AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He shook his head. ‘Just Tabby. Oh. And you’ll be pleased to hear that Russell is coming home this Friday. I was just speaking with him when you came in.’
Grace tensed under his gaze. ‘Why would I be pleased?’
He frowned and then gave her that old sardonic smile. ‘Because you love him, remember? Or you think you do. Anyway. He’ll be here by late afternoon. So only four more days to wait.’
‘I’m not some love-sick girl, Griff. I’ve waited far longer than a few days to see Russell. Not that I’m actually waiting for him. In fact, I think perhaps Granny Joy – and you – may have been right. Perhaps it is … was … merely infatuation.’
He sat upright and looked her in the eye.
‘Good. Because I like you, Grace. And believe it or not I care about you. I don’t want to see you get hurt. I love my brother dearly, but … he may not live up to your high expectations of him.’
‘I … I don’t have high expectations of him. I’m not sure I expect anything of him.’
‘You think you’ve been in love with him for years and suddenly, just like that, you decide it’s infatuation? Are you sure that’s how you feel? Or are you simply saying what you think others want to hear?’
‘Honestly? I don’t know. I said I’m not some love-sick girl, and yet I’ve been behaving like a teenager with a crush for years. It’s time I grew up and became a woman.’
‘From where I’m sitting, Grace. You are very much a woman. Take my word for that.’
The look in his eyes and the tensing of the muscles around his mouth, jaw and neck told her he was struggling to stay where he was. Did he want to come to her and take her in his arms? Or was this her fanciful imagination running away with her again?
‘And from where I’m standing, Griff. You are very much a man.’
His sharp intake of breath thrilled her. Hanna was right. She did have an effect on him. But not as great as she would have liked. He remained seated.
‘Now which one of us is practising flirting?’
‘Not me,’ she said, fluttering her eyelashes.
She was about to say more when Tabby knocked on the open door and popped her head around it.
‘Sorry to disturb you, Griff, and Grace, but … your girlfriend is here. She’s waiting in the morning room.’
‘Girlfriend?’ Grace shrieked, horrified.
‘Girlfriend?’ Griff queried, looking confused.
‘Davina?’ Tabby prompted.
‘Oh, Davina. Yes of course. I’ll be right there, Tabby. Can you get her some coffee please? She takes it black.’
‘Already have.’ Tabby smiled and left them, throwing a sympathetic glance at Grace.
‘Davina!’ Grace hissed between gritted teeth. ‘You are astonishing! You have so many women in your life that you can’t even remember the name of your current girlfriend. I do love Russell. I don’t know why I ever thought otherwise.’
She turned and raced from the room.
‘Grace? Grace!’
She heard him call her but he didn’t come after her and when she did see him again, he was heading towards the morning room. And his girlfriend, Davina.
Eleven
Gracespenttherestof the day caught between tears pricking at her eyes and anger raging in her chest.
That bloody man had been playing with her. He knew exactly what he was doing and he enjoyed every minute of it.
How could she have been so stupid?
