Page 28 of Forbidden Kisses
Grace’s mouth dropped open. “Date?”
Her mother shrugged a shoulder. “I’m not dead, Grace. Even though you keep treating me like I’m halfway there.”
Grace frowned. “I know what you’re doing.”
Her mother lifted her chin. “I’m not doing anything.”
“Yes, you are. You’re pushing me away because you think it’s what’s best for me.”
“Itiswhat’s best. I’m fine here. Mrs. Smith wants me here. She needs me. You, on the other hand, don’t need me anymore.”
Grace glanced at her watch. “I have to go to work. You have your key to the apartment, though. If you change your mind—”
“Stop worrying. Go. Find yourself a man.”
The image of Jack’s naked body slammed into Grace’s brain. No forgetting that. “I’ll call you tonight,” she said, turning to her car before her mother sniffed out the memory of one particular man last night.
“You can call, but I might be on a date,” her mother called to Grace’s back, making her laugh. Some things would never change. Her mother wasn’t exactly Mrs. Cleaver, but she did her best, even when it wasn’t enough.
Grace pulled into the parking lot of Sawyer Seafood Company at five minutes to eight and glanced over at the empty parking spot that Jack’s truck usually occupied. He wasn’t here. It might not be personal, she told herself. Maybe he was working on the new pier or the boat he was building.
Or maybe when she’d pushed him away last night she’d pushed him too far. Maybe that had been their last chance to be together and she’d blown it.
—
Jack avoided going into the Sawyer Seafood office for the next several days. He couldn’t avoid her this afternoon, though. He, Grace, and Noah were meeting to discuss the tournament. He was going to have to be near her and pretend that they hadn’t had some of the most amazing sex of his life. That it hadn’t changed everything—for him at least.
And that would be near impossible.
Jack finished up one side of the small boat he was building and stepped back. He and Chris had built the same design one summer in camp. They’d thought they were rock stars back then. Chris had even gotten himself a date out of it. Teen girls apparently liked guys who built boats.
Except Grace. She didn’t want to date. All she wanted was to be the captain of his boat. Jack pulled a ball cap over his head and grabbed his keys. A short drive later he pulled up to the pier where theSummerlywas already put in the water. With a pale blue hull and yellow markings, the boat was the very image of summertime.
“Yo, bro!” Noah called out.
Jack waved and planted eyes on Grace in a blue one-piece bathing suit.
“Let’s go for a ride!” she called, wearing huge black sunglasses that covered half her face.
Jack tried to swallow past his suddenly dry throat. She’d said she wanted to forget that they’d had sex, but sex with Grace had been something he’d wanted for over a decade. Even after their families had broken up, he’d thought about her. Wanted her. Missed her.
Jack stepped up on the pier and headed toward the midsection of the boat. He hadn’t stepped aboard since the day Chris had fallen overboard. He still wasn’t even sure where exactly Chris had gone over. At the stern? The port side he was about to enter? His mind had been too absorbed in the catch that day. Had Chris called out for help?
“Hey, stranger.” Grace was standing in front of him. Her voice was light and airy, as if nothing had taken place between them. So this was how it was going to be between them now.
“Hey.”
“You okay?” she asked.
He’d probably been standing in this one spot for an exaggerated minute, thinking about his friend, mulling over his regrets. One thing he was certain of, the woman in front of him was not a regret. “Yeah.” He took in a deep breath and stepped up onto the boat. It was like riding a bike, he told himself, then quickly labeled himself a liar. Piloting a boat after losing your best friend wasn’t the same as pedaling a bicycle.
The boat rocked as he came aboard and Grace stumbled forward. Jack’s arms reflexively went out to catch her, grabbing her waist as her arms braced against his body. She felt good against him and he resisted letting her go.
“Oops.” Grace laughed as she worked to get her feet back under her.
“You okay?” Noah asked behind them.
Jack loosened his grip and Grace slipped away—for the second time in a week, thanks to his younger brother.
