Page 7 of Forbidden Kisses
Krista nearly choked on her beer. “You’re kidding, right?”
Grace shook her head. “No. Why?”
“I thought your families didn’t mesh anymore,” Krista said.
“We don’t. But I can be professional if it means helping my mom.”
“I heard she was sick,” Abby said. “How is she doing?”
Grace nodded. This was Blushing Bay. Even if she’d been keeping to herself, everyone else apparently had been keeping tabs. “My mom was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease last year. She’s managing, although living with her is about to drive me absolutely crazy. Thus, one reason I’m here tonight.” Reason number two was that thinking about Jack was driving her even crazier.
“Caregiving is tough. You deserve a break.” Krista smiled, though Grace could see the concern darkening the blue of her eyes.
Grace didn’t want to dampen the women’s mood. “So, is dancing part of your girls’ night out?”
Abby groaned. “Krista forces me onto the dance floor,” she said. “Thank God there’s finally someone else for her to drag out there tonight. I’d rather drink and mentally make fun of everyone else’s moves.”
Krista gave her friend a playful shove. “You still have to dance. Now I have two partners.” She drained the remaining beer from her glass and stood up. “Come on, you two. Maybe I can talk the DJ into playing the Electric Slide.”
Abby gave Grace a dry look. “You see what I’m dealing with?”
Grace laughed, feeling the effects of the half glass of beer she’d already drunk. It felt good to laugh. As she stepped onto the dance floor and awkwardly found her rhythm, it felt good to move her body, too. Even though she’d never found any truth in the saying before, maybe things really did work out for the best. Maybe when one door closed—door number one being her job at Dewy’s—another one really did open.
The DJ came onto the microphone. “This is for Krista,” he purred in a smooth voice.
Krista cheered and pointed a finger at the young man sitting in a little balcony off to the side of the room. Then the Electric Slide started to play. Grabbing one of Grace’s hands, Krista dragged her into the center of the floor.
“I’m not sure I remember how to do this,” Grace said, talking loudly at her friend to be heard over the music.
“It’s like riding a bike. Just follow me!”
Grace remembered the moves by the second verse, the same time that she saw Abby slipping away back to their table. She couldn’t blame her. Sitting back was usually Grace’s style, too. Once the song ended, Grace joined her.
Abby grinned. “It’s good to see you, Grace. I’m happy to hear your family and the Sawyers have finally resolved their differences.”
“I wouldn’t say that.”
Abby stared at her a long moment. She was a year or two older than Grace. She’d started dating Sam Sawyer when Grace had still been their stepsister, and later they’d married. Sam and Abby’s love had seemed unbreakable back then. But they’d been separated for over a year now. Grace had been shocked when she’d heard about the split. She wondered now if the entire Sawyer family had discarded her, too. Once family, now…not family. Abby still owned the Sawyers’ upscale seafood restaurant, The Landing, though, so she guessed that Abby still maintained at least a business relationship with them. Hopefully Grace could do the same now that she’d be managing the company’s office. “Well, even though they’re a bunch of unruly men in their personal lives, when it comes to business, they’re professional and fair. That’s my experience, at least.”
Grace smiled. She hoped that was true.
“Oh geez.” Abby brought one hand to her forehead and tipped her face down, seeming to hide.
“What’s wrong?” Grace asked.
“Speak of the devil. Sam just walked in.”
Grace started to look back and Abby snapped at her. “No. Don’t look. I don’t want him to see us.”
Grace kept her gaze straight. “So I guess you and Sam still aren’t talking.”
“Which is just fine with me. Any day I can avoid running into him is a good day. And in this town, let me tell you, those are far and few. Go tell Krista it’s time to call her brother to come get us.”
“Seriously?” Grace reflexively looked back at Sam. While she did, she checked to see if he was with Jack.
“I said don’t look! He’ll see us,” Abby groaned.
Grace faced Abby again. “Well, the Sawyers aren’t fond of me, either, so even if he did see us, he wouldn’t bother us. I’m your protection.”
