by Tara Randel
Eyes wide, pupils dilated, she managed to get out, “Nathan?”
“I don’t know, but there were officers positioned by the car.”
She sent him a jerky nod. He reached up to take her pulse, concerned by the rapid pace.
“Cold.”
Shock. He gently pried her hand away to inspect the damage the bullet had caused. Grace winced but allowed him to look. The skin was puckered, red and steadily bleeding, but Deke didn’t want to jostle her to find out if the bullet had penetrated. Prayed it hadn’t. But he could tell it hadn’t hit an artery.
Tearing the bottom of his T-shirt, he formed a makeshift bandage to at least stanch the blood flow until help arrived. Once he had the torn fabric in place, he hauled her into his arms. Held on to her with all his strength. “I’ve got you.”
She tried to hug him and gasped.
“Stay still. I won’t let go of you.”
Grace pulled back. Blinked at him. “You came.”
“Of course I came.”
What if Nathan hadn’t gone to the cabin? Handled these guys on his own? Grace could have suffered far worse and he wouldn’t have been able to do a single thing about it. As it was, he was appalled that she’d been shot while he was so close.
He shuddered as he recalled the shot—ringing in the night. The muzzle flash. Grace’s cry of pain.
“Not—not your fault,” she stuttered.
No, but he might not have made it to her in time. And then where would they be? “I should have insisted Nathan go to the authorities right away.”
A half-hearted laugh escaped her lips. “You can’t make Nathan do anything.”
“And you shouldn’t have put yourself in danger.”
“It was either Mama or me.”
He gazed at this amazing woman as if she were the most precious gift in his life. Which she was. He admired her loyalty—even if he didn’t agree with it 100 percent—the way she took care of others with no thought to herself. He loved her spunk. But most of all, he loved the way she’d filled a gaping void in his heart. Filled it with love and laughter.
And he’d almost lost her.
In the distance, sirens blared, red and blue flashing in the dark, starless sky. Grace shifted beside him and moaned.
“You’re going to be fine, Grace.”
“Easy for you to say.”
Soon, there were paramedics asking him to move away from Grace so they could evaluate her. It was all he could do to let her go, but he stayed out of their way. All that mattered was Grace. Once her vitals were taken and her arm stabilized, they helped her onto a stretcher and rolled her to the ambulance.
As they moved, she reached her hand out. Deke ran over, squeezed her moist fingers. “I’ll see you at the hospital.”
Nodding, she closed her eyes and her arm went limp.
* * *
GRACE WOKE TO the sound of beeping and an antiseptic smell that made her nose wrinkle. She opened her eyes, scoping out her surroundings. Hospital, for sure. But what had... Oh, yeah. She’d been shot. Before she could stop them, the events of the night crashed over her.
Moving, she felt a searing pain shoot down her left arm. She tilted her head. Thick white gauze bandaged her upper arm. When she tried to sit up, a heavy hand against her shoulder stopped her. Turning her neck, she met Deke’s gaze.
“You were shot, Grace. You’re at the hospital.”
“I already figured that out.” She squiggled around as Deke adjusted the pillow so she could sit up. When the motion winded her, she paused to catch her breath.
“The bullet caught the outer part of your arm, a little deeper than a graze but no major damage. Doc says you’ll need to take it easy.”
“And Nathan?”
“He’s okay. With the authorities.”
“You let them take him?”
“I didn’t have any choice. Besides, they need his help.”
She closed her eyes. Swallowed. “To testify against those men who took me tonight?”
“Yes. And their boss.”
Tears trickled from her closed lids. “I’d hoped to avoid that.”
“He wants to, Grace.”
Her eyes flew open. “Even knowing the danger?”
“Because of his actions, you could have been killed tonight. It rattled him, Grace.”
“He can’t handle this alone.” She went to flip off the covers and escape from the bed but Deke—and the side rails—stopped her. The IV needle pinched her hand when she inadvertently tugged it too far.
His voice sounded oddly strangled when he asked, “Where do you think you’re going?”
“Nathan needs a lawyer.”
“And he’ll get one. But not you.”
“Yes, me. I have to talk to him. Make sure he doesn’t do or say anything the authorities can use against him.”
“Grace, relax. You can’t fix this.”
She huffed and then slumped back onto the mattress. “I can try.”
A thin smile curved his lips. “Stubborn to the end.”
The room grew silent, except for the monitoring machine noises Grace found annoying. Deke stayed by her bedside, his woodsy scent overpowering the antiseptic hospital smells.
“Thank you,” she said.
“I did what I could.”
She blew out a breath. “By inserting yourself in our problems. I never asked you to.”
“But I would do it all again.”
She couldn’t meet his gaze. “I don’t know how to repay you.”
“How about giving us a chance?”
Oh, how she wanted to. But there were too many Harper issues she had to deal with first. “Deke, I can’t. Not right now.”
His voice went flat. “Ever?”
“Let me take care of family matters. Then when I get back to Atlanta, we’ll see.”
“Until there’s another excuse?” He took her hand in his. “I almost lost you tonight. Do you know how scared I was?”
She shook her head.
“Family problems will always exist, Grace. But you don’t have to solve every single one of them. Our time is now, if we’re brave enough to take it.”
She bit her bottom lip, unsure what to do. She’d always taken care of her family. How could she do anything else? But Deke was offering her a life full of love. Did she dare take it?
“I want there to be an us, but...”
“You’ll always put your family first.”
She nodded.
A flicker of emotion flashed across his face, then it was gone. “That’s not good enough for me.”
She reached out her hand but he stepped back. Before she could say anything else, her mother and sister rushed into the room, full of concern and questions. The moment was lost.
As her family fussed over her, she looked over their heads. Watched Deke, his shoulders rigid, walk out of the room, and she realized she’d just made the worst mistake of her life.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Three weeks later...
DEKE EXITED THE federal building in Atlanta, loosening his tie as he went. Squinted against the bright sun beating down on him. He reached for the sunglasses tucked in his jacket pocket, then put them on. It would be a scorcher in the city today. He unbuttoned the top button of his dress shirt and stretched out his collar. Finally, he could breathe. The suit he’d worn restricted his movements, much like the oppressive mood that had descended over him while driving downtown this morning.
He’d been called in for questioning on Nathan’s case. Ready to throw him under the bus—well deserved in his mind since Nathan had unwittingly put Grace in danger—he’d had second thoughts after hearing Grace’s opening comments.
Yes, she was there to advise her brother.
No, he and Grace hadn’t spoken to each ot
her since the night in the hospital.
He’d entered the cool room on the third floor, quickly taking in the scene as he’d been trained. Federal agents reviewed notes and discussed the case. Grace, dressed in a power suit, reading a document while Nathan, in an ill-fitting suit, sat beside her, fidgeting in his chair. Taking a seat in the corner, he waited for Grace to notice he was there. She looked at her brother, then stopped and scanned the room. Their gazes met. Regret swam in her eyes.
She’d made good on her choice. Family first. Deke accepted her decision. Fighting her wasn’t going to earn him any points, so he’d pretty much stayed out of her space. Mostly because he didn’t want to hear any more reasons why she’d chosen her family over him. He understood, to a point. Had hoped that the feelings between them would have taken precedence. He was wrong.
The questioning went on and on. Deke finally had a chance to see Grace in professional action and had to admit, he was impressed. And surprised. She didn’t downplay her brother’s role in the events that had led to the perps’ showing up in Golden. In fact, she stressed that once Nathan finished helping the police, he’d accept his punishment. Within reason.
Her caveat earned her a small smile.
Then Deke was called to answer questions about the night in the park and was free to go.
Free to go where? he wondered.
Shrugging out of his jacket, he’d taken a few steps toward the parking lot when someone called his name. Not just someone. Grace.
“Deke. Wait up.”
He paused. Schooled his expression. Grace had torn up what was left of his heart, but he didn’t have to disclose the power she held over him.
“Hey.” Dressed in her pinstriped suit and those high heels she loved to wear, she stopped to take a deep breath. A lingering result of the bullet wound? Probably. But other than that, she looked good. Still beautiful as ever, sunlight brightening her blond hair, her green eyes sparkling, her face full of healthy color, unlike the gray pallor he’d worried over the last time he’d seen her in the hospital room.
He acknowledged her greeting. “Grace.”
She lifted the hand not holding her briefcase. “I’m sorry I haven’t talked to you since...well, you know. It’s been a hectic few weeks.”
He nodded, finding himself unable to speak. If he’d thought seeing her again was going to be easy, he was dead wrong.
Her confidence slipped at his silence. “So...uh... I wanted to thank you for continuing to work for Mama. It’s been a big help and she appreciates it.”
He shrugged. “With Nathan gone she still needs a guide and I’m happy to stick with the job.”
“Still deciding if you’ll go back to GBI?”
His job, like his life, it seemed, was on hold. “Something like that.”
She shook her head. Seemed to search for words. “I’m actually surprised at how well Mama and Faith are doing together.”
“Once her ankle healed your mother was ready to work.”
“I think knowing you’re there has made Mama feel safe. And Faith seems focused.” Grace let out a short laugh. “I have to hand it to her. As much as I was ticked that she took off with Lyle, it made sense that they went away to talk. Figure out where they stood with each other before making any big decisions.”
“She’ll be fine without Lyle. Your mother’s fantastic with the kids and Roy is back in town.”
“Imagine that. The Harpers getting their acts together.”
“Which means they don’t need you, Grace. You can finally focus on your career.”
An emotion he couldn’t name passed over her eyes. “About that—”
Deke held up a hand to stop her. “It’s okay, Grace. You made your choice. Live your life and be happy.”
“I would, if—”
“Great seeing you. I need to get going.” Because really, he didn’t want to know what the if was. If she’d wanted to get together, she’d had three weeks to call him. If she’d had second thoughts about working in Atlanta, she would have moved home. He hadn’t seen her car at the cabin, so he assumed she’d gone back to her apartment in Atlanta. Either way, there’d been only silence. He got the message loud and clear.
Sending her one final nod, he turned and strode to the Jeep. Seeing Grace was like losing what they’d started all over again. He didn’t want the rug pulled out from under his world a second time, which made him decide he couldn’t stay in Golden indefinitely. He’d be sure to run into her again and, after this brief talk, knew his heart wasn’t up to it. He’d go back to the office, give Wanda Sue his notice and assist in finding a replacement. Let Roy know he’d be moving out of the cabin. Then he’d be on his own again.
He’d just slid behind the wheel when his cell rang. Glancing at the caller ID, he picked up.
“Logan. I was going to touch base with you later.”
“Just wanted to give you a heads-up. I’m headed to Golden this afternoon. I did as much background research on Serena Stanhope and her father as I could get my hands on, which wasn’t much. Her father has a way of staying under the radar.”
“But you think you can get to the bottom of who the Stanhopes are?”
“Dude, how long have we been friends?” Logan chuckled. “I’ll get results. Count on it.”
“Good. We’ll meet up in town and go from there.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
Deke ended the call, then started up the Jeep. Once Logan had his investigation under way, Deke would leave Golden knowing he’d done his part to uncover the truth about James Tate, i.e., Stanhope. Then he had some serious decisions to make concerning his future.
Driving through city traffic frustrated him to no end. He finally relaxed once he saw the mountains in the distance. Traffic thinned out. His chest ached with a longing he recognized as a love for the small town he’d become a part of. Made him realize how much he’d miss Grace once he was gone.
In hindsight, he should have known better than to get involved in people’s lives when he first arrived in Golden. Solitary had worked just fine for him. Why did he have to go and mess with success? Because Grace gave you a glimpse of what happiness and being a partner with someone you loved could be like. Being alone didn’t hurt as much as putting yourself out there. Or falling in love. He’d forgotten that fact and wouldn’t make the same mistake in the future.
* * *
GRACE ARRIVED BACK at the high-rise glass building that housed the law firm to find a lopsided stack of files on her desk. The hustle of the busy office overwhelmed her: coworkers making calls, discussing strategies. Deadlines. There were always deadlines. After spending so much time in her small office in Golden, she’d forgotten how distracting all this activity could be.
Removing her jacket, she winced as she pulled her still-healing arm from the sleeve. She stored her purse in the bottom desk drawer and lightly rubbed her arm. The outcome of that night in the park could have been so much worse than the reality, she’d put up with a little discomfort.
Grace focused on the remainder of her day. With so many details to catch up on, she wondered if she’d ever make a dent in the pile of cases threatening to topple over on her desk. This was what she’d wanted, right? Her goal had been to return to the firm and here she was. She should be happy, yet deep down she had a sense she was missing something important.
After her injury, her family had taken over the reins of the business that she’d slowly started releasing during her leave of absence in Golden. Mama’s doctor had discovered her dizziness and falling episodes were due to an underactive thyroid. Now on medication, she went to the office every day without difficulty. Nathan was working with the authorities. It was too soon to tell what the outcome would be. The authorities hadn’t found her father, which was probably for the best. The Harpers didn’t need him in their lives. And Deke had been right. She needed to live her own life. T
hat night in the park had been a wake-up call, for everyone.
Deke. Oh, how she missed him. The way he’d brushed her off earlier as they stood outside the federal building, well, it wasn’t unexpected. He had every right to back off, just as she’d done to him that night in the hospital. In her defense, she hadn’t been thinking clearly. Pain, drugs and the drop in adrenaline had her falling back on old habits, thinking she alone could solve all the family problems. Only, she’d had time away from him to consider her choice, and honestly, the gravity of her mistake grew more real every day. She never should have let him walk out of her hospital room. Should have revealed what was in her heart. But after his cool reception today, did she still stand a chance? And if so, how in the world did she make this right?
The elevator bell dinged and she glanced around the office.
What am I doing here?
For all her attempts to escape Golden, she’d finally succeeded. Had reached her goal. That all changed when one tall, handsome man entered her life and made her think that maybe there was more than what she’d always dreamed of. A guy who was the opposite of her usual suit-and-tie type, who embraced the outdoors she’d tried to escape from for years. Questioned her motives while making her heart race whenever they were together. Deke saw what she couldn’t. Put Your Feet Up was truly a part of her, but wasn’t there room in life for more?
She genuinely liked him. Liked that he challenged her. Liked his take-charge attitude. Sure, he had baggage, but who didn’t? She’d never met a guy who made her laugh, made her think on her feet and, most important, made her consider moving into a serious relationship.
She loved him.
“Earth to Grace.”
Grace jumped at her coworker’s greeting. “Stacy. Hi.”
“Where were you?”
“Just thinking.” She smoothed her unwrinkled skirt. “What’s up?”
“Great news.” Stacy lowered the files in her arm to her side, looked over her shoulder and lowered her voice. “We just took on a major client and I’ve been asked to work on the case with Mr. Franks.”