evidently no in-between for Robert: Women were either semi-frigid or
pizza-tramps. And in that sexist dichotomy, it seemed like Grace was cast as
the boring, icy, un-fun one.
He
really was a wanker.
“Son
of a bitch .” Jamie was still seething about Robert manhandling her. If
he could’ve touched anything, there would’ve been a whole lot of bloodshed on
the professionally lawn-serviced lawn. “Grace, leave him now .”
Like
she wasn’t trying. Grace finally jerked herself free of Robert’s painful grip and
kept heading for her car.
“But,
my heart belongs to you .” Robert went passionately, still not taking
the hint. He made another grab for her and Jamie all but snarled at him.
Grace evaded his grasp, walking faster. “You know that. We’re alike, you and
I. Made for each other. All my friends say so. Don’t spoil everything with
some juvenile fit of jealousy.”
“Donea
listen to a word he says.” Jamie warned, slanting Robert a deadly look.
“If you even think of forgiving such a man, I will bloody well lose my
mind.”
Grace
tuned them both out and dug her keys from her purse. Until that moment she
didn’t realize how little Robert mattered to her. Her family had tried to warn
her that he wasn’t her true Partner, but she hadn’t listened.
Except,
on some level, she had .
She’d
never given Robert everything inside of her, because she’d never felt safe with
him. Grace had never felt safe with anyone . Some part of her always
held back.
Now
she was angry and hurt, but her heart wasn’t breaking. She wouldn’t forgive
him, so she didn’t see the need to yell or cry. There was simply no reason
to. He cheated on her and now it was over. Like flipping a light switch, her
tepid feelings for him snapped off forever. Part of his appeal had always been
how little he affected her. Grace could see that now.
She had known that he wasn’t a gentleman.
Jamie’s
disapproval was making her feel inadequate, though. He clearly wanted her to
have a huge, dramatic scene. Given the fact that he had no problem saying
every thought in his invisible head, it was no wonder he couldn’t understand
her reticence. But, the last time she’d shared all her thoughts, she’d been
locked in a padded cell for a week. Grace never, ever wanted to go back
into that hospital. Losing control, again… No . Just the idea panicked
her.
Peaceful
green cornfields.
Peaceful
green cornfields.
Peaceful
green cornfields.
Robert
smoothed down his dark hair, casting a furtive look around. It looked like the
pizza girl had used clumps of it as handles, so it stuck out in wild spikes. God
only knew what the neighbors would think. “And really this wouldn’t have even
happened if you hadn’t mixed up the dates, Grace. Honestly, how could you not
know it was Thursday?”
“You’re
lucky I’m a ghost, ya wanker. She might not want to punch you, but I
sure as hell would.” Jamie glowered down at her. “Are you really going
to let him get away with this?”
Grace refused to care about his obvious disappointment in her. Absolutely
refused. “I don’t like confrontations.” She muttered.
“You
donea like confrontations?” He echoed incredulously. “How can you not like
confrontations?”
“I
just don’t , okay?”
No,
it clearly wasn’t okay with him. “Where’s your spirit, lass?” He asked in a
confused and troubled voice. Someone so extroverted would never know how scary
it was for her to feel the chaos of heightened emotions. To fear that saying
too much would unravel everything in her life again.
Grace
unlocked the driver’s side door. “I lost my spirit last year, along with
everything else.” She muttered. “I burned out.”
“You
burned out? What does that…?” Jamie stopped short. “Wait.” His patriot blue
eyes flashed over to hers, suddenly realizing she was acknowledging
pizza-tramps. And in that sexist dichotomy, it seemed like Grace was cast as
the boring, icy, un-fun one.
He
really was a wanker.
“Son
of a bitch .” Jamie was still seething about Robert manhandling her. If
he could’ve touched anything, there would’ve been a whole lot of bloodshed on
the professionally lawn-serviced lawn. “Grace, leave him now .”
Like
she wasn’t trying. Grace finally jerked herself free of Robert’s painful grip and
kept heading for her car.
“But,
my heart belongs to you .” Robert went passionately, still not taking
the hint. He made another grab for her and Jamie all but snarled at him.
Grace evaded his grasp, walking faster. “You know that. We’re alike, you and
I. Made for each other. All my friends say so. Don’t spoil everything with
some juvenile fit of jealousy.”
“Donea
listen to a word he says.” Jamie warned, slanting Robert a deadly look.
“If you even think of forgiving such a man, I will bloody well lose my
mind.”
Grace
tuned them both out and dug her keys from her purse. Until that moment she
didn’t realize how little Robert mattered to her. Her family had tried to warn
her that he wasn’t her true Partner, but she hadn’t listened.
Except,
on some level, she had .
She’d
never given Robert everything inside of her, because she’d never felt safe with
him. Grace had never felt safe with anyone . Some part of her always
held back.
Now
she was angry and hurt, but her heart wasn’t breaking. She wouldn’t forgive
him, so she didn’t see the need to yell or cry. There was simply no reason
to. He cheated on her and now it was over. Like flipping a light switch, her
tepid feelings for him snapped off forever. Part of his appeal had always been
how little he affected her. Grace could see that now.
She had known that he wasn’t a gentleman.
Jamie’s
disapproval was making her feel inadequate, though. He clearly wanted her to
have a huge, dramatic scene. Given the fact that he had no problem saying
every thought in his invisible head, it was no wonder he couldn’t understand
her reticence. But, the last time she’d shared all her thoughts, she’d been
locked in a padded cell for a week. Grace never, ever wanted to go back
into that hospital. Losing control, again… No . Just the idea panicked
her.
Peaceful
green cornfields.
Peaceful
green cornfields.
Peaceful
green cornfields.
Robert
smoothed down his dark hair, casting a furtive look around. It looked like the
pizza girl had used clumps of it as handles, so it stuck out in wild spikes. God
only knew what the neighbors would think. “And really this wouldn’t have even
happened if you hadn’t mixed up the dates, Grace. Honestly, how could you not
know it was Thursday?”
“You’re
lucky I’m a ghost, ya wanker. She might not want to punch you, but I
sure as hell would.” Jamie glowered down at her. “Are you really going
to let him get away with this?”
Grace refused to care about his obvious disappointment in her. Absolutely
refused. “I don’t like confrontations.” She muttered.
“You
donea like confrontations?” He echoed incredulously. “How can you not like
confrontations?”
“I
just don’t , okay?”
No,
it clearly wasn’t okay with him. “Where’s your spirit, lass?” He asked in a
confused and troubled voice. Someone so extroverted would never know how scary
it was for her to feel the chaos of heightened emotions. To fear that saying
too much would unravel everything in her life again.
Grace
unlocked the driver’s side door. “I lost my spirit last year, along with
everything else.” She muttered. “I burned out.”
“You
burned out? What does that…?” Jamie stopped short. “Wait.” His patriot blue
eyes flashed over to hers, suddenly realizing she was acknowledging
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