Trish grinned. “I’d say that those two are a couple of smart cookies. They’ve seen what all the rest of us are just now beginning see. You two belong together Grace. It’s as plain as the nose on your face.”
Grace didn’t want to comment on that so she said, “Well, anyway, before the date, Brianna asked me when we were getting married and apparently Michelle asked Kent the same question.”
Trish laughed loudly. “Well, of course they would. But the question is how did you and Kent answer them? And better yet, what did you say to each other about it?”
Grace couldn’t help it. She had to laugh at the serious faces looking back at her now.
“Okay. Yes, we discussed it all right. But neither one of us is ready for another relationship for a while yet.” She grimaced. “At least I’m not ready for one, even with Kent.”
Betty Sue looked closely at her then said, “Okay, what else did you talk about last night?”
That seemed safe enough.
“We tried to fill each other in on what all we’ve done in the last nine years.”
Trish looked closely into Grace’s eyes and said, “I think you’re holding something back girl. Give.”
Grace smiled and nodded. “Yes, there is something else. Kent asked me to take Michelle to church with Brianna and me tomorrow.”
Trish looked shocked but before she could say anything, Grace explained. “You see, he wasn’t too happy about Michelle praying. At least not at first. He wanted to know if I’d taught her to pray.”
She paused to get her thoughts together. “When I assured him that I hadn’t, he said that his mom wanted to take Michelle to her church tomorrow. That’s when he said he’d rather that she went with me to our church.”
There wasn’t time for any more discussion since Grace’s parents both came out and joined them.
* * *
Kent was looking forward to the party that Grace’s parents were throwing to welcome her and Brianna back home. Of course, he was really only looking forward to spending more time with Grace.
As soon as he and Michelle entered the Livingston’s back yard, Michelle raced off with Brianna and each of his parents found friends of theirs, leaving him alone. That was exactly what he’d hoped would happen. Because now, he could go looking for Grace.
But before he could find Grace and hopefully get her alone so they could talk, Matt was standing in front of him, towering over him in fact. Kent knew there was no way he could get out of this interrogation. For that was exactly what he knew was coming.
He wasn’t disappointed either. Matt pointed to a couple of chairs that had been pulled off to the side away from everyone else, thus confirming Kent’s suspicion that Matt had planned this little confrontation.
Once they were both sitting, Matt glared at Kent and said, “All right. I want to know everything that happened last night and I want to know exactly how it happened too.”
Kent couldn’t help it. He started laughing and couldn’t stop until Matt slapped a huge hand down on a nearby table making a loud slapping sound.
“This is not a laughing matter Jackson.”
Kent figured he’d better get started giving the big guy what he wanted.
“Okay, we didn’t really talk that much. We just filled each other in on what has happened to each of us in the past nine years.”
Matt kept glaring at Kent so he said, “Well, I guess you could say that the most exciting part of the evening was when we realized that our daughters are not only trying to bring us together, but they are actually praying that we’ll get married.”
Kent leaned back in his chair when Matt’s face started turning red. He looked around, wondering if he should start planning his escape route.
Matt gripped his chair arms with both hands so tightly that Kent was afraid the plastic would shatter. Finally, Matt looked down at Kent, which he knew was intentional.
“What do you think about that possibility?”
Kent was so shocked at the question that he couldn’t think for a moment. “What … what do you mean Matt?”
Matt growled. Kent couldn’t believe it, he actually growled.
“I mean. What do you think about maybe marrying my sister someday? That’s what I mean.”
Kent was still trying to decide what would be the safest answer when Matt said, “Do you still love Grace?”
Now that question he could answer but did he want to answer it right now ... especially to her big brother?
Well, after looking at Matt’s face one more time, he decided he’d better answer it if he wanted to stay healthy.
“Yes, Matt, I do still love your sister and there’s nothing I’d rather do than marry her.”
While Matt was apparently thinking that over, Kent ventured to say, “I thought you weren’t going to stand in my way this time Matt.”
Matt didn’t answer right away. He just sat there shaking his big head from side to side with a huge frown on his face. Kent didn’t know whether to stay or run away, fast.
Finally, Matt smiled. Well, it wasn’t a real smile but it was close enough for Kent to relax into his chair a little.
“Okay, Kent, you’re right. I told you I’d stay out of it this time. But remember that I also said only as long as you treat Grace right.”
Before Kent could relax further, Matt went on. “But I do need to keep an eye on things if I’m going to make sure you treat her right.”
Kent knew that he wasn’t going to get any better than that. In fact, it was far more than he had expected a week ago. So he was glad to get that much.
When he finally got away from Matt, Kent began searching for Grace again but he couldn’t find her anywhere outside. He figured she must be in the kitchen but there’d probably be several other women in there with her. So he found a lawn chair near the kitchen door and waited, hoping she’d come outside soon.
When she finally did, she was carrying a large heavy looking pan of potato salad. He jumped up and took it from her.
“Where would you like for me to put this?”
She smiled up at him and he lost track of everything else that was going on around him, so much so that he didn’t even hear her answer.
“I’m sorry Grace. Where did you say?”
She giggled and pointed. “Over there on that large table where all the other salads are.”
He started walking that way hoping she would walk with him and was happy when she did.
“Just put it right here in front Kent. I’m sure it will be one most people will take from.”
She turned and started walking back toward the house. He knew that if he didn’t stop her quickly, it’d be too late.
He took off after her. “Grace?”
When she turned around, he said, “Would you be able to sit and talk with me for a few minutes? Please?”
He saw several emotions that he couldn’t identify, cross her face before she smiled and said, “I guess I can take a short break. Let me go in and tell my mom and I’ll be right back out.”
Kent felt like a teenager who’d finally worked up enough nerve to talk to the girl he had a crush on. He found a spot under a tree where several chairs were spread out. He pulled two of them together and waited there for her.
When Grace came back, she immediately sat in the chair next to Kent. She turned to him and said, “Was there something specific that you wanted to talk to me about Kent?”
Suddenly he was almost as tongue-tied at that teenager. Then he managed to say, “Yes. We didn’t talk about going out again last night. Would you like to ... go out again, that is?”
She smiled that smile at him again and he tried to dodge it this time so he could concentrate on her answer.
“Yes, Kent. I would like that very much.”
“Great! How about next Friday night then?”
“Sure. That would be nice.”
Now what? He couldn’t think of a single thing to talk about to keep her there and he definitely wanted to keep her
there at least a little longer.
* * *
Grace knew she was blushing but she couldn’t help it. Kent was staring at her so intently that it was starting to make her nervous. She was also beginning to wonder about his maturity. He was acting just like a teenager.
Kent finally said, “What would you like to do next Friday?”
She hadn’t really thought about it but suddenly she knew what she wanted to do. So she didn’t hesitate. “I would like to go bowling. Remember how much fun we used to have bowling with the gang in high school?”
Kent looked surprised at first but then as she explained her choice, he started grinning.
“I sure do. Those were some of my greatest memories of high school.” He seemed to think for a moment. “But of course going out for pizza later was even better.”
Grace clapped her hands together. “Oh Kent, could we do that too?”
He grinned back at her. “Sure we can.”
When she didn’t say anything else right away, he said, “But I guess you know that all of my fondest memories of back then included you in them.”
Wow! What could she say to that? Well, she’d wanted to know how he felt about her now, and didn’t he just give her a good indication?
She tried to steer the conversation toward safer subjects and for the next few minutes, they talked about some of the good times they’d had in high school. Grace was really beginning to feel comfortable with Kent now. In fact, she just realized that she hadn’t been as comfortable with him last night as she would have expected. She wondered why.
“Grace.”
The seriousness of Kent’s tone brought Grace out of her thoughts. “Yes Kent.”
“What happened to us?”
She was about to pretend that she didn’t know what he meant when he continued.
“I mean, we were always so close and then when you went to college, you more or less forgot all about me.”
What could she say? She really couldn’t think of anything so she tried stalling.
“Well, I guess we just grew apart.”
She could tell by the big frown on his face that he wasn’t going to accept that answer. So she thought about it for a moment while he continued to stare at her. She knew he was just waiting for an answer.
Finally, she looked into his eyes and said, “I guess I’m to blame for that Kent. I always loved my parents dearly and I also love our church.”
She leaned forward. “But when I got to college, all the other girls were doing things that I’d never done before, exciting things. I guess you could say that I kind of got caught up in all of that to the point where for a while, I simply forgot everyone back here in Strawberry, including my parents.”
She wanted to stop there but knew he deserved more. “I guess you too.”
When he seemed about to comment, she held up a hand to stop him.
“It wasn’t that I got into anything bad, I just went along with the crowd a little too much.”
She thought for a moment again. “That’s when I met Randy and he just swept me off my feet. He was two years older than me and he was always buying me things I’d never even dreamed of having.”
They sat there staring into each other’s eyes for a moment then she went on. “Then before I knew it, I’d agreed to marry him and live in St. Louis.”
She could see the hurt in his eyes and vowed right then that she was going to try to make it up to him.
She didn’t quite know what she expected him to say after all that she’d just said, but what he did say surprised her.
“I understand Grace.”
She waited for him to say more but he just stared at her. Right then, she knew without a doubt that he still loved her. But the big question in her mind was, what was she going to do about it?
More guests were beginning to come then and she knew she should get back in the kitchen to help her mom.
“Kent, I’ve really enjoyed talking with you, but my mom needs me now to help with the final preparations. I hope you don’t mind, but I do need to get in there and help her.”
“Sure, Grace. Go ahead. I basically wanted to make plans with you for Friday night.”
As Grace made her way into the house, she was so deep in thought about what she and Kent had just talked about that she didn’t realize the other three women were waiting for her so they could find out what she and Kent had been talking about.
She looked to her mom for help but saw immediately that she was just as eager to find out as the other two.
Grace looked from one to the other and said, “Well, I might as well save you a bunch of questions. I’ll tell you what Kent and I talked about.”
She sat at the table and began. “He asked me out again for next Friday night.” She held up her hand when they all started to talk at once.
“We are going bowling and then out for pizza, just like we used to do when we were in high school.”
Betty Sue clapped her hands together and said, “Oh how romantic.”
Grace was saved by her dad coming in from out back.
“Hey ladies. All the meat is on the table out there and we need to get started.”
He looked around at the four faces and said, “Okay. What did I interrupt this time?”
Grace’s mom laughed, grabbed her husband by the arm, and said, “I’ll tell you later Henry. Meanwhile, as you said, let’s get this party going.”
* * *
Grace was having a wonderful time. She didn’t normally like to be the center of attention, especially at a party. But this time was different in so many ways. Most of all, she was getting to see many people that she hadn’t seen for years. Several of her friends from high school were there with their families.
Of course, that made her just a bit uncomfortable when all three of the girls she’d spent a lot of time with in high school came with their husbands and children.
Being in the midst of the three couples was starting to bother her more and more when suddenly, Kent appeared at her side. Everything was so much better from that time on. She was so thankful to Kent for coming to her rescue that way that she didn’t even question his motive for doing so. She could tell that he knew what he was doing for her too. That made the gesture that much more meaningful.
She and Kent had moved away from that group and was heading toward where all the kids were playing when Kent leaned close to her ear and said, “I have a feeling that your ex-in-laws just came through the gate.
Grace swung her head around so fast that her long hair flew all around. Oh no! Yes, it was the Donaldson’s all right. Now what could she do. She and Kent were at least fifty feet from them and they were closer to the kids than she and Kent were. Oh my!
It only took one look at Meredith Donaldson’s face for Grace to know for certain that the woman meant to grab Brianna and leave with her. What could she do? She and Kent were still too far away to do anything.
Just when it appeared that Meredith would get to Brianna, Matt came out of nowhere and stepped in front of Meredith so quickly that she actually bounced off his chest or rather stomach. He reached down and laid a hand on each of her shoulders to keep her from falling backward.
Grace and Kent arrived just in time to hear Meredith screeching and then yelling at Matt. “Get your hands off me you big oaf. I’m going to get my granddaughter and you’d better not get in my way.”
By then, Grace was able to step up next to Matt as he confronted the angry woman. She was pleased to see that Kent was on her other side. Together, they formed a wall that the Donaldson’s couldn’t get around. That was when she saw that David Donaldson was standing a good ten feet behind Meredith. Interesting. Did that mean that he was no longer condoning his wife’s hysterical behavior? Grace sure hoped so.
She noticed that Matt too was looking at David and seemed to have made a decision. He started taking short steps toward Meredith, one at a time. Each time, she had to step back or bump into the huge man. Soon, Matt had backed Meredith
all the way back to the gate.
That was when, out of the corner of her eye, Grace saw Kent step around Meredith and past David to open the gate. As he did, David went through the gate and as Matt kept stepping toward her, Meredith did too.
Once she was through the gate, Kent slammed it shut. That was when Grace, and probably everyone else in the large backyard, heard Meredith screech again. “This isn’t the end of it missy. You’re going to hear more from us. You wait and see.”
Grace’s legs gave out on her and she would have fallen if Matt hadn’t wrapped a long arm around her shoulders and physically held her up. Kent was soon at her other side and two of the most special men in her life almost carried her over to a chaise lounge and laid her down on it.
Grace closed her eyes for a moment and when she opened them again, her mom was leaning over her holding out a glass of water to her. She eagerly drank down half the glass before trying to sit up.
Ha! She should have known better. Before she could do it on her own, four large hands had her sitting up on the side of the chase lounge. She smiled up at her two protectors and her love for both must have shown through. Kent looked back down at her with the same love shining in his eyes. Oh my!
Once her protectors allowed it, Grace stood and that was when she realized that all the important people in her life, including Mrs. Anderson were all standing in a circle around her. She couldn’t be any happier.
Hal Wallace stepped through the group and stopped directly in front of Grace. “Grace, if you’ll come down to the station Monday, I’ll be glad to help you get the paperwork started for an Order of Protection against that woman.”
Grace felt tears rolling down her face then. “Thank you so much Hal. I need to do some thinking between now and then though. I’m not sure I’m quite ready to get that drastic.”
He laid a hand on her shoulder. “That’s okay. If you do decide to, just let me know. Okay?”
She nodded and he stepped away and was replaced by both of her parents. But before either one of them could say anything, Brianna wiggled her way between them and said, “Mommy, did that mean grandma hurt you?”
Walking Away (The Walking Together Series Book 2) Page 14