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“Well, Momma, at least Daddy will be happy. Though I’m not sure you are ever getting a grandson named Noah.” I brought my knees up to my chest and cried into my dress, not caring that I was leaving mascara stains on it. After several minutes of my personal pity party, I heard the snap of twigs and crunch of gravel over my sniffling and sobbing. I turned my head to see Brooks walking my way, undoing his tie as he went. How did he find me?
“Go away.” I turned from him. I meant it—I never wanted to see him again.
He didn’t listen and came within a few feet of me. His tall body towered over me. “Grace.”
“Leave me alone. You had no right to follow me.” Like a child, I turned my body away from him.
“I didn’t follow you. I had a feeling you would be here. You always came here when you were upset.”
I was surprised he remembered that. Regardless, he wasn’t welcome. I went back to hugging my knees, intent on ignoring him.
He had other plans. He knelt in front of me, taking in my pathetic state. I probably had puffy, red raccoon eyes by this point with streaks of mascara down my cheeks. He lowered his head and let out a heavy breath. “Grace, please let me explain,” he begged with such conviction.
Not happening. I grabbed my shoes and stood. I was going to look like a deranged prom queen marching home barefoot in my dress. It was apropos, considering our history. Tonight’s sting was a little more acute, though. I got played by two men in one night this time. Two grown men, I might add.
Brooks wouldn’t leave well enough alone and came after me, grabbing my hand.
I ripped it away as fast as I could.
“Damn it, Grace. Don’t you think I feel terrible about what happened tonight? About what happened twenty years ago?” he added in quietly.
I took a second to scowl at him before trudging across the cemetery.
The jerk followed. “You don’t have to say anything, but please listen to me,” he pled like his life depended on it.
If it wasn’t too childish, I would have covered my ears and loudly said, La la la la la. I had to settle for turning my head away from him as I continued to march past the headstones.
“I’ll start with tonight.” He wasn’t deterred. “First of all, I had no idea you were going to be at Manresa’s with Julian,” he growled. “Morgan,” he spewed her name, “told me she’d made reservations there for us several weeks ago. I had wanted to discuss our relationship with her, so I agreed to go. Your words last week cut me. Made me reflect on who I had become. I think she knew I was thinking of taking a step back, which is probably why she asked Julian to bring you.”
That piece of information, unfortunately, had me betraying myself. I stopped in my tracks, my head snapping in his direction involuntarily as my mouth flew open. “Right, so you could see what a catch she was in comparison to lowly, uneducated me.”
“Probably,” he conceded. “Little did she know that it was the worst thing she could have done. I couldn’t keep my eyes off you tonight, wondering how I had been so blind,” he said as if he were angry at himself. “You are the most beautiful woman I know, both inside and out.” His tone softened. “You left no doubt who the superior woman is.”
My heart skipped a few beats. Thankfully my head kicked in. Girl, do not fall for this fool’s line. I walked on. “Thanks for clearing that up. Good night.”
“Grace.” He started after me, vigorously rubbing his temples. “You were right about Morgan . . . and me. She is selfish and controlling.”
“Let’s not forget a liar.” I couldn’t help but say that. Who lies about being married and their career? I’ll tell you this, she had done a good job covering it up. I had looked up her social media profiles, and they were all glowing reviews of herself. Not once did I see any hint of her being married or demoted. She was the best wordsmith around.
“That too,” Brooks groaned. “I don’t know how I got so taken in by her.”
“Obviously, you’re an idiot,” I fired back. I kept up my steady pace, even though we had hit the paved walkways now and it wasn’t feeling all that great on my bare feet.
“I am.” He grabbed my hand. This time he held on tighter, pulling me to a stop and making it harder for me to twist away. “Please, Grace, let me have my say.”
I looked between our clasped hands and his pleading eyes. The love I’d had for him bubbled to the surface. I pushed it back down where it belonged. “What difference will it make?” I stood my ground.
