“Shoot.” Anything to get his mind off the mundane movements of rowing.
Grace sat in a chair next to him and clasped her fingers together. “The night of the auction, why did you show up and cause a scene? I mean, why not just donate the money instead?”
Seth’s eyebrow shot up in surprise. Although Grace was beginning to lower her guard more often around him, she’d never actually started a personal conversation. It both thrilled and made Seth nervous at the same time. In a way, Grace reminded him of one of those roly poly bugs he used to play with as a kid. If Seth held perfectly still, the bug would feel comfortable enough to uncurl and come out of its ball, but the slightest jarring would send it tucking itself right back into its protective shell.
Ever since Seth had met Grace, he had a way of saying things that made her tuck into a tight ball. But now that she was finally opening up to him, he was leery of saying the wrong thing. Would she react like Lanna and refuse to see his side? Or would she understand?
“Uh . . .” Where did Seth begin?
“You don’t have to answer if you don’t want,” she said quickly. “I didn’t mean to pry or get personal.”
But that was exactly what Seth wanted—to get personal. “No, that’s okay. You just caught me off guard, that’s all.”
Grace laughed—actually laughed. It sounded rich, bubbly, and melodious, nearly taking Seth’s breath away. All this time, he’d tried jokes, teasing comments, anything to hear that sound, but nothing had worked until now.
What had he said again?
“Sorry,” Grace said, letting her laughter die off. “It’s just nice catching you off guard for once. You know—payback and all that.”
Seth made a mental note to let her get some payback more often. “Just so you know,” he said, “If you ever let me go for a ride on a real bike outside, that would totally catch me off guard.”
Grace laughed again, making the smelly and stagnant room suddenly feel a little less like a gym and more like a cozy retreat. Seth could watch her and listen to that sound all day long.
“You’ll be able to ride a real bike soon, I promise,” she said.
“Will you come with me when I do?” It was the closest that Seth had ever come to asking her out. He held his breath in anticipation of her answer. But when her brows furrowed, and he could practically see her rolling back into her secure little ball, Seth regretted the words.
“I meant during one of our sessions,” he quickly amended. “I could bring my bike here and we could take it to the park down the street.”
Her expression cleared, and she nodded. “Yeah, sure—when you’re ready.”
An awkward silence settled around them, making Seth want to curse. He felt like they’d taken two steps forward and two back. So much for progress.
Be patient, he reminded himself. Maybe if he opened up a little, she would too. Seth continued to row, bending and straightening his aching leg as he searched for a way to get back to the conversation about Lanna and the auction without making it obvious he was grasping at straws.
When he couldn’t come up with a decent segue, he finally said, “Sorry, I wasn’t trying to avoid answering your question before. I just didn’t know how to explain without making you think worse of me than you already do.”
“Why would I think worse of you?”
Seth sighed, focusing on the movements of the rowing machine. “Well, it goes like this: Right before Lanna’s brother died, he asked me to look after her. But Lanna—who is practically a charity case herself—doesn’t think she needs any help, especially not from me. She sees it as a personal handout and would rather exhaust herself planning one fundraiser after another than accept anything from me.”
Seth paused, not wanting to go into the details of a night he’d rather forget. But he’d already started and couldn’t exactly stop now. “When I found out she was planning an auction, I saw it as my chance to finally donate a lot of money and force her to take it whether she wanted to or not. I thought I was doing the right thing—you know, the greater good and all that—but all I succeeded in doing was to tick her off. She hasn’t spoken to me since.”
The corners of Grace’s mouth tugged into a smile. “You seem to like ticking people off, don’t you?” It was more of a statement than a question.
“Believe it or not, I really don’t. Especially not someone as stubborn as Lanna.” Or Grace, for that matter. Seth stopped rowing and grabbed a hand towel, wiping it across his forehead.
“I take it you two are close?” Grace asked casually, glancing at her clipboard as though she didn’t really care about his answer.
“She’s like a sister.” Seth’s only sister.
Grace lifted her head and studied him, tapping her pen against her lower lip. “I’m surprised she didn’t ask you to be one of the bachelors.”
“Oh, she did. I passed.”
“Oh,” said Grace, setting down her clipboard. “Then she didn’t refuse all your help.”
Seth leveled her a look, the same look he’d given Lanna when she’d initially made the suggestion. “She refused the help I was willing to offer.”
“I see.” The way Grace said it made it sound as though she understood something Seth didn’t. He didn’t like feeling like he was missing something, but did he really want to understand?
“What do you see?” Seth asked, still not sure he wanted to know.
Grace nodded toward the machine. “Keep rowing.”
Seth started back up, wincing when his knee protested the movement. Only a minute or two was all it took to freeze it back up again. What a pain.
“All I’m saying,” said Grace, “is that Lanna would probably gladly accept your help as long as it’s not in the form of money.”
Of course she thought that because Grace was just as stubborn as Lanna. “And all I’m saying is that I would never, ever consider auctioning myself off to who-knows-what-kind of person just so Lanna could raise a little more money for her charity.”
“I’m not saying you should.”
Seth flicked a surprised glance her way. “Then what are you saying?”
Grace leaned back in her chair and folded her arms. “Have you ever thought of offering to help her raise the money? Or, now that they’re probably doing okay thanks to your donation, what about offering to help tutor some of those kids in her after-school program?”
“You want me to volunteer?” Was she serious? The idea held zero appeal for Seth. He wasn’t the tutor type, nor was he particularly good with kids. There was a reason he was a business consultant and not an elementary school teacher.
No, giving money was more his thing.
“Sure, why not?” said Grace. “Or do you have something against giving up a few hours of your time to help the less fortunate?”
Yes, Seth did actually. He liked spending his time the way he wanted to spend it. But something told him he shouldn’t admit that to Grace. He’d have to plead the fifth on that one.
“Because from where I’m sitting,” she continued. “Other than wheelchair basketball, working out, and playing video games or watching movies, you really can’t do much right now.”
“I work, too.” Occasionally.
Her lips twitched. “And how many hours does that ‘consultant’ job of yours take?”
“It depends on the week.”
“On average.”
Seth sighed and stopped rowing again. He wasn’t crazy about the direction this conversation was headed or how it made him feel—as though he only cared about himself, which wasn’t true. Seth gave money to the homeless, donated to charities, and opened doors for the elderly. He’d hired a mechanic to fix Lanna’s car without her knowing, organized basketball games for his friends, and had even convinced Grace’s brother to keep playing with them. He wasn’t totally self-centered. But the way Grace looked at him right now made him feel like he was pretty close.
Seth frowned, feeling the need to put himself in a more positive light. �
�How about this?” he finally said. “I’ll agree to volunteer if you agree to go with me.”
It was a brilliant suggestion, actually. If Grace declined, Seth wouldn’t feel obligated to volunteer. And if she said yes, she would have to spend time with him outside of work. Either way, he won.
“Oh . . . I, uh, don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Why not?” Seth said with mock innocence. “Don’t tell me you’re against giving up a few hours of your time to help the less fortunate.”
Grace leveled him a warning look. “No, but you’re my patient. It wouldn’t be appropriate to do something with you outside of work.”
“But you came to the basketball game,” Seth pointed out.
“That was different.”
“How so?” Seth asked. “It’s not like I’m asking you on a date or anything.”
“I know, it’s just—” She fidgeted, looking flustered.
Seth cocked his head to the side, molding his expression into one of sympathy. “Think of the children, Grace. Think of the children.”
She rolled her eyes and threw up her hands in a gesture of defeat. “I walked right into that one, didn’t I? Okay fine, you win. I’ll go.” She gestured toward the machine. “Now row.”
Seth grinned and resumed rowing, suddenly feeling as though he really were in a kayak, cutting through the waters on Lake Union. The sun warmed his skin, a breeze whipped at his face, and the smell of lake water lingered in the air. Or was that the smell of triumph?
GRACE LOOKED THROUGH Seth’s windshield, noting that the brown cinderblock building looked old and tired, as though it had lived its life and now wanted to move on. Artistic graffiti covered one side of the wall, almost like a mural, and a sign that read Magnificent Minds was affixed to the wall next to a red painted steel door. A teenage boy rode his bike down the sidewalk and stopped outside the door, where he chained his bike to a stand. He had to pull twice on the door to get it to open then disappeared inside.
From her comfy seat in Seth’s Land Rover, with its new-car smell, Grace felt out of place. They should have taken her more understated Nissan. At least the silver of her car would have blended in a little better than the deep orange of Seth’s.
“If you think the outside looks bad, wait until you see the inside,” Seth said from the driver’s seat.
Grace glanced his way, noticing the way his brown Quicksilver baseball hat made his eyes appear darker than usual. His face was clean shaven today, tempting Grace to run her fingers across his jaw line. “You’ve been here before?”
Seth nodded, studying the building. “A few times.”
When he didn’t make a move to open his door, Grace unfastened her seat belt. “Ready?”
Seth continued to stare at the door. “Lanna hasn’t spoken to me since the night of the auction and doesn’t know I’m here.”
Grace’s hand remained on her seatbelt. “You didn’t tell her we were coming?” What was Seth thinking? Didn’t he know that showing up with no warning wasn’t the best way to apologize? Would Lanna even have anything for them to do?
Seth met Grace’s eyes. “Lanna isn’t the type to get mad, but after the stunt I pulled, she . . .” He shook his head, his voice drifting off as he bit his lower lip and glanced back at the building.
He looked vulnerable, nervous even, something that Grace had never seen on him before. It caught her off guard. He’d always been so confident, so sure of himself. He had it all. Looks, money, talent, a natural charisma. And yet here he was, sitting in his expensive automobile, completely intimidated by the nondescript building in front of them—or rather, by a particular girl inside the building.
An unwanted prick of jealousy struck Grace in the heart, which was ridiculous, since she wasn’t in the running for Seth’s affections. Still, she couldn’t help but wonder what it would feel like to have Seth care about her that way.
Shoving the feeling aside, Grace laid a hand on his arm. “I met Lanna at the auction, and she seemed like the forgiving type. I bet it will mean a lot to her that you’re here.”
Seth shook his head as though he didn’t believe her. “She’s as stubborn as—well, you.” Under the rim of his cap, his eyes met hers again, only this time he wore a lopsided smile.
“Me?” What was that supposed to mean? Grace was strong-willed and determined, maybe, but stubborn?
Seth continued to hold her gaze. “Ever since I first met you, you’ve reminded me of the girl on the other side of that door.” He gestured toward the building. “Something tells me that you and Lanna are going to get along really well. If nothing else, you both have a common enemy from the auction.”
Grace smiled. For some reason, being compared to Lanna felt good, as if she’d somehow earned some of Seth’s esteem.
“You should do that more often,” Seth said, watching her with a look she couldn’t quite decipher.
“Do what?”
His finger reached out to touch the corner of her mouth, sending chills up her spine. “Smile. It looks good on you.”
Grace’s heart sped up as she stared back, wondering what he was thinking. Was he feeling this crazy, almost electric feeling that seemed to zing through the car around them?
His hand dropped back to his lap, and his eyes left hers. He drew in a breath and reached for the handle. “Let’s get this over with.”
They left the car behind, and Seth yanked open the steel door, making a face as it screeched in protest. “I offered to pay for a new door, but would she let me? No.”
Grace smiled. Any woman who could stand up to Seth deserved to be applauded. “I like her already.”
“I figured you would.”
Grace moved forward into a small reception-type room with an empty desk off to the side. It had that musty, old-house smell mixed with a hint of vanilla—a plug in air freshener next to the desk. Muted and muffled voices echoed from a back room at the end of the hall.
The door screeched open again, and a young African-American girl walked in with long, tightly curled hair. She flashed Grace and Seth a curious look before heading down the hall. With a quick glance at each other, they followed.
As the girl entered the room ahead of them, a female voice called out, “Hey, Rayna, how are you, girl? We missed you yesterday.”
“Hey, Miss Lanna. Sorry. I couldn’t come. I had to babysit.”
“Well, we’re glad you’re here today. Your favorite chair’s open, right over there by the window. Take a seat, and I’ll be with you in a—” She stopped when Seth entered the room, her eyes widening. She shot a glance at the half-dozen kids already in the room and stood, moving closer. “What are you doing here?”
“We’re here to volunteer,” Seth said.
Grace waited for him to continue, but he didn’t. She shot him a look. Really? After all this time, that’s all he had to say? Ignoring her silent plea, Seth simply stood there, waiting for Lanna to fill in the awkward silence that was getting worse by the second.
Grace shook her head. Men.
“Ok-ay,” Lanna finally said. Her eyes flickered to Grace’s, crinkling slightly in confusion. “I’m sorry,” she said, extending her hand. “I didn’t mean to be rude. I’m Lanna. Are you here with Seth? You look familiar.”
Grace nodded and shook Lanna’s hand. “I’m Grace,” she said. “I’m his therapist.” She left the “physical” part out on purpose.
“Therapist?” Lanna’s eyes widened. “Are you serious?”
Grace molded her expression into one of sympathy and nodded. “After a lot—and I mean a lot—of therapy, Seth realizes he has some unresolved issues, so he invited me along to make sure that you understood how sorry he is for how things went down at the auction. Since he can’t bring himself to say that out loud”—Grace shot Seth a meaningful look—“he’s here to volunteer for however many hours it takes to earn your forgiveness.”
Lanna still looked confused, but a tentative smile played on her lips. “Wow, you must be a really good
therapist to finally get him to see that.”
Seth rolled his eyes. “Grace is my physical therapist, not my psychologist. But she’s right about two things: I am sorry, and I’m here to volunteer. But only for today,” he said, emphasizing the last word.
Lanna nodded. “Understood. And for what it’s worth, I’m sorry too.” She opened her arms. “Truce?”
Seth accepted her hug with a small smile and an expression of relief mixed with happiness—one that tugged on Grace’s heartstrings. “Truce,” he said.
A young boy, probably about ten, tapped Lanna on the shoulder, breaking them apart. “Miss Lanna, I can’t figure this out.” He held up what appeared to be his math homework.
Lanna bent to his level. “Hey, Chad. See this guy right here?” She pointed to Seth. “He’s going to help you with your homework today. Will that be okay?”
The boy shot a tentative look at Seth then nodded solemnly. Taking his cue, Seth reached for the homework page. “I happen to be a pro at math, so you’re in good hands. Let’s go have a seat and see if we can figure these out.” He winked at Grace before following the boy back to his seat.
Lanna watched him walk away, smiling, then turned back to Grace. “Are you really his physical therapist?”
Grace nodded.
“Is there a reason he’s seeing you?” She paused, then rushed on to say, “I mean not seeing, seeing, but seeing like—” She winced, and her brow crinkled. “Oh geez, I’m making a mess of this, aren’t I?”
Grace laughed and shook her head. “About a month ago, Seth tore his ACL during a heli-skiing trip. I just happened to be the therapist his doctor referred him to.”
“He did what?” Lanna’s voice rose to attract the attention of a few kids nearby. She looked so distressed that Grace reached out to touch her arm in a comforting gesture. “Nothing to worry about. As you can see, he’s going to be fine.”
Lanna blinked, shaking her head. “I can’t believe I didn’t know that. I feel like the worst kind of friend right now.”
Grace smiled. “Well, considering Seth feels like the worst kind of friend for what happened at the auction, I’d say you’re about even. Really, though, he’s fine.”
Working It Out (A Romantic Comedy) Page 8