An awkward silence lasted the rest of the day and, despite sleeping in the same room, Grace refused to speak to him.
* * * *
The next day, Grace drove to Kayla’s as soon as she knew her friend would be awake.
“Nothing. Absolutely nothing,” Grace told Kayla. “He didn’t even say good night. Maybe he’s given up,” she said.
Kayla shrugged. “If that’s what you want to believe, go ahead. I think you’re missing the opportunity of a lifetime. Especially for a racing fan of your magnitude.”
Grace threw the pillow she was clutching at Kayla. “I’m second to your ultimate fandom.”
“I’m not sure I can handle him. You’re right, he’s super cute.”
Grace drove home from her friend’s apartment hours later, still wondering how she’d managed to get herself into situations like this. The answer always came back to Divina. Divina was the reason she was traumatized by men in Speedos, mice and fire. Divina was the reason she lived with three people who, combined, had more drama than Gossip Girl , and was faced with the life-altering decision whether to act married and devoted to Stone Adams.
“Gracie!” Divina called as soon as the door opened to the house. “It’s dinner time. Grab yourself a plate and get in here,” she said, desperation evident in her voice.
Grace rolled her eyes. “I’ll be there in a minute.” She took her time taking her coat off, walking around the kitchen, pausing to wash her hands and get some milk from the refrigerator. She was in no hurry to get Divina out of her uncomfortable situation. Besides, if Stone was sitting at the table, his dark hair perfectly styled and his quirky smirk in place, she might lose her nerve and give him everything he wanted.
“Are you lost, Grace?” Divina called again.
“I’m coming.” She walked through the door, but instead of seeing the love trio at the table, Divina and Stone sat kitty-corner from one another. Divina looked stressed and Stone... She shook her head. “Where’s Hank?”
“He’s working late. Divina and I were getting to know one another. Did you know she never got a detention in school?” Stone asked.
Grace sat across from Stone. “As a matter of fact, I did know that.” She gave her sister a glare. More than once Grace had taken the heat for Divina. On the bus, it was Grace who had been blamed for throwing a book out the window. She’d not only gotten a detention, she’d been kicked off the bus for a week and had had to walk the three miles to school. She’d never considered herself Divina’s punching bag. She did what she did out of love. Divina was family and family did things for one another.
“I was fascinated by some of the tales Divina was telling me about you two growing up. It gave me a good idea why you are the way you are.”
“Me?” She looked up at him, meeting his eyes. A tingle skittered down her back. Maybe he was beginning to understand why she kept saying no to his proposal, even though her picture was plastered in every paper on the east coast.
“What did you do today, Grace?” he asked.
She knew he was deliberately trying to keep the attention on her. She didn’t want it. Didn’t want him to hear how dull and boring her life was. “I went to visit my friend Kayla.”
“How is poor Kayla?” Divina asked with fake sincerity. “She just got divorced. Tragic.”
Grace lowered her head and rolled her eyes. “She got divorced two years ago. The only tragic thing was that she didn’t do it sooner. He was a cheater,” Grace said, her gaze slipping to Stone. “He thought he should have his cake and eat it too. When she found out about the women, more than one, she filed for divorce. Simple.”
“You could divorce me,” Divina said to Stone. “I wouldn’t mind. Plus, you could go for women who would appreciate your...um...charms.”
“Not a chance. I’m not getting a divorce before I can get back in my sponsor’s good graces.”
Grace sat at the far end of the
* * * *
The next day, Grace drove to Kayla’s as soon as she knew her friend would be awake.
“Nothing. Absolutely nothing,” Grace told Kayla. “He didn’t even say good night. Maybe he’s given up,” she said.
Kayla shrugged. “If that’s what you want to believe, go ahead. I think you’re missing the opportunity of a lifetime. Especially for a racing fan of your magnitude.”
Grace threw the pillow she was clutching at Kayla. “I’m second to your ultimate fandom.”
“I’m not sure I can handle him. You’re right, he’s super cute.”
Grace drove home from her friend’s apartment hours later, still wondering how she’d managed to get herself into situations like this. The answer always came back to Divina. Divina was the reason she was traumatized by men in Speedos, mice and fire. Divina was the reason she lived with three people who, combined, had more drama than Gossip Girl , and was faced with the life-altering decision whether to act married and devoted to Stone Adams.
“Gracie!” Divina called as soon as the door opened to the house. “It’s dinner time. Grab yourself a plate and get in here,” she said, desperation evident in her voice.
Grace rolled her eyes. “I’ll be there in a minute.” She took her time taking her coat off, walking around the kitchen, pausing to wash her hands and get some milk from the refrigerator. She was in no hurry to get Divina out of her uncomfortable situation. Besides, if Stone was sitting at the table, his dark hair perfectly styled and his quirky smirk in place, she might lose her nerve and give him everything he wanted.
“Are you lost, Grace?” Divina called again.
“I’m coming.” She walked through the door, but instead of seeing the love trio at the table, Divina and Stone sat kitty-corner from one another. Divina looked stressed and Stone... She shook her head. “Where’s Hank?”
“He’s working late. Divina and I were getting to know one another. Did you know she never got a detention in school?” Stone asked.
Grace sat across from Stone. “As a matter of fact, I did know that.” She gave her sister a glare. More than once Grace had taken the heat for Divina. On the bus, it was Grace who had been blamed for throwing a book out the window. She’d not only gotten a detention, she’d been kicked off the bus for a week and had had to walk the three miles to school. She’d never considered herself Divina’s punching bag. She did what she did out of love. Divina was family and family did things for one another.
“I was fascinated by some of the tales Divina was telling me about you two growing up. It gave me a good idea why you are the way you are.”
“Me?” She looked up at him, meeting his eyes. A tingle skittered down her back. Maybe he was beginning to understand why she kept saying no to his proposal, even though her picture was plastered in every paper on the east coast.
“What did you do today, Grace?” he asked.
She knew he was deliberately trying to keep the attention on her. She didn’t want it. Didn’t want him to hear how dull and boring her life was. “I went to visit my friend Kayla.”
“How is poor Kayla?” Divina asked with fake sincerity. “She just got divorced. Tragic.”
Grace lowered her head and rolled her eyes. “She got divorced two years ago. The only tragic thing was that she didn’t do it sooner. He was a cheater,” Grace said, her gaze slipping to Stone. “He thought he should have his cake and eat it too. When she found out about the women, more than one, she filed for divorce. Simple.”
“You could divorce me,” Divina said to Stone. “I wouldn’t mind. Plus, you could go for women who would appreciate your...um...charms.”
“Not a chance. I’m not getting a divorce before I can get back in my sponsor’s good graces.”
Grace sat at the far end of the
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