Noelle shook her head, crossing her arms. “I don’t believe you.”
“Noelle—”
“Grace said she wouldn’t leave. She said she’d always be here for me.” Her voice was rising now, signaling how she was angry and hurt all at once. “Friends forever. Shepromised.”
God, I could handle my own pain and sorrow. I could drown in it if I had to. But seeing it on her face, hearing it in her voice, tore me apart.
“I know,” I said, running a hand through my hair. “I’m sorry.”
She sniffled, eyes glistening. “Did you make her leave?”
The question hit me like a punch to a gut. I thought about how I let her leave Grand Haven. The way I ran out of the hotel before she could explain. I thought about the look on Grace’s face when I told her I was done.
When Noelle’s mother left, it felt easy because Noelle was young and didn’t remember it.
This time seemed more painful. For both of us.
CHAPTER 37
Grace
“I still don’t understandwhy you lied about sleeping with that asshole.”
I rolled my eyes. “We’ve been through this, Lucy. You didn’t see how he looked at me,” I argued, taping up one of the cardboard boxes in front of me.
“Okay, he made a mistake,” Lucy reasoned. “You and I both know what that’s like.” She gave me a pointed look before sorting through more of my shoes.
It had been two weeks since Caleb and I broke up. Since I lied about having sex with Grant. I hated myself for what I’d done. But whenever I felt like I made a mistake, I closed my eyes and saw the disgusted, disbelieving look on Caleb’s face.
Lucy and I had gotten closer despite me not returning to Grand Haven or the shelter. I missed him. So fucking much. I missed Noelle and the friends I’d made in the town. I missed everything.
Lucy was still living at the shelter. But if everything went well with the meeting I set up for her, her entire life could change. After hearing Lucy sing at the talent show, I knew I wanted to help her get a leg up in the industry. I had been so distracted bythe holidays and then my relationship drama that I nearly forgot I reached out to one of the agents I knew. I might have pretended to be my mother. Whatever it took to get Lucy a meeting. My name wouldn’t go far, but my mother’s on the other hand … plus, she owed me.
“It’s for the best,” I resigned, shaking my head, folding another blouse.
“He’s miserable, you know,” Lucy continued, not letting me get away without hearing her side.
I had to say I was so proud of Lucy and her growth. Since getting her job, she’d come out of her shell and bloomed with confidence. She knew her opinion was welcome, and I was happy to see her true self coming out, even though I didn’t like what she was talking about.
“I’m sure he’s not,” I rebutted. “He has Noelle. The Caleb I know isn’t going to mope around his kid.”
“Ow,” I hissed, rubbing my knee. Lucy had thrown a shoe at me. We were going through my clothes in my brownstone, seeing what was casual enough to donate to one of the women’s shelters here in Manhattan. Fiona had my stuff delivered back to me with a card that expressed her hurt and disapproval for my leaving. The other couture pieces that I wasn’t keeping, I was going to sell and use the profits to donate more and find other ways to become active in the community. Really active, not just cutting a check.
I was also making Lucy keep a few things that I saw her drooling over.
“You’re so keeping those heels,” I pointed out. “Luckily, we are the same size.”
“Yeah, lucky for me.” Lucy snorted. “Stop trying to change the subject.”
I shrugged my shoulders and went back to sorting my winter sweaters. I had no desire to keep many of my old clothes. They were reminders of the person I used to be.
I didn’t need them to prove anything. Sure, I’d keep a few things that had happy memories tied to them, but otherwise, I needed to start fresh and rebuild my life, in all areas.
“Have you talked to your mom?” Lucy broached, trying on another pair of my heels. I stifled a laugh, enjoying seeing her fawn over shoes and clothes. Like an average girl. She was dealt a bad hand, but things were turning around for her, and I couldn’t be happier.
“No, I have not called the wicked witch back, thank you very much.” I bit my lip. “There’s nothing more to say. She tried to convince my boyfriend to break up with me. Whatever she said planted enough doubt.”
Cordelia reached out once, wanting to gloat about her and Grant. She fucked my years-long fuckbuddy and lied by omission. What was there to gloat about? She was obsessed with an asshole. Been there, done that.
