undo the damage that bitch and that prick are going to do to you.”
“He lives in San Francisco. I’m sure he’ll hardly ever be here.” To Grace’s surprise, Catherine hadn’t dissolved into more tears and fits of accusatory anger when Grace returned to her room last night. Declan’s humiliation of her seemed to have satisfied Cat. Grace had been punished for her sin. Catherine was content with her suffering and happy to take on the role of wise consoler of sorrows.
“That still leaves Sophia to deal with,” Catherine said.
“I’m a big girl. I can handle her.”
“Not from what I saw. There’s a time for retreat, Gracie, and better to do it now and save yourself the wounds. The woman has nearly a century of evil she can work on you; I don’t care how smart you are, you’re no match.”
“I don’t need to be her match. I’m going to study her!”
Catherine shook her head. “She’ll devour you.”
The words were an eerie echo of Declan’s. “Yeah, Sophia’s warped and horrible,” Grace admitted, “but think what it will mean to my thesis to spend the summer here.” The idea had come to her in the shower a few hours earlier, as she tried to wash away the humiliation of Declan’s touch and figure out why she’d been such an easy target. When she was hurt, intellectual analysis both distracted her and made her feel less vulnerable. Her analysis of the situation on the couch came to the highly scientific conclusion that she was horny and Declan was an insecure asshole who had to prove himself by conquering women. It was biology that had made her give in to him; his square jaw and symmetrical features had undone the primitive areas of her brain, making her want him.
After she’d figured that out, she’d then wondered about Declan and Sophia’s relationship, and thus the idea of studying Sophia was born.
“Talk about beauty meeting an unhappily ever after,” Grace continued. “Sophia’s story can be the centerpiece of my paper. She’s an example of every idea I’ve been developing for the past five years. Where’s her happy ending? She’s old and surrounded by nasty people, and so bitter she practically creaks with it. She’s perfect!”
“She’s Satan. Gracie, promise me that the moment you feel you can’t handle it here anymore, you’ll call me. I’ll come get you. You can spend the rest of the summer with me in San Diego, no strings attached.”
“Thanks, Cat, but I’ll be fine.” Just as she was pretending to be fine now, pretending not to be cringing inside at every memory of Declan’s hands on her, and her eager, stupid belief that hewas turned on by her. He’d probably been retching inside as he stroked her flabby belly.
“Promise me anyway.”
Grace sighed. “Okay, I promise. Now get going, so I can go back inside. I’m cold!”
They hugged, Catherine’s arms too tight, holding too much unspoken meaning. Grace kissed her cheek and patted her back. “Go on, now.”
Catherine released her and opened the car door. “Remember, I’m just a phone call or text away.”
“I’ll remember.” Feeling a stab of guilt for her own cold heart, which wasn’t sorry to see Catherine go, she gave Catherine one more hug. “You’re a good friend.”
Catherine sniffled and looked even sadder. The car door shut and the Volvo coughed to life. Grace waited on the front step, waving until Catherine drove away between the two stone pillars.
Grace took a deep breath and shook her arms and shoulders as if she could shake off the bad juju of the past twenty-four hours.
It’s a new day. I can start over. Declan won’t ever tell Sophia what he did to me, not if he cares about her good opinion. No one ever has to know .
No one but herself, and it was knowledge she could face only when she dwelled on what a completely screwed-up asshole Declan had to be to prey on her trusting stupidity.
He wasn’t here now, though, and she could avoid him if he ever came to Pebble Beach
“He lives in San Francisco. I’m sure he’ll hardly ever be here.” To Grace’s surprise, Catherine hadn’t dissolved into more tears and fits of accusatory anger when Grace returned to her room last night. Declan’s humiliation of her seemed to have satisfied Cat. Grace had been punished for her sin. Catherine was content with her suffering and happy to take on the role of wise consoler of sorrows.
“That still leaves Sophia to deal with,” Catherine said.
“I’m a big girl. I can handle her.”
“Not from what I saw. There’s a time for retreat, Gracie, and better to do it now and save yourself the wounds. The woman has nearly a century of evil she can work on you; I don’t care how smart you are, you’re no match.”
“I don’t need to be her match. I’m going to study her!”
Catherine shook her head. “She’ll devour you.”
The words were an eerie echo of Declan’s. “Yeah, Sophia’s warped and horrible,” Grace admitted, “but think what it will mean to my thesis to spend the summer here.” The idea had come to her in the shower a few hours earlier, as she tried to wash away the humiliation of Declan’s touch and figure out why she’d been such an easy target. When she was hurt, intellectual analysis both distracted her and made her feel less vulnerable. Her analysis of the situation on the couch came to the highly scientific conclusion that she was horny and Declan was an insecure asshole who had to prove himself by conquering women. It was biology that had made her give in to him; his square jaw and symmetrical features had undone the primitive areas of her brain, making her want him.
After she’d figured that out, she’d then wondered about Declan and Sophia’s relationship, and thus the idea of studying Sophia was born.
“Talk about beauty meeting an unhappily ever after,” Grace continued. “Sophia’s story can be the centerpiece of my paper. She’s an example of every idea I’ve been developing for the past five years. Where’s her happy ending? She’s old and surrounded by nasty people, and so bitter she practically creaks with it. She’s perfect!”
“She’s Satan. Gracie, promise me that the moment you feel you can’t handle it here anymore, you’ll call me. I’ll come get you. You can spend the rest of the summer with me in San Diego, no strings attached.”
“Thanks, Cat, but I’ll be fine.” Just as she was pretending to be fine now, pretending not to be cringing inside at every memory of Declan’s hands on her, and her eager, stupid belief that hewas turned on by her. He’d probably been retching inside as he stroked her flabby belly.
“Promise me anyway.”
Grace sighed. “Okay, I promise. Now get going, so I can go back inside. I’m cold!”
They hugged, Catherine’s arms too tight, holding too much unspoken meaning. Grace kissed her cheek and patted her back. “Go on, now.”
Catherine released her and opened the car door. “Remember, I’m just a phone call or text away.”
“I’ll remember.” Feeling a stab of guilt for her own cold heart, which wasn’t sorry to see Catherine go, she gave Catherine one more hug. “You’re a good friend.”
Catherine sniffled and looked even sadder. The car door shut and the Volvo coughed to life. Grace waited on the front step, waving until Catherine drove away between the two stone pillars.
Grace took a deep breath and shook her arms and shoulders as if she could shake off the bad juju of the past twenty-four hours.
It’s a new day. I can start over. Declan won’t ever tell Sophia what he did to me, not if he cares about her good opinion. No one ever has to know .
No one but herself, and it was knowledge she could face only when she dwelled on what a completely screwed-up asshole Declan had to be to prey on her trusting stupidity.
He wasn’t here now, though, and she could avoid him if he ever came to Pebble Beach
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