Best Foot Forward Page 11

  “Okay, sweetheart. I’ll come check on you in a bit,” said Connie.

  When Grace stood up to leave the table, she saw the satisfied smirk on Kara’s face. But Brad rose as well. “I’ll walk you out. I’d like to talk to you before you disappear.” Grace saw the smirk hop from Kara’s face to Olivia’s.

  By the time Grace slipped into the den with Brad following closely, her heart was hammering and her hands were perspiring. “Grace? Could we sit for a minute?” Brad indicated the couch with his outstretched hand.

  “Okay.” Her voice sounded quivery, and she took a deep breath to steady herself as she perched on the end of the couch.

  Brad took up a position so close she could feel his warmth radiating from his legs. He reached out and picked up her hand between both of his, holding it firmly when she tried to pull away. “Grace, we need to talk.” He closed his eyes as he drew in a lungful of air and let it whistle through his lips. “I tried to call you yesterday, but you didn’t answer or return my calls.”

  “That’s because I lost my phone. I left it—”

  “On the subway,” he finished for her. “I know that now. But I didn’t know that when I invited Kara to come to dinner. I also didn’t know Horatio wasn’t coming or that Kara was the one who prevented me from getting your card and flowers.”

  “It’s okay. I’m not mad at you. I can understand why you would date her. I mean, she’s smart and beautiful and tall.”

  “I’m not dating her.”

  “Well, I know you quit dating her when you started dating me, so it’s natural that—”

  “Did she tell you that? Did Kara say we were dating before I started dating you?” Brad’s blue eyes glinted like steel as his jaw clenched.

  Grace swallowed hard at his palpable fury. “I... I think she just said you were interested in her before I came along, but she implied you and she had... that you were... you know... together.” She felt her cheeks burning.

  Grace was shocked to hear him curse. “Look Grace, she lies—you shouldn’t believe anything she said. I’m just now realizing how low she’ll stoop to get her way.”

  “So... You never considered going back to Los Angeles with her to work at Central Hospital?”

  “No way! As far as I’m concerned, Kara Dickson would be a major deterrent to working at Central Hospital. And I’m sorry I brought her here. Okay? And I’m sorry I didn’t talk to you Thursday night. And I’m sorry I talked to you about being in love and getting married. I know it’s too early to think about that. Okay?”

  “Okay.” Grace felt hope blooming as he squeezed her hand.

  “Grace?”

  “Huh?” She looked up through her lashes to find his face close to hers.

  “Can I kiss you?”

  “Uhmm... I don’t know—”

  Brad swallowed her protest as he pressed his lips to hers. All objections flew out of her head as a dizzying sensation overwhelmed her. With only the lightest tender touch of his mouth against her lips, she felt a tingle spread from her neck down her spine. His fingers rose to gently caress her cheek. He pulled back a fraction and whispered, so close she could feel his breath on her face.

  “Grace, I like you a lot.”

  The warm feeling building inside Grace was replaced by a sudden chill. Had he changed his mind about loving her? Her crazy reaction to his profession of love must have caused him to take a step back. Now she recognized her own feelings of love for Brad, he no longer felt the same. Before panic could overtake her, Grace clamped down on her emotions. She had to be sane and rational—she couldn’t afford to overreact again. If he loved her before, he would come to love her again once he knew he could trust her.

  Brad rested his forehead against hers, with one hand holding her face toward him. He moved slightly to brush his lips against hers again. “Do you like me too?” he asked, his voice sounding uncertain in the wake of her silence.

  “Yes, I do.”

  “Uhmm, I’m glad.” He smiled as he kissed her again, torturing her by bestowing only the softest amounts of pressure on her mouth, feathery caresses against her desperately seeking lips.

  Grace pulled away from his embrace to force a sense of reason into her head. She attempted to slow her breathing as she studied Brad with wary eyes. To her great distress she realized he looked exhausted, as if he were recovering from some lingering illness. There were shadows under his bloodshot eyes, and his face appeared thin and drawn. So at least one of the things Kara had told her was factual. Grace had to find out if anything else she’d said was true. Was his job schedule wearing him out? Was he really giving up his hopes and dreams by remaining in New York City? Was he sacrificing his happiness for hers? She had to find out the truth. She would do whatever it took to ensure Brad got the life he deserved, even if she risked not being a part of his future.

  *****

  Brad felt like a bundle of dynamite waiting for a spark. His nerve endings were on high alert, sending out lightning bolts each time his lips contacted hers. He was determined to stay in check, holding himself back from the urges that almost overwhelmed him. He had to take it slow with Grace. Now that he had her back, he had to be careful not to scare her off again. He wouldn’t be foolish enough to speak of love again for a long time, and he certainly wouldn’t mention marriage. He was so relieved there hadn’t actually been another guy. Well, technically there was another guy, but he was only a six-year-old. He tried to relax his tense muscles as he eased against the back of the couch, keeping a close eye on Grace lest she attempt to flee his presence.

  He saw her chewing on her bottom lip the way she always did when she was worried about something. To him it was an adorable habit. He spied the funny-colored hair peeking out the hat he’d knocked askew. He grinned and cocked his head to the side.

  “Let me see it. Take your hat off.”

  She grabbed it and tugged it down tight over her hair. “No way.”

  He laughed and tickled her side until she tried to fight him off, leaving her hat unguarded. He snatched the hat from her head and held it out of reach.

  “You rat!” She covered her head with her hands.

  “Stop,” he said, pulling at her hands. “It’s not that bad.”

  “It’s awful,” she moaned, giving up and collapsing against the couch in defeat.

  “It’s just hair,” he said, grinning. “It would take a lot more than that to make you look bad. And anyway, it’ll grow back.”

  “I look like an orange wicked witch.”

  He laughed and shook his head, “No, Kara is the wicked witch. I’m so sorry I didn’t realize what she was like. Can you forgive me?”

  “Sure, but...”

  “But what?”

  “Well, Kara mentioned something about you going back to Los Angeles to get a job.”

  “Don’t believe anything she said. I’m not going to Los Angeles. Don’t worry. I’m staying right here in New York City.”

  “Okay, but don’t you need to move somewhere in order to move up?” Grace sat up straight, holding herself stiff and unyielding with a scrutinizing gaze as she awaited his answer.

  Brad considered how he should respond. He knew she wouldn’t want to stay in a long-term relationship if he left the city, and he loved New York. He had no desire to leave, especially since his brother was making noise about moving there. In fact, he knew he had a good chance of eventually making chief of the Emergency Medicine Department at Mercy General. Most people assumed Josh would eventually snag the job, but he knew Josh had become enamored with surgery and had plans to work a few years in emergency medicine before doing a cardiac surgery residency. This was privileged information, and he couldn’t share the secret with Grace. But all he really needed to do was assure Grace he wouldn’t move away from New York City.

  “I might be able to move up at Mercy General.”

  “But what if the only way you could advance was to move somewhere.”

  “Look, I don’t want to scare you again by ta
lking about us in the long term. But if we stay together, I promise not to move from New York City.”

  “But that’s the thing, I’m telling you I’d be willing to move if we stayed together.” Grace’s eyes were wide and she had a stubborn tilt to her chin.

  “But Grace, you wouldn’t be happy if you left the city—all of your family is here.”

  “I’m telling you, I’d be fine. I would even move to Los Angeles if I needed to.” Why did she look so frantic? Why was she so concerned he would break up with her and leave the city?

  “No Grace, you wouldn’t be happy, at least not in the long term. But I understand that, and I would never ask you to leave. I’m not planning to break up with you for any reason. I’ll keep working at Mercy General. If I get an offer from some other city, I won’t accept it. In fact, I had a good offer last month and turned it down.”

  “But what if it was your dream job? What if it was exactly what you wanted? What if it was the best job in the country, with really good pay and really good hours? Then you would need to move somewhere, and I’m telling you I’m perfectly willing to move. I could Skype with my family every day. I would be happy. You don’t have to sacrifice your happiness for mine.”

  Now her eyes were shimmering with tears and her breathing was rapid. Why was she so upset about this issue? He had to reassure her somehow. He reached out his hand to cup her jaw gently, smoothing her tightened lips with his thumb until he felt them relax. He gradually slid his hand around to the back of her head and pulled her forward as he leaned in to place a chaste kiss on her soft, pliant lips. He willed her to feel all the assurance and security he could give her in the promise of his kiss. He held his passion in check. Perhaps the hair mishap had made her feel more insecure. She mustn’t think his sentiments were built on base, physical desire and attraction. She needed to know his feelings wouldn’t change if she gained weight or changed her hair. He put all of his love and devotion into the caress of lips against hers.

  He could sense when the tension left her body and she began to lean into him, responding with a sincere, urgent passion. His heart exulted. He’d done it—he’d broken the anxious barrier she’d erected. Her lips parted, and he heard the faintest of whimpers. He deepened the kiss, unable to resist her earnest invitation. Her hands rose to lock around his neck, holding tight as if to keep him from moving away. When he felt her tongue teasing tentatively against his, he couldn’t help the groan that erupted from his chest. He could feel his hunger building into a threatening tidal wave, and he broke the kiss before he lost control. But instead of pulling away, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her trembling body into a sweet embrace.

  Holding her as his heart pounded against her and her breathing began a gradual slowing from frantic pants, he chuckled. “Wow Grace, I have to fight with every ounce of strength to keep control with you.”

  “Me too,” she whispered, with her head still relaxed against his chest.

  “So we’re good right?” Brad spoke the words into her hair. “You just need to know, as long as we’re together, I won’t even consider taking a job away from New York. I won’t apply and I won’t look at any other offers. No matter what. Even if it’s my dream job. Okay? So just quit worrying.”

  As he spoke the words he felt her stiffen in his arms, and he heard a small sob escape her lips. How did he mess up this time?”

  Chapter Seven

  “She refuses to talk to me,” Olivia told Brad when she returned downstairs. She saw the hope drain from his expression, and she felt a wave of sympathy. “What happened?”

  Kara had left, albeit unwillingly. Josh and Ben, who volunteered for the duty when Brad had interrupted dessert in a panic, begging for help, had escorted her home.

  “I have no idea what happened.” Brad rubbed his hand on the top of his head, pulling in frustration at the cropped hair. “One minute everything was fine, and the next minute she told me we couldn’t see each other anymore.”

  “Did you scare her off? Were you talking about marriage again?”

  “No, I swear! I didn’t even say the word love. She seemed really worried I might want to leave New York City. I thought I had her convinced I wouldn’t move.”

  “Why would she think you wanted to move?” Olivia drummed her fingers on her arm. Would Grace go crazy over the idea of leaving New York? It was certainly possible—she’d never spent any significant time away from her family.

  His shoulders shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe it was something Kara said. She kept offering to move with me.”

  “Move with you? So you were talking about marriage?”

  “Well, not really. We were talking about the future if we stayed together. We never mentioned marriage at all.”

  “But that must be it.” Olivia tapped her front tooth with her fingernail. What else would make her sister panic but the thought of commitment? Maybe it wasn’t the commitment, but the idea she would voluntarily give up the control she held so dear. “She seems to freak out thinking about marriage—only her marriage. She’s fine with Spencer and Emily getting married in a few months.”

  “But I wasn’t pushing her at all, and we never mentioned marriage.”

  “What else could it be?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe she still didn’t believe I would stay in New York City. Kara told her I wanted to move to Los Angeles, and nothing could be farther from the truth. I shouldn’t have let her talk to Grace—I realize now she’s a big time con artist.”

  “I encouraged her to talk to Kara alone. I wanted Grace to tell her off.” Olivia regretted giving that sisterly advice to Grace, but it was too late to change what had happened.

  “What am I going to do?”

  “For now, you need to go home and get some sleep. You really do look bad.”

  “I know I look horrible, but I’ve hardly slept since Grace broke up with me the first time. I’m not likely to be successful in sleeping now that she’s done it again.”

  Olivia gave him a side hug and patted his arm. “Don’t worry too much. I happen to know Grace likes you a lot. She’s not talking to me right now, but she’ll eventually give in. I’ll get to the bottom of this one way or another. By tomorrow night we’ll all probably be laughing about it.”

  “I hope you’re right,” said Brad, blinking his glistening eyes. Oh no—Olivia couldn’t stand to see a guy cry. She punched him in the arm.

  “Ow! What was that for?”

  Ha—it worked. Brad was completely sidetracked by his smarting arm, and the weepy expression was gone. In its place were confusion and irritation—much better.

  “That’s because I believe in my heart you’ll eventually be my brother, and I always punch my brother in the arm. Better get used to it.”

  “I already have a brother who does that kind of thing. I was kind of hoping sisters would be more gentle and sweet.”

  “You’ve got Hannah and Claire for that. I’ll probably be Ben’s female counterpart.”

  “Great,” said Brad in a voice sounding anything but pleased. “Just what I wanted—Ben in a female body. Not!”

  *****

  It was so much harder this time, eight long weeks since Grace had admitted to herself she loved Brad. But this time, she knew she was doing the right thing. When she’d finally recognized the toll Brad’s schedule was taking on him, she’d known she had to do something. She’d never seen him look so tired and drained before. He’d always managed to cover up the effect of his work strain, hiding it from her so she wouldn’t worry. Or perhaps, since she was commonly oblivious to her surroundings, she’d simply failed to notice the problem. He was so selfless, willing to sacrifice his own health so she could stay near her family. And no matter how hard she’d argued she would be fine in another place, he wouldn’t give in. He was determined to martyr himself for her benefit, even though it wasn’t necessary. She knew she was taking an awful chance by breaking up with Brad. But he had to believe they had no future together before he would accept a
position that promised him a better opportunity. Timing was everything. She had to suspend all contact, but somehow keep a close watch on his life. In her fervent prayers each night, she begged God to let them be together in the end.

  She had no one to talk to—no one understood her motives. Her sisters were mad at her. Her parents were clueless. She couldn’t talk to Josh. He’d only feel guilty his advancement over Brad had resulted in this insolvable situation. Emily had attempted on multiple occasions to sway her toward renewing her relationship with Brad. Spencer had said point blank, “Gracie, I love you, but I think you’re making a big mistake.”

  The hardest obstacle she faced each week was Sunday night dinner. Although Brad had customarily attended about half of the dinners due to schedule conflicts, he’d been miraculously available for every single dinner since the fateful dinner with Kara. And eight weeks had accomplished no change in Brad’s beleaguered appearance. If anything, the circles under his eyes were even darker than before. Every week without fail he endeavored to get her alone for a conversation. Well aware of her lack of willpower in Brad’s presence, Grace carefully thwarted his efforts.

  She simultaneously dreaded and cherished the weekly visits, starved as she was for news about him. But this week’s dinner promised to be more entertaining than usual since Ben was back in town.

  *****

  “Don’t tell me you still haven’t patched things up with Grace,” Ben said. “It’s been like six months since she dumped you again.”

  “Two months,” Brad corrected, glaring at his brother. It seemed to him he adopted a permanent scowl when Ben was in town.

  “So what’s the deal? What did you do to scare her off? Are you that bad of a kisser? I could probably give you some lessons, but you’ll just have to watch and learn. I’m not demonstrating on you.”

  Josh busted out a laugh, choking on his water. “Ben, I think you should just move in here. It’s so much more entertaining when you’re around.”

  “I beg to differ,” Brad snapped.

  “Come on, lighten up little brother,” said Ben. “I’m just kidding you.”