night, partner?” She looked up from her files.
I continued to grin. “It went very well, I think.”
“Oooo…” She leaned in, resting her elbows on top of the files and giving me her full attention. “Any details?”
“We held hands,” I replied, dropping into my chair.
“Um …” She stared at me, waiting for me to elaborate. When I didn’t, she prodded me. “And?”
“And … I kissed the top of her head.”
“You kissed the top of her head?”
“Three times.” I grinned.
“Three times?”
“Yep.”
She leaned back in her chair. “And that’s why you look like a giddy school girl?”
“Yep.”
“How long have you been working on this?”
“Since last night.”
“So…” She leaned forward. “This isn’t a thing that’s been going on for a few months?”
“No, no.” I shook my head and stopped. “Well, perhaps, but I really didn’t realize there was any reciprocation until a few days ago.”
“You didn’t realize it?” She shook her head before looking back down at the files. “I’ll never understand men.”
“Where are we with finding Erica Gunter’s father?” I steered the conversation toward the task at hand.
“I put in a request for her birth certificate a few minutes ago. Hopefully, we’ll have a copy soon.”
“Well, we already know she had her mother’s last name, indicating the father really wasn’t a part of her life in any meaningful way.”
“He could’ve been after the inheritance, though. There’s a motive, at least.”
“I just can’t understand how someone could kill their own child for money.”
“I’ve seen it before. It’s not that uncommon.”
“Really?”
“It’s about time this small town catches up with the rest of the world.”
She looked as if she were about to say more, but stopped when her computer dinged, alerting her to a new email. She clicked it open.
“Eddie Williams,” she said, typing into her computer. “He works as a mechanic at a truck dealership in Hildebran.”
“Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go talk to him.”
I leapt from my chair and hurried toward the door as Lara put on her coat and grabbed her files on the way out. We walked into the lobby where we found Charley peering over the desk.
“Charley, tell the Sheriff we’re heading out to Hildebran to talk to Erica’s father,” Lara sai
d.
Charley silently nodded with narrow eyes focused on Lara.
“I have no idea why she’s so skeptical of me,” Lara said once we’d left the building.
“I’ve noticed that,” I said as we climbed into the police cruiser. “I’ve honestly never seen her like that with anyone. She’s usually very welcoming.”
“Maybe it’s a girl thing,” Lara offered as I pulled out of the parking spot and headed toward the highway. “I’m trying to be friendly.”
“Well, you’re not very approachable.”
Lara closed the file and straightened her back. “What do you mean? There’s nothing wrong with me.”
“You’ve only been here a couple of days. You’re not going to adjust to small town living that quickly. And the town won’t adjust to you fast either. Maybe when all of this is over, we can go out and everyone can get to know you better.”
“Do you think that would work?”
“It wouldn’t hurt if you wore a uniform instead of dressing like you work for the FBI.”
“No. I draw the line there. I will not be seen in that khaki get-up.”
“Come on, Atlanta. You gotta give a little here.”
“And I will, but not when it comes to fashion.”
“You should meet Caleb’s sister-in-law. She owns a boutique.”
“Oh, my God, he knows Ellie Harris? Do you know how big she is in Atlanta?”
I could only laugh. I didn’t bother telling her that Caleb’s wife worked at the boutique as well.
“So, what’s our angle here?” I asked to keep from participating in a discussion about southern fashion.
“We just need to find out if Eddie Williams had any kind of relationship with his daughter.”
“Well, we didn’t think she had a relationship with her uncle, and she obviously did. It’s possible she had a relationship with her father.”
“It just surprises me that she didn’t share anything about her life with any of her friends. Her roommate didn’t know about Erica’s relationships with her family. The bartender Jeremy didn’t know much of her either.”
“How is that surprising?” I asked.