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The guy obviously didn't know they came together. He smiled and lifted his eyebrows. "I know. I saw. But you might as well forget about it."
"Why?"
"Do you know her?" the guy asked. "Do you know who she is?"
Alec shook his head, saying he didn't know Grace. It was a lie, but he wanted to see what the guy would say.
"Well, don't even try. She's friends with the Cartwrights, so she's been around here for years. We've all had a go at it. She's hot and all. I could see why you'd want to try, and I know people who have, but she's locked down tighter than Fort Knox. I mean, you're Alec Abramson, so if any of us has a chance… but I'm warning you, she's Mother Theresa. (He laughed.) I'm just sayin'."
Alec took a slow, deep breath.
His fist was in a ball and he came close to hitting the man square in the jaw. He had taken some boxing lessons, and he knew how to put his whole body into a punch from this distance. He could injure his hand, but he knew how to do the most damage without hurting himself. Better yet, he could just throw an elbow.
But he took a deep breath and smiled through gritted teeth at the guy instead.
"What do you mean she's locked down?"
"Oh, it's a known fact. A bunch of people here know her. She spoke at some church program for high school girls. She's like a preacher or something. She gave this big speech about abstinence… some guy must've messed her up in high school because she said shegave her body away, and got her virginity stolen by some dude. Anyway, she regretted it so much that now she goes around telling high schoolers not to sleep with their boyfriends. She said she's never evenkissinganother guy again until she gets married, if you can believe that." The guy let out a laugh like the notion was ridiculous. "Anyway, I'm just warning you."
He was staring at Grace the whole time they spoke, and Alec watched him with his face turning red from anger, regret, and embarrassment. He hated himself almost as much as he hated this guy.
"I would say you have a shot since you're famous and everything, but it's not likely. Kyle Hildebrand, that guy over there, the tall one with the hair… he's a surgeon. He's best friends with the guy who owns this house. He dated that girl, Grace, and he gave it his best shot for like three months, dude. She won't budge. She wouldn't even kiss him. At one point, it just became a challenge to him. He tried to give her jewelry and all that. I'm telling you, she's like a preacher or something."
Alec put his hand on the guy's upper back, giving it a couple of pats. "Thanks, man, for the advice," he said. He wanted to physically injure the man but he just faked a smile and started to walk away, headed for Grace.
"Hey, bro, can I get a picture with you?" the guy asked.
"Yeah, man, we will in a minute," Alec said since he was not about to pose for a photograph with him. "I've got my work cut out for me over here with the preacher," he added. He smiled at the guy and walked directly to Grace.
She was talking to a small group of women on the far side of the living room. They hadn't eaten yet, and Alec didn't want to let her out of his sight for the rest of the night.
He shot a glare in Doctor Hildebrand's direction, but he was looking the other way. Alec stalked across the room, headed straight for Grace. She saw the movement from the corner of her eye and then turned to look his way. By the time he made it over to her, she had excused herself from the group and taken a few steps toward him.
"Are you okay?" she asked, seeing how he stared at her.
"I am but I was talking to someone who told me… don't look around because he knows I'm talking to you… but some guy over there… don't look… told me that you used to date another guy named Kyle who happens to be here."
"I mean, we talked for a while, but I wouldn't call itdating. We hung out for a… who told you that?"
"Don't look around. It's the guy I was just talking to, and he watched me walk over here."
"I'm sorry. Do you feel uncomfortable? We can go whenever you're ready. I didn't think you would get hassled here, but—"
"He's not a fan," Alec said, cutting her off. "He wanted a picture, but that's not what it was about. He was talking about you. He's Kyle's friend. He asked me if I was looking at you, and then he spilled his guts about how some guy named Kyle used to date you."
"Who was it?" she asked, looking over Alec's shoulder.
"Don't," he said. "I don't want him to know I said anything about it."
"Well, it was no big deal with Kyle." She spoke in an assuring but quiet tone. Alec had on a button-down shirt and she reached up and touched the edge of his collar. It was an act of affection. "And we don't have to stay here," she added. "I'm sorry someone told you that. It was no big deal."
Alec felt heat in his chest when he thought about what he was going to say next. It flared as the words threatened to come out of his mouth. It was difficult to keep his voice low in a moment when he felt like he physically wanted to roar like a wild beast.
"Gracey, baby, let me ask you something and I want you to just answer me without thinking about your answer. How many men have you ever kissed in your life?"
"You haven't called me Gracey in years."
"How many?" he asked, staring down at her. They were standing close enough that people noticed their proximity.
