Page 76 of Forbidden Kisses
“I’m still not doing the tournament. I forgive you both, but I need a little time before I can handle enclosed space with you two making out.”
Jack massaged a hand over his face. “I quit the tournament, too. The whole thing has been called off.”
“Yeah? Why?”
Jack shrugged. “It’s complicated.”
“Don’t tell me you were screwing her and now you’ve gone and broken her heart. Because then I’ll really want to kick your ass. And you know I can.”
Jack laughed. “Maybe she’s the one who broke my heart. Have you considered that?”
“Is she?” Noah asked.
“I’m not sure who did what.” He wasn’t even sure if he was the one who was supposed to be calling Grace and apologizing right now. He’d waited all day for her to do that and she hadn’t. “Anyway, I’m heading over to work.”
“Since I’m managing the desk and there’s apparently not much going on, I can call the paper and schedule a grand opening for your business if you want.”
Jack pointed a finger at his brother. “That’d be great. You know, I need a secretary for my business. You’re hired.”
Noah flipped him the bird. “You always were a jerk.”
Jack closed the door behind him and bounced down the steps, feeling slightly lighter after his conversation with Noah. He checked his phone again. If Grace didn’t call by the time he finished working with Tristan, he’d bite the bullet and call her. Or better yet, he’d go see her. Kissing her was a lot more fun after they’d argued and made up.
As he drove, Jack’s stomach started to roll uneasily. Not so much his stomach, though. He recognized the feeling. It was more his gut, the same way it’d felt when Chris had gone missing. Jack pulled out his phone and dialed his father.
“Hey,” his dad said after three rings.
“You okay, Dad?”
His father coughed into the receiver. “Yeah. Why you asking?”
“Is Sam all right?” Jack asked next.
“Last I saw him. What’s going on with you, son?”
Jack shook his head, pulling into the work site. Tristan was already waiting for him beside a pile of new lumber. “Nothing. I’ll see you later.” Jack ended the call and left his phone in the center console. “Hey, bud,” he said to Tristan as he walked up. He gave the kid a once-over. “You all right?” he asked, seeing no evidence that he wasn’t.
Tristan gave him an odd look and nodded. “You’re late.”
This made Jack laugh. “Right. Well, let’s get to it.” Because the sooner they did, the sooner he could set things straight with Grace.
—
Grace tried to open her eyes, but they wouldn’t budge. It was like an anchor was weighing them down. Her lungs felt heavy, too.
Where am I? What’s going on?
She could hear the sound of water crashing over her, loud and heavy, punctuated by a sharp mechanical beep.Beep. Beep. Beep.
She recognized the sound as her heartbeat.
Her mouth was so dry. She tried to swallow, but couldn’t.
Beep. Beep.
“Is she going to be okay?” Krista asked in the distance.
Grace tried to answer, wondered why Krista’s whispered voice sounded like it was miles away.
