Page 57 of You Shouldn't Have Come Here

“Let me help you,” Grace offered, taking a step toward her.

Betty put her hand up in protest and then lowered it. “On second thought, I’d love the extra help.” Her smile twitched again.

I wasn’t sure what she was up to, but she was clearly up to something. With Betty off her meds, her behavior could be quite unpredictable.

“Char, come help us with the food,” Betty called out, beckoning her with her hand.

Charlotte nodded and followed them inside.

“Damn, Calvin. You look at her as if the sun won’t rise tomorrow,” Wyatt said with a laugh.

Joe smacked him in the arm. “Since when are you poetic?”

“Since I’ve been trying to win Charlotte back.” Wyatt slugged Joe’s shoulder. “I’ve been reading a lot of them Colleen Hoover romance books while I’m working speed traps. Ain’t no one getting tickets, but I’m learning a lot.” He swigged his beer. “And that lady sure can make me cry,” Wyatt said, shaking his head.

I laughed and turned to the grill, lifting the cover. Some of the meat was done so I started taking it off and placing it on a platter.

“What happened between you two anyway?” Joe asked.

“I don’t know. Just one day she told me she didn’t want to be with me anymore. No reason given.” Wyatt sighed.

“Think she was cheating?” Joe asked.

I glanced over my shoulder at them.

Wyatt frowned. “Well, Ididn’tthink that. But now I do.”

“Why would you say that, Joe?” I shot daggers at my brother for putting that thought in his head.

Joe shrugged. “Girls don’t just go breaking up with guys for no reason.”

I flipped the steaks again, ensuring they had nice grill marks on both sides.

“Enough about C and me before I get weepy. What’s going on with you and Grace?” Wyatt patted my shoulder.

I slid a thumb into the loop of my jeans and rocked back and forth on my heels. “That, I don’t know.”

“You kidding me?” Joe laughed. “I walked in on you two. You were naked.”

Wyatt smirked. “You hound dog.”

I pulled the steaks off and felt my face get warm. I was surely blushing.

My eyes went to the house after I closed up the grill. I couldn’t see Grace, but I knew she was in there—probably heating up her nasty brussels sprouts or helping Betty with the honey cake. She was in my house, and I liked her there. It’s where she belonged no matter what Betty or anyone in this town thought, and I was determined to keep her.

“Look at you. My brother’s falling in love with a city girl.”

“That girl is going to rip your heart out,” Wyatt said. “Trust me. Charlotte did the same to me.”

“I hate to say it, but Wyatt has a point.” Joe lowered his chin. “She’s leaving in four days.”

“Not to sound cliché, but I think I can get her to stay.” I immediately regretted the words as they left my mouth.

Wyatt and Joe glanced at one another and then gave me a puzzled look.

I knew Grace wanted me. And I wanted her. And at the end of the day, there was nothing complicated about that.

“What are you going to do? Lock her in the basement?” Joe chuckled.

---