“My mom was here?” Panic surged throughout my body as I took a step away from him. Craving space. Clarity. What was happening?
“Why didn’t you call me? What did she say?” I demanded, growing angry and not caring about our audience. Dirty Al had the audacity to chew bar nuts loudly before Max dragged him into the back.
Caleb eyed me sadly and then looked down, not speaking.
My anger only festered. “Caleb, what the hell did she say? Please just tell me the truth.”
He took a deep breath, his eyes heavy. “Nothing I didn’t already know.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
Caleb looked at the floor, cupping the back of his neck. “She offered me a check, Grace. Tried to pay me off to break up with you.”
My eyes widened and my heart shattered. “She did what?”
He nodded solemnly. “Yeah, she said a lot. About me and the bar. How you being stuck in this town will only cause you to resent me. She was pretty convincing too. She said you’re better off in your world. With someone like Grant.”
“And what did you tell her?” I whispered, desperately hoping he didn’t believe that.
“I told her you belong here with me. But now I’m not so sure.”
I shook my head, not believing what I was hearing.
“I don’t want to hold you back, Grace,” he murmured, his eyes filled with a sadness I hadn’t ever seen in him before.
“You’re not!” I cried. “I chose this. I chose you and Noelle.”
He shook his head, moving slowly as though he was in pain. “Maybe you shouldn’t. You once told me you didn’t want me to hate you. Well, I don’t want you to hate me either.”
I stared at him, stunned and shaking. “How could you say that? I love you.”
He shrugged, looking defeated. “I don’t want to hinder you from having the life you deserve. Your mother insisted it’s somuch better and maybe it is. Sure, it is easier with money. I can’t give you all that. Look at what happened with Roxy. I burdened her and she left us. And Noelle is her fucking child. Her real child. What’s to say that won’t happen again?”
The room felt suffocating, and the walls felt like they were closing in on me. The life I once saw myself having in this very room was crumbling before my eyes.
I swallowed loudly and shook my head, raising my chin. “Well, I guess you have all the answers,” I spat bitterly as tears blurred my vision.
Turning sharply on my heels, I ran out the door.
Like déjà vu from the first night we met, Caleb called after me, “Grace, wait!”
But unlike the night we met, I didn’t wait. I couldn’t.
His phone started ringing and I continued to jog ahead.
“Noelle, what’s up?” Caleb hurried out. His voice grew faint so I assumed he must have stopped to speak to her. I didn’t look behind me until I hopped onto the train, hot tears streaming down my face as I left Grand Haven in my rearview window.
“Welcome back, Ms. Harrington,” the bellhop greeted, as I made my way through what was once my happy place.
My usual suite was taken. I accepted any room they would give me. I had to get away from Grand Haven. I needed to escape from the place I escaped to.
I felt betrayed. Nothing could hurt like this—except the loss of my sister.
Caleb did the one thing I asked him never to do. He looked me up on the internet after promising me he wouldn’t. I couldn’t help but wonder if my mother showing up at Bar had anythingto do with his sudden change of heart. But why would he believe her over me, the person he claimed to love?
I told him my truth. I wanted that to be enough for him. Not him to need to read tabloid gossip that had nearly ruined my life. If he wanted to know anything, I would’ve told him.
After Noelle admitted to getting bullied by her peers because they saw a glimpse of my past, I knew things would be tense for a while. There was also Grant’s lingering threats.
