Page 74 of You Shouldn't Have Come Here

“Charlotte came here looking for trouble. She was drunk and belligerent. She told me...” Grace paused. “She said she slept with Joe. So, if you want to arrest anyone, arrest her for drunk driving and being the town whore.”

Wyatt’s eyes grew wide in disbelief. They snapped between Grace and me. He let out a heavy sigh and stumbled backward.

Grace left out the part about Charlotte and I sleeping together clearly to protect me.

“She slept with Joe?” he stammered.

Wyatt was in love with Charlotte, but this revelation changed everything. I’m sure he hoped she’d come around—that maybe she was just scared about settling down. But he wasn’t the man she wanted to settle down with. I was, and Joe was just a pawn.

I tilted my head, delivering a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry, man.”

“Joe’s my best friend.” Wyatt’s lip quivered.

“I know.” I closed the distance between us and patted him on the shoulder. In being all caught up with what Char had done, I forgot about what Joe had done. Wyatt and Joe had been best friends since they were boys. He stuck by Joe after the accident, after most others turned their back on him. He never once bought into the rumors that Joe could have possibly done it on purpose. He even took care of him until he was healed enough to take care of himself.

Wyatt raised his shoulders. “I’ve gotta go.” He hung his head for a moment. “Sorry,” he murmured.

“It’s fine,” I said.

Wyatt got into his cruiser without another word and backed out of the driveway. I had no idea what he was going to do next, but I knew it wasn’t good. Once out on the road, his tires squealed, and he flicked on his lights and siren, speeding off in the direction of downtown Dubois.

I shook my head and turned to Grace. “Thank you for standing up for me.”

She pointed to my cheek. “You should get some ice on that.”

“Everything all right out here?” Albert stood on the porch, holding two beers. “I heard yelling.”

Grace nodded and took one of the beers from him. “It’s all good.” They clinked their bottles together and swigged.

I thought now would be the best time to tell her the truth about everything, but the thought passed quickly. Things were getting better, and I didn’t want something silly like the truth ruining it, so I just smiled and joined them.

The carbonation from the beer tingled against my tongue, or maybe it was Grace that made me tingle. She sat beside me, grazing on herham-and-cheese sandwich. Somehow, after half a dozen beers with Albert on the porch, she had warmed up to me and even let me make her something to eat. The sky looked like a watercolor painting, a mix of blues and yellows and pinks, but the beauty of it paled in comparison to her. Grace rocked back and forth in the creaky, wooden chair. We were back to talking about dating things, learning about one another, likes and dislikes, hopes and dreams, and all that. It was nice, real nice.

“What’s your biggest regret?” she asked, pulling the bottle from her lips. The liquid left behind a glimmery sheen that begged to be kissed. But I resisted.

“Leaving here,” I said. “But also coming back.”

Grace tilted her head. “Why?”

“When I left, I felt like a wild animal being released from captivity. I went out and got a taste of freedom, and realized the world wasn’t like I thought it was. Then I was put back in the cage, so to speak.” I glanced over at her. I was sure I wasn’t making much sense, but she nodded anyway.

She raised an eyebrow. “You don’t do Airbnb for the money, do you?”

Maybe she did have me all figured out.

I shook my head and drank. “No, I don’t.”

“Why’d you lie to me?” she asked, setting her empty plate down on the table between us.

“How’d you know I was lying?”

“It doesn’t matter how I knew. It matters why you lied.” Grace eyed me. She must have been watching me carefully this whole time.

I let out a deep breath and some of the truth came out with it. “I lied because I was embarrassed. My parent’s life insurance policies left me a lot of money, but I learned quickly that money ain’t everything. So, I started Airbnb simply because I was lonely.” My eyes flicked to her.

Grace pulled in her lips and lowered her chin.

I think she felt bad for me.

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