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So much for relaxing.
"I swear I will do my best not to hurt her," I promised. It was the last thing I wanted to do. I'd rather throw away my career than do that.
Wait, what was I thinking? I never would have thrown everything away over a woman before. I must be losing my mind.
Or my heart.
Lord help me.
"Do more than your best," Rubie said. She slipped her keys out of her pocket and unlocked her car. She slipped them away again, because of course her car was one of those you started by pressing a button. Or maybe she just had to think to get it to start. Who knows what the latest technology was? For all I knew, it was a driverless car too.
"Why do you care?" I asked as she opened the driver's side door.
She stopped and rested her hand lightly on the top of the door. "Like I said, she's genuine. She didn't deserve what my dad did to her. I feel like I need to make it up to her. I was thinking of starting a foundation and giving her a job, but then you got in there first. So I'm going to hang 'round and make sure you don't screw it up. The moment you do, I'll be all over it."
I smirked. "I'm not gonna screw up, but you're welcome to watch. Do me a favour though. When I do awesome, and everything runs like chocolate out of a chocolate fountain, you'll admit you were wrong about me." She'd see I was a good guy. I made a mistake or two, but I was making up for it.
"I'll happily admit it," she said easily. "But I've seen too many guys like you. You'll get bored, either way the party goes. In a month or two, you won't even remember her name."
That was one hell of an accusation. I couldn't respond before she climbed in and closed the door behind her.
Music pumped out so loud I wasn't sure how she had any hearing left after a few minutes’ exposure. The engine revved and she was gone before anyone stuck their head out a window to yell at her to turn it down.
"I must be getting old if I'm worrying about music," I muttered to myself. "And now I'm talking to myself. That's great."
I stepped back to my truck, unlocked it and got inside. I pushed my key into the ignition and made sure my music wasn't on too loud.
For all I knew, Grace was trying to sleep. I didn't want her mad at me for disturbing her.
"You really are getting old," I told my reflection in the window beside me. "Chantel would have a great laugh over that.
I drummed my fingers on the steering wheel. I had to talk to my sister about helping out, but I knew she would. For one thing, she seemed to like Grace. For another, she probably owed me a few favours. If not, I'd have to be persuasive. That should be easy enough. I knew all her weaknesses, just like she knew the one or two I had. Minor one, of course. At least, that I would admit to.
I looked up at about where I thought Grace's apartment might be.
I could swear I saw the curtain twitch aside and a face appear in the gap.
I gave a little wave, just in case. I almost blew a kiss, but honestly, the more I sat there alone, the more I freaked out over what I felt for Grace.
I was Abraham 'Bam' Clinton, running back for the mighty Storm Valley Rapids. I didn't fall for women, they fell for me. I was good at running, off field and on.
Damn it, I should gun my truck the hell away from here and never look back.
Grace who?
I didn't know who I thought I was fooling here, because I sure as shit wasn't fooling myself. I couldn't forget her even if I tried.
That didn't answer the million dollar question, how did she feel about me? Just because I thought I was pretty amazing, doesn't mean she thought the same about me. On the other hand, she did have very good taste. And you know what? She seemed to be into that kiss as much as I was.
Most women I attracted only wanted a fling. That was all they got. That worked for them and me. When I left, well, they knew it was coming. The lines were on the turf long before we met.
Grace, she was different, wrapped in a classy bow, sprinkled with cat fur.
That was another thing. What if she liked me, but her cats didn't? What if her friends didn't like me? Just because Bec and Ashley did, didn't mean the rest would. There was no accounting for taste after all.
I hit my hand on the steering wheel. All I was doing here was making excuses to run. Lame ones too. I'd have to play it cool and see where life took us. If Grace had any kind of feelings for me, I'd find out when the time came.
I glanced back up at her window, but the curtain was closed. If she was there at all, looking down at me, she was gone now.
