I had to leave. Leave while I still had a semblance of myself left. Prior to tonight, I hadn’t had a connection with anyone like the one I instantly had with Caleb, and it scared me. Nothing was supposed to scare Grace Harrington. MaybeJustGracewas different.
The chime on the door rang out and a crowd of people entered the bar. While they lingered in the doorway, blocking the view to the street, I took the opportunity to make my escape.
This was for the best. Someone like Caleb didn’t need someone like me in their life. The best way to describe me right now was a mess. And who wanted a mess? My life was in shambles and boxes.
I didn’t want to linger outside Bar. Those windows were big, and one look out onto the street would reveal me to him. I started walking down the block, looking for Maple so I could return to the bed-and-breakfast then catch the first train back to the city in the morning. Then I’d return to The Plaza and hide myself away. Pretend like none of this ever happened.
But then I heard him.
“Hey, Grace, wait up!” Caleb called from behind me.
I was already running away, desperately hoping to find a taxi or even a friendly civilian to give me a ride to the B&B. Stupid town not having Uber. As I hurried along the sidewalk, I cringed with each stride, knowing I was ruining my sparkly shoes. They were a gift from the designer himself. Double cringe.
I tried to recall how many blocks Lucy said to walk before making a turn. Sighing, I continued on, and then I turned back to glance at the beautiful man, who had been following me for the past block, and who was currently staring at me with expectant eyes. The same man who I needed to get some distance from.
Sure, I’d flirted with him after I spilled my martini all over him. He was a man, and I was bored. This was typically what I did for sport. But this man wasn’t like my usual playthings. Which made sense because I wasn’t the same girl anymore.
I slowed my steps slightly as I took him in. Eyeing him up and down, I let out the breath I’d been holding since I’d left the bar without saying goodbye, breaking my promise to find himbefore I did. As much as I was drawn to him, I knew I needed to keep running, so I turned to head in the opposite direction once again.
Problem was, it didn’t matter how far or fast I ran. I wanted him. I wanted to keep him.
Just this once.
Sure, I had all the luxuries money could buy, and I used to have the notoriety too. But I never really wanted a guy before. Guys used to line up for the opportunity to talk to me, hoping for the chance at a date.
They all wanted me. To them, I was a beautiful, perfect object. An accessory to their success. To their name. To me, they were something fun to pass the time. Something that could be discarded when I eventually got bored. The long blonde hair, green eyes, and toned body were easy bait for them.
All my life, I’d done what was expected of me. I went through the prep schools, attended charity galas, and then when I was old enough, I modeled for the Who’s Who, having dinner and making connections with whomever my mother deemed best.
I was flying high off the money, the fame, and the status. That was until it all came crashing down with one wrong move. There was no forgiveness. Nobody looked at everything I’d done right, but then again, had I done anything right in my twenty-five years?
Caleb’s footsteps echoed off the pavement, and I could tell that he’d picked up his pace, moving on from walking to jogging behind me. However, I was fast even in my four-inch heels, so I sped along, hoping to keep some distance between us. For both of our sanities. I’d never felt a connection with someone so quickly and so intensely. If I dared to want him, what would that mean?
Our worlds were so different. His was a small town and a bar. Mine was Barney’s and baguette bags. We might as well be oiland water—two things that just can’t mix. Except I wanted to see if I could shake things up enough to try.
My steps slowed as I decided it was time to finally stop running. From this man. From the things haunting my past. From myself. I turned to face him and said his name in a whisper. “Caleb.” I was unsure what to say next, how to put into words all the thoughts swirling in my head.
I paused and found this gorgeous creature looking at me like he really sawmeand not just my beauty.
Caleb was a ruggedly handsome, blue-eyed man. A man who had no clue who I was or what I’d done. Or at least I hoped he didn’t. Throughout our conversation at the bar, he never let on that he’d heard my name, knew who my family was, or discovered why I’d been ostracized. To him, I was just Grace, and it was liberating. To finally be myself, and to not worry about being judged.
Taking in the yearning in his eyes, I decided at that moment that if he wanted me enough to chase me down the streets of Grand Haven for an opportunity for more, then I could want something too.
I started walking toward him to close the gap, to see where this could take us. Maybe I didn’t have to be the girl from the Upper East Side, trying to recover from her fall from grace, and he could be more than the man from a bar in a sleepy town, whose lifestyle couldn’t have been more different than mine. Maybe we could just be and see how it went. I’d never know unless I tried, right? Who knows, maybe this was not only what I wanted but what I needed.
I was steps away from the man who both excited and terrified me. What a juxtaposition! As he stood before me, Caleb put his hands in his pockets and waited for me to speak first. I guess an explanation was in order.
“I’m sorry I left,” I said earnestly. But really, I was buying myself time to formulate what I wanted to say. Looking at him seemed to turn my brain into mush.
Caleb’s blue eyes bore into my own. “You promised. I can tell this isn’t your scene, but I really thought you were having a good time. At least you looked like you were…” He trailed off, shrugging.
“I was!” I stressed, reaching out to touch his arm. I wanted to emphasize how my running away had nothing to do with him, but where did I even begin?
Taking a deep breath, I hung my head in shame. There wasn’t much I could say to explain myself without revealing parts of my past I wasn’t ready to divulge yet—if ever.
“Hey,” Caleb whispered as he gently raised my chin. I didn’t look at him until he spoke again. “Surprised you can run so fast in those.” He gestured toward my fancy footwear.
His smile was kind, gentle, and forgiving. Caleb was too damned nice for me. He’d be better off without me complicating his life with my drama.
