by Kimbra Swain
“You really should stop using me as a crutch,” she said.
I laughed. “You make it easy, Grace. I suppose it is cheating, but I like to think we are helping people.”
“If you keep it up, someone might question our relationship,” she said with a wink. “Business relationship.”
I sighed. We had no relationship anymore. You could barely call us friends. “Thanks for the clarification, Grace,” I said, trying to hide the bitterness in my voice.
“Hey now, none of that. You are a happily settled man,” she said reminding me once again that I supposedly had a happy relationship with my fake girlfriend.
“I’m just settled, Grace,” I said. I had lost my patience, and the last thing I wanted to do was take my frustrations out on her. “Come on, get out of that water so I can take you back to your truck.”
She kicked in the water, giving me playful looks. These were the moments I hated. She would flirt, then I would shut her down when all I wanted to do was take her home and make love to her. She splashed me with the water, and I scowled at her.
“Grace, stop. I’m working,” I said, trying to deter her.
“Who pissed in your cheerios this morning?” she asked.
I didn’t want to tell her that I regularly piss in my own cheerios by continuing to torture myself by staying in Shady Grove for her. “Nobody. Come on. I gotta get back,” I said, even though I didn’t. She was driving me nuts.
She put her hands on her hips, tilted her head to the side, and said, “No, not until you tell me why your panties are in a wad?”
I finally coaxed her out of the water. She was determined to fish something out of me. I suppose I had been toying with ideas lately. Ways to get out of the situation with Stephanie, so I could be free of her. Even if I couldn’t have Grace, at least I could get Stephanie, who lived to make my life hell, out of my hair.
I finally gave into Grace’s persistent asking about my foul mood. I told her about my long relationship with Stephanie without giving any details as to our true arrangement. The truth was, I had bought a ring for Stephanie a very long time ago. Stephanie had said not long after we started dating that she liked our relationship just as it was. That we didn’t need to get married. That was when I tucked the ring away in the safe at the house. I never intended to use it. It was a symbol of the life I dreamed about but made a huge mistake in the choosing. In fact, to torture myself even more, I put the ring inside the teacup in the safe. That way I could look at my stupidity every time I opened it. I’d never give anyone that ring. I dared to think of giving one to Grace, but it wouldn’t be that one.
I’d had the wedding dream twice since that first time. Little details changed each time, but I still had it. I had hope that one day I could live that dream. Until then, I had to find a way to get rid of Stephanie. I weaved a story for Grace that she latched on to. She even advised me to “shit or get off the pot,” which was just so much like her. It did inspire me. I needed to make a move, for my own sanity. It was time for Stephanie to go.
“You and your vulgar mouth,” I teased her.
“You like my mouth,” she flirted. Damn. She had no idea the things I wanted to do with her mouth. The way her eyes flared, though, maybe she did.
We laughed and joked until I dropped her off at her truck. I immediately called Jeremiah.
“I need to talk to you,” I said before he got a greeting out of his mouth.
“I’m tied up, Dylan,” he drawled.
“I don’t care. Now. At the bar,” I said.
“I’ll be there in a few minutes. I am waiting on Grace. Have you seen her?” he asked.
“She’s headed home now,” I said. “We had to find an old fella that went missing this morning.”
“Did she find him?” he asked.
“You know that she did,” I replied.
“Alright. Let me talk to her. I’ll be there shortly,” he said, hanging up.
I drove to the bar formulating what I wanted to say to him in my head. I wasn’t backing down. I was tired of playing this game. Even though I talked to Grace like I was talking about Stephanie, the truth was I was talking about my deal with the Sanhedrin and Jeremiah. I wanted out. It was time to shit or get off the pot.
Dylan
Nestor poured me a cup of coffee. I’d told him what I wanted to do, and he approved. He had always seemed to support the idea of Grace and me being together. I could tell that he had a vested interest in her well-being, so telling him my plan meant a lot. It meant even more that he was with me.
Jeremiah busted into the bar grumbling something about a difficult fairy. I laughed because Grace must have given him hell. Served him right.
“That woman. I swear. She is so trying sometimes,” he said.
“Yep,” I said, grinning over my coffee cup.
Nestor poured him a cup, then pulled out his stool to sit down.
“What do you want?” Jeremiah asked taking a sip of the coffee.
“I’m asking Stephanie to leave the house today. I wanted you to know. We aren’t getting any more information from her, and I’m tired of the charade,” I said. “She’s leaving. Today.”
“You are right. We’ve got nothing new through her since last year. I should have known after those shenanigans at the moonshine house that she wouldn’t cooperate,” he said. “Fine. Kick her out, but I warn you. It’s probably bad timing, but I gave Grace permission to go out tonight.
“And do what?” I asked.
“You know. She needs to let off some steam. You might want to steer clear of the bar tonight,” he said.
“I think I’ll come to take my chances,” I said.
“Grace is off-limits,” he said.
“No, she isn’t. Not anymore. I don’t work for you, Jeremiah. I have a new boss,” I said.
He laughed. “The Sanhedrin are the law around here, Dylan.”
“Last time I checked, I was the law,” I said. “What exactly would the Sanhedrin do if I decided to pursue Grace?”
He shook his head and swore. “I thought you got all of this nonsense out of your head. We’ve got a replacement for your job. Once we get the boy here, he will control her,” he said.
“I don’t care who you bring into this town. I love her, and I won’t let her go,” I said.
“Who is this new boss you are taking orders from?” he asked.
“Me,” Nestor replied.
Jeremiah’s eyes widened in surprise. Nestor told me who he was, and how he was related to Grace. He gave me the last little bit of information that I needed to make my move. I had to swear to never tell her. He wanted to do that on his own, which I completely understood. He promised to do it soon so that I didn’t have to live with another lie.
“You have no say in the matter,” Jeremiah said. “Oberon decides everything. You know that.”
“I know. I sent a message through the ways. It seems that he has no objections to Grace and Dylan pairing up. In fact, he took it as though it was a given. Are you playing both sides, Jeremiah?” Nestor asked.
Jeremiah got up to pace the room. He grumbled to himself. “No, I’m not playing both sides, but you need to understand, that I work for Oberon first, then the Sanhedrin. What he says goes.”
“And if he gave his permission for me to be with Grace?” I asked.
“Then you have my permission as well,” Jeremiah relented.
I smiled. It was time. I needed to get home and get that woman out of my house. I suddenly felt free.
“Don’t get ahead of yourself there, Dylan,” Jeremiah interrupted my reverie.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
I swear I saw the devil in his eyes. “She is a one-night stand kind of girl. It’s all she’s allowed. Just because your situation changed, doesn’t mean that hers did. She gets one night. Is that what you want, Dylan? One night? Because she won’t do anything more than that. Her fear of being cast out of Shady Grove is greater than her need to fuck the same man twice.
You aren’t any different.”
“If it is with me, then she can be released from that restriction. You told me that before I came here,” I protested.
“A lot of things have changed since then. There is no way the Sanhedrin would approve it,” he said. “One night. Are you going to torture yourself for one night, Dylan?”
“You, worthless asshole! Why are you doing this?” I asked him.
“Dylan, you had your chance, and you botched it. These are the consequences of your bad decisions. Now, if you convince her to take her inheritance, become the fairy queen she should be, then I think there might be something in it for you,” he said.
“You suppress her at every turn. Why do you want her to be that now?” I asked.
“She’s ready,” he said. “I want to see what she does tonight. It will be interesting to see what man she seduces. Which guy in town would suit her best. Perhaps Caleb Martin or Michael Handley?”
The thought of her with any of them made me sick to my stomach. I couldn’t believe he was doing this. He was always a step ahead. I had to decide. One night with Grace. Or let her fuck someone else. Anger welled up in me, and my fists turned to ember. I stared at Jeremiah who looked visibly disturbed. “You will stop fucking with our lives,” I said. “Or I will beat you to a pulp. Do you understand me?”
“Dylan, calm down,” Nestor urged. “Jeremiah, perhaps you should go. Don’t come back in here.”
“What?” Jeremiah said.
“You heard me. Don’t come back. You aren’t welcome. She is my blood. Dylan is good for her, and you know it. You just can’t stand it that your control over this town is coming to an end. If she takes her rightful place, you will become nothing,” Nestor said. “Just remember that I don’t just speak for myself, but I speak for every Unseelie fairy in this town. Grace will be our queen one day. I’d love nothing more than for Dylan to stand by her side. It’s where he belongs.”
“This isn’t over, Nestor,” Jeremiah warned.
“Yes, it is. If you hurt him, I will come after you. The tables have turned, Jeremiah. It’s only a matter of time,” I said.
“I’m going to get the boy. When I get back with him, you will see that you have no chance with her anymore,” Jeremiah said.
I laughed. No child would be able to ensnare Grace. She would see right through it. Jeremiah left in a tizzy. Nestor looked worried, but I trusted his judgment.
“What do I do? Stay away for tonight, or come in here?” I asked.
“Could you really stay away knowing she’s free for the night?” he asked, knowing I couldn’t. Even if I didn’t make a move on her, I’d be here to torture myself.
“See you tonight,” I said rushing out the door to kick Stephanie out of my house.
Dylan
Stephanie left the house in a rage vowing to make me pay. She swore up and down that Grace would never have me, and that if she did, I’d never be happy with a fairy who suppressed her true self. I spent more time in my room picking out something to wear to Hot Tin. My bedroom was now downstairs after Stephanie had moved back in the last time. It didn’t matter now. Tonight, was the night. I didn’t want to overdo it. I knew Grace. She wasn’t drawn to flashy things. I needed to be casual, but not too casual. Thankfully, no one would ever know exactly how much time I spent picking out clothes that night. I might have had to turn in my man card if anyone found out.
I parked at Hot Tin, and it was already busy inside. When I entered, Nestor smiled at me, popping the top off a beer. I took a sip. “That one is on me,” he said.
“Thanks, Nestor. Any sign of her?” I asked.
“Not yet, but she will be here,” he said.
I walked past a table full of ladies. One of them spoke to me. Trish Dixon was her name.
“Sheriff, you look very nice tonight. Can I buy you a drink?” she asked.
“No thanks,” I muttered, taking a chair at a table alone. I sat waiting for Grace. The night got later and later. I drank another beer as I waited. Trish and her group of girls whispered. I could hear them. They were talking about Stephanie, and how if they had a man like me, they would treat me better.
The wait became unbearable. The past five years passed through my head. I’d made so many mistakes, but they all started right here the night I walked out with Stephanie instead of staying for Grace. I could have had her to myself. Tonight, I would have to settle for watching her go home with someone else or have her myself hoping that by some miracle it would be enough to last.
When she walked in the door, I almost fell off my chair. Her dress barely covered her ass. The boots she wore traveled up her leg to her thighs. From my vantage point, I could see the entire curve of her breast. “Fuck me,” I muttered. I knew then that there was no way in hell I was letting her leave that place with anyone but me.
She sauntered to the bar with every eye on her. Even the women stared. I heard Trish’s not-a-whisper mutter, “Trailer trash.” Grace ignored it. There was no way she didn’t hear it. I watched her as she downed two shots of tequila. Nestor watched her carefully, cutting his eyes to me as she leaned on the bar. I wanted to jump up and cover her ass before she showed it to the whole room. I had to remind myself that while in my mind I considered Grace to be mine, she wasn’t. Not yet.
She walked to the jukebox, but still didn’t notice me. When she was close enough, I decided to speak.
“Hello, Grace,” I said, waiting for her to turn to me. I wanted to see the look in her eyes when she saw me here. Would she be happy? Sad? Excited? None of those things really described Grace. She was always a bundle of controlled chaos.
Her eyes locked with mine and a hint of mischief crossed them. I liked that. “Hello, Dylan. How are you this evening?” she asked casually.
“I’ve been better,” I admitted. The mischief left her eyes, and I saw genuine concern. I remembered the moments we shared that she didn’t remember. I knew the look.
“Good grief, Sheriff. Are you drunk?” she asked, reminding me of my position without scolding me for a public display that might compromise my job.
“Not yet,” I grumbled. If the night went badly, I intended to drink myself into an oblivion.
“What the hell happened to you?” she asked, leaning back on the jukebox. She folded her arms beneath her breasts. They bunched up making two perfectly rounded mounds resting on her arm. I couldn’t take my eyes off them.
Shaking it off, I decided that I needed to make a move. “Come here. Let me buy you a drink. A thank you for your help today,” I said. She walked over to the table, leaning over on it. My eyes went straight to her breasts but then realized that she bent so far over that every man in the place was getting a good look at her ass. Shit. I couldn’t be distracted and jealous at the same time.
“Damn. Really? What the hell is wrong with you? Every time I see you, you flirt with me. Now you can’t even give my tits a good look,” she complained. I got a very good look. I just didn’t want anyone else looking. She finally stood back up, walking to the bar. She slammed back two more shots. I wondered how much alcohol it would take to get her drunk. I wasn’t sure she could even get drunk.
“Just give me a Crown,” she told Nestor who obliged her. I nodded to him. He knew to put her drinks on my tab, even if she didn’t know it. She sat down across from me. She had the sultry turned up to high heat. Her lips were red. I wanted them so badly. I had waited to kiss her. Jeremiah didn’t say he would remove her memories. Not this time. It needed to be right. I needed her to remember. Even if this was one chance until I could really have her without interference, I wanted her to remember this night.
“You were right about Stephanie,” I said, which was my euphemism for the restrictions that Jeremiah had placed on me.
“What about her? Dylan, did you propose to her?” she asked.
I avoided the whole truth by giving her part of it. “Let’s just say she’s packing her stuff to leave. Hey Ness, give me something stronger,” I called out to
him. I wasn’t going to make it through this on beer alone. Plus, I knew Grace. She hated beer. Nestor brought me a matching glass of Crown. She held her glass up, and I tapped mine against hers. I took a sip, feeling the alcohol burn down my throat. “What did we toast to?”
“Bowel movements,” she said, deadpan. Thankfully, I didn’t have any liquid in my mouth or I would have sprayed it everywhere. She was hilarious when she wanted to be.
“Damn, Grace. You are so vulgar,” I said. I loved it.
“I have not yet begun to be vulgar. For what it’s worth, I’m sorry it didn’t work out. Five years is a long time to end up with nothing but a broken heart,” she said. It was kindly meant, and I took it as such. My heart wasn’t broken, but she could tear it apart. I’d let her do it too.
“My heart isn’t broken,” I tried to assure her.
“Sure looks broken to me,” she said.
“Trust me. It’s not. I’m just realizing how stupid I’ve been,” I said with complete, utter truth. Finally, I didn’t have to lie to her. Even if she was thinking of it in the wrong context, my words were true. It felt good.
“That’s an epiphany,” she teased. “Deep thoughts by Dylan Riggs.” The only deep thought I was having right now was how deep I could bury…shit. Stop it, Riggs.
“I should thank you,” I said because she was the one who pushed me to make a change without even knowing it. “So, did Jeremiah let you off your leash?” I knew the answer to that, but I wanted to get her riled up. I loved it.
“That’s rude, Dylan. Jeremiah Freyman does not dictate my sex life,” she said. But he did.
“He told me he regulates you,” I said, sipping the liquor. I gained more courage with every sip.
She got nervous, twitching in her seat. “Can we not talk about this here?”
“I’m sorry. It’s just all very curious to me. But clearly, you are the predator here, so who is the prey?” I wondered if she had picked out someone ahead of time like she had Joey Blankenship.