Page 55 of Forbidden Kisses
“No,” Grace said honestly. Then she backtracked. “Well, it kind of does, but it has to do with all of the Sawyers.”
Krista folded her arms on the table and leaned forward. “I’m listening.”
Grace sighed and met her friend’s warm eyes. “Okay, I guess I can tell you. I entered the East Coast fishing tournament because I want to win the money prize.”
Krista grinned. “Well, duh. What I don’t know is why you need the money. I mean I know your mom is sick, but…”
Grace pulled her lower lip between her teeth and bit down softly. She hadn’t wanted to tell anyone her plan. Not until it was a done deal. Not until she’d won the tournament and the money was hers. Until she’d handed it over to Garrison Tomlin. “I wanted to use the prize money to buy theBeatriceback for the Sawyer family.”
Krista’s eyes widened. “What? I thought no one even knew who owned it.”
Grace cocked her head to the side. “My mom knew. She just never wanted to tell Pete. She was mad at him for divorcing her, which he had every right to do, I guess. But my mom is different now.”
Kristen nodded and reached a hand out to touch Grace’s forearm. “I know she is. I’ve seen it for myself. So what’s the problem?” Krista asked. “The Sawyers will be thrilled to have theBeatriceback.”
Grace frowned. “The problem is that the owner is refusing to sell it to me.”
Krista’s mouth dropped open. “Really? Why? It’s not that great of a boat, is it?”
Grace shrugged. “I think it has more to do with the fact that it once belonged to the Sawyers. My mom says he didn’t like the Sawyer family much. Specifically Pete. I’m not sure why.”
“What are you going to do?” Krista asked.
Grace finally popped a piece of her muffin into her mouth and chewed. “I figure that everyone has their price. I’m going to go find Mr. Tomlin myself and talk to him. Make him understand that this boat means everything to me.”
“Don’t you think you’re acting out of turn?” Krista asked. “You haven’t even won the tournament yet.”
“I have two of the best fishermen in Blushing Bay on my crew,” Grace said proudly. “We have to win.” Because it was the only chance she had at mending the rift between their families. And the only chance she had at turning this thing she had going with Jack into something real.
—
After work, Grace followed the directions she’d printed out on Google Maps to the address she had scrawled on the back of a receipt. Jack had asked to come over tonight, but she’d told him she couldn’t. She’d lied to him, which felt more wrong than the typical white lie. She wasn’t hanging out with her mother tonight. Instead, she was on her way to see what she imagined was a lonely old man, who probably didn’t even like to go out on the boat anymore.
Garrison Tomlin lived about an hour’s drive from Blushing Bay. The mostly barren one-lane roads curved through expanses of trees. When Grace finally pulled into Mr. Tomlin’s driveway, it was after 6P.M.A little wave of nervousness crashed over her. He didn’t have to let her in. He didn’t have to hear her out. There was no reason for him to do anything she asked.
She climbed the porch steps, reminding herself with every one that her mother had asked her to make things right. This was how she was doing it. Grace needed things to be made right just as much as, if not more than, her mother.
With a shallow inhale, she pressed the doorbell before she could talk herself out of it. Scuffling could be heard behind the door. A dog barking. Judging by the high pitch, she guessed it was a tiny dog. The kind with sharp teeth.
Grace cast a backward glance at her car. She could run now. She was sure she was faster than the little dog behind Mr. Tomlin’s front door itching to nip at her ankles.
Too late.
The door opened and an older man, just as she’d envisioned, stared back at her. The man, and a tiny teacup Chihuahua, looked her up and down.
Grace was too nervous to speak for a moment. Her entire fate seemed to hang on his agreement to her proposal.
“Yeah? What do you want?” he asked gruffly.
Grace cleared her throat. “Mr. Tomlin?”
He nodded.
“My name is Grace Donner. I—”
“You’re that girl who wants to buy the boat. I already told you. It’s not for sale,” he said, reaching for the edge of the door, presumably to slam it in her face.
“No, no, no. Please, don’t do that,” she said. “I just want five minutes of your time. I want to explain to you why that boat is so important to me. It’s important to the healing of two families.”
