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Chapter 2
Grace
“Grace,Sweets,thephoneis ringing, you have to get up.”
I shake off the hand that pulls on my arm and shift my legs over to the other side of the bed so that I’m lying on my stomach. That’s better.
“Grace, darling, come on, it’s Jonathan.”
I shake her away again. Why would Jonathan be calling me? It’s too early.
Then I remember the day before. Cash leaving. Frank and Jonathan entering Cash’s apartment. The sobs that wracked my body but left me completely silent and shaking. The way they both spoke softly to one another before Jonathan knelt in front of me and tried to soothe my shivering body.
When I still didn’t get up—not because I didn’t want to listen to them, not because I wouldn’t have done anything for those two men to not see me broken on the floor, but because I physically couldn’t move—Jonathan whispered in my ear, “I’ve got you,” and snaked his arms under my hips and behind my head and lifted me into his arms. Curling into his chest, the tears started again and didn’t stop until I fell asleep.
I’m not ready to open my eyes again. My head pounds and I’m dehydrated. I feel physically exhausted from crying for so long. “Can’t,” I manage to mutter.
Marion’s fingers rake through my hair. “Yes, you can.”
I hear her answer the phone and speak softly. “She’s not going in today….No, Jonathan, she can’t.…Meet with her tomorrow….Fine, I’ll have her in by two but that’s the best I can do.…Okay, we’ll see you then.”
A glare slips through the slit of my eyes. What did she agree to?
I’m not getting up.
I can’t.
I wish I could.
But I really cannot get out of this bed today.
Groaning, I turn away from Marion and the curtain she’s opened trying to let in the light. Why isn’t it pouring? Why is the sky not as dark as my mood? Who the hell told the sun it was allowed to shine today?
“You have an hour to wallow. The publicist is going to be here at noon and before that time we need to get you camera ready. I have Anthony coming before that to do your hair and makeup and…” She stops talking as I moan again. “Grace, I know you’re sad. But you have no choice. You have to get back up and prove to everyone they can’t take you out.You can do this.”
Her inspiring words don’t even touch my psyche. I know she cares. I know she loves me, and I know she isn’t doing this because of the business. If it all falls apart, she’d be fine. She’s doing this for me. Because she knows that when I finally come out of this fog, months from now, I will need my business and my reputation, and right now I don’t have either of those.
Three hours later I stand in front of Marion and Anthony with a frown on my face. “Beautiful, I did not just spend two hours making you gorgeous for you to give me that scowl. Now show me some fucking teeth.”
I grit them like a toddler, and Anthony laughs.
Marion shakes her head. “There she is. Okay, Jonathan just messaged that he’s on the way up.”
I panic. “I thought he was meeting us at the office.”
Marion looks at me pensively. “The press will be at the office. He wants to talk to you first.”
My shoulders sag and Anthony quips, “Breasts out, shoulders back.”
I straighten and push out my breasts. “Happy now?”
He smiles. “Positively giddy. Okay, this has been fun. Marion, thanks for the call. Grace, try to look more like a woman and less like a gremlin. Love you both.” He throws air kisses and disappears out the door.
Involuntarily, I roll my eyes and smile. I hate that Marion knew Anthony would do that. I don’t want to smile. Smiling feels like a betrayal of my misery. Just like the damn sun.
Moments later the door opens, and Jonathan walks in wearing a grey suit and a smile. His blue eyes study my face, then they quickly skirt over my attire before returning to my eyes again. “Come here, you.” He holds out his arms and I walk into them.
Before I allow my emotions to travel down my face, I throw my head back and flap my hands in front of my eyes. “I can’t cry again. Don’t look at me like that.”
