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Saving Grace 33.
It was finally here, the wedding she had heard about the first day she had come into town. Grace couldn't believe that she had stayed in town two good weeks and everything was still as quiet as she didn't expect it to be. Charlotte had taken her shopping just yesterday after pushing it forward and not finding enough time to do it. She hadn't even thought she would be around here until now, but somehow she had, and she was thankful for the people that made that possible. Sometimes, no, that would be every time, Grace would wonder what her life would have looked like by now, what it would have been if she hadn’t stopped in this town if she hadn't thought of staying, or if she hadn't met with Noah and Charlotte first. Would she still be this save? Would her ex-husband have caught up with her? Would she have discovered the tracker in her car, the one she had managed to somehow not found when she did a check for it? Although, it wasn't as if she was claiming to be an expert, but she had
Saving Grace 34.
Noah had just turned out the last light in the kitchen and was walking to his room when he heard the whimpering sound, coming from Grace's room. He was really not sure of the sound, but he knew it was coming from her room, and his heart skilled a beat, as he started to wonder what was wrong, or what was happening. He definitely knew that there wasn't a chance for an intruder to get into the house when the alarm system was turned on and locked. He hadn't even heard any movement sound as he sat back in the sitting room with papers scattered in front of him and he studied a case of someone he was supposed to take on for surgery. As a surgeon, before he picked up a case of a patient to cut open and operate on, he would make sure to have studied his files to see the best option for them, and the best way to go about it, and although, each time he did that, he was usually engrossed, he was sure he didn't hear anything at all. There was no one else but him and Grace in the house, he was pr
Saving Grace 35.
“What are you doing in here?” Grace asked, a little bit startled. No, actually she was a lot startled. She had for a moment thought that someone was in her room because the voice had come when she wasn't paying attention. All he had to do was do it in the middle of the night, and she might have passed out, or on, who knows. When she turned to face him after freezing for like a full minute, she had found him on the couch that was in her room with a blanket draped over his body, wrapped around him, mostly, and she could tell that he had spent the night there on the couch. Grace forget about the discomfort look on his face of someone who had suffered through the night because of how short the couch was and how tall he was, and she focused on the weird part. Why the hell was he in here when he should have been in his room sleeping? Had he been watching her sleep all night long, being a creep? Was this just a one-night thing or he had been doing it for such a long time? If yes, then sin
Saving Grace 36.
The wedding reception turned out to be just as Grace had anticipated. The spacious venue was brimming with cheerful people, their faces illuminated with smiles as they engaged in lively conversations amongst themselves, and in pairs too.Grace was seated next to her Charlotte, who was equally beaming with happiness, and she occasionally turned to her with a smile, trying to make her feel the merry. Although, Grace's mind was consumed by a persistent thought the one that had been nagging at the back of her head; the fear of her ex-husband making an unexpected appearance, barging through the entrance at any moment. She had promised herself to stop thinking about it, to live her life, but it wasn't as easy as it sounded. Her eyes kept darting towards the entrance, her neck craning as she scanned the doorway time and time again.“You really should stop doing this to yourself and live your life.” She said to herself mentally. She should even emulate the rest of the people in the reception
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Being used to hearing the bell chimes when a customer came in was a blessing to be honest, and Charlotte had helped a lot this past week everyday after each shift at night, practicing with her by coming through the door a few times.Knowing she was the one coming in made it easier to still her mind and not jump when she heard the loud sound.Although, she was backing the door when the bell chimed this time, but she didn’t jump like she would have done a week ago.Charlotte who was looking at her smiled and gave her the thumb up, walking towards her, she lifted her hand to pat her shoulder. “Good girl.” She whispered before walking to attend to the customer.“I would like a dozen cups of coffee please, Charlotte.” Grace heard the woman said and she smiled.Her voice sounded so soft and she wondered who it was, not that she would recognize them even if she turned because she hadn’t met everyone in town. Actually, she could count the numbers of people she had met.The bell sounded again,
Saving Grace 38
“Aren’t you going home?” Noah asked Grace as he collected the scone she handed her and she shook her head but without saying a word, and Noah noticed that immediately, realizing something was wrong.He looked at Charlotte and she mouthed to him to wait, then she came around from where she was to stand where Grace stood. “Hey, Grace, you could leave earlier today. You’ve really worked hard, you know.” She said.Shaking her head, Grace said. I don’t think so. That’s not fair on you, I still have about thirty minutes left before we close.” She didn’t want Charlotte giving her any special treatment because they were friends.“Oh, I know that, but I would be closing early myself. I’m a bit tired and I need some early sleep.” She said.Grace looked at her over her shoulder. “Are you sure? You know I could totally close up the shop and keep the key if you want. I would just have to come early to open the store.” In truth, she was avoiding going home with Noah because she didn’t want to talk
Saving Grace 39
When the door to his office opened, it was the strawberry scent that assaulted his nostril that made him know that it was a woman that came in, and who it was exactly.Although, when a nurse had knocked down on Noah’s office door to let him know a woman was looking for him, he knew it could either be just two people, his mother, or Grace.Grace! She had told her earlier that she might drop by to see him at the hospital. She was taking a break from the coffee shop today as insisted by Charlotte, the mother hen.When she told him, he had wondered why she would want to waste her day on dropping by to see him when he was at work, where he could even not be able to see her because he might be in surgery, but he was glad she met him here at his office.He raised up his head, standing up to walk to her and pulling her into a hug. He needed that, but he wasn’t going to admit it. “Hi, Grace, he said as he offered her a seat, then he walked back to his seat and watched her as she sat down. "To
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"You need to check that out before you leave, Dr. Roberts.” Shelly, his assistant said, placing the patient’s file in front of him. He grabbed the iPad and looked through, then he sighed and dropped it."Thank you, Shells.” He said, rubbing his temple. He couldn’t wait to get back home to Grace.After she had dropped by at the hospital earlier, she was all he could think about, and not being able to go to her was starting to drive him crazy. They were starting to build something, just friendship maybe, but it was something that brought a nice feeling with it.Shelly raised her brows at the sigh but then she said nothing, knowing he wouldn’t even tell her what it was. Instead, she turned on her heels and went out of his office.He grabbed the file again to see when it was best to schedule the patient for the surgery. Although, this patient needed the medical intervention urgently, but he had to also check the availability of the operating room and other things. As he studied the patien
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Saving Grace 75
Talking about using herself as bait when she realized Jack had came to town.“What do you mean?” Charlotte asked with a frown on her face as she looked at Grace panting.Grace put one hand on her chest and the other was pointed outside the door of the shop. “He’s here, Charlotte. My ex husband is here.” She said, swallowing at the same time, talking.She had gone out to take the trash when she saw him down the road on the main street seeing as she had decided to take the front.She was scared, or maybe she was more than scared. She wanted to go hide somewhere, anywhere at all, wherever it was that he wouldn’t find her.“What? Are you sure?” Charlotte asked, the distress showing right there on her face. She was sure that she was going to have a heart attack if care wasn’t taken because of how hard her heart was thumping against her rib cage. Nodding as she looked from Charlotte to the door, she said. “Yes. I’m sure he’s the one I saw.” She said.“Okay, you know what?” Charlotte asked w
Saving Grace 74
Charleston, West VirginiaFBI BuildingWhen Agent Conner walked into the observation room the afternoon of that Saturday, he didn’t think he would see their boss, the deputy director, Mr. Jimmy, and a junior agent, Agent Smith in there.He was wearing a dark blue suit with a white and black striped shirt inside it, and he stood there in front of the one way mirror with his arms folded across his chest.“Sir,” he greeted him with a nod.“Agent Conner.” Mr. Jimmy nodded at him and then he greeted Smith then he sighed, before turning back to look through the one way mirror, where Agent Ezekiel sat and on the opposite side of the chair, was Jack Northland and Mr. Darien, his lawyer.The bastard had lawyered up the moment Zeke had mentioned warehouse to him. “What has the bastard said?” Conner asked looking at his junior colleague, but Agent Smith just shook his head. He hadn’t said anything, Conner thought. If the shake of his boss’s head was any indication.Conner furrowed his brow, pond
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The small, secluded corner of the charity event became the stage for a confronting Jack, and it was as if Grace couldn’t think of anything than what they had planned, as she stared at Jack’s face. He looked as if he could have shot her if they were alone, but thankfully, they weren’t. Zeke’s penetrating gaze fixed on Jack, looking at him with reproach, something to mirror the exact way Grace felt.“You’ve been walking a tightrope, Jack,” Zeke said, his voice carrying a weighty seriousness. “But the act ends now.”There was nothing Grace could do but let Zeke take the lead, but at the moment, she seemed to have lost her voice and things seemed to be like a dream. She couldn’t believe in a million years she would be able to do a thing like this, confronting Jack, a man who had made her suffer all those years ago, like this.Jack’s facade flickered briefly, a moment of uncertainty crossing his face before he regained composure. “I’m not following,” he retorted, striving to mask his grow
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Grace’s heart pounded with nervous anticipation as the car pulled up in front of the grand entrance to the charity event. “Be still, my heart.” She whispered.If this was some other day when she wasn’t so tensed and nervous, she would have thrown her head back and laughed at the ridiculousness of her words to steady herself.No one said words like that anymore, talk less, to themselves. She clutched her purse to herself as Noah offered her his hand to pull her out of the back of the limo Zeke had arranged. According to him, they needed to arrive in style, so that people would know they were of importance, as that would aid their plans for the night.The swarm of reporters and flashing cameras waiting outside made her feel uneasy, but there was a faint sense of relief knowing that anything that transpired tonight would be caught on camera, dissuading Jack from trying anything untoward.As she held unto Noah’s hand, she felt as if she could conquer the whole world, his confidence radiat
Saving Grace 71
Being tensed doesn’t even began to explain how Grace was feeling as she sat in the hotel room in front of the mirror, her reflection staring back at her with anticipation and dread. They were back in San Diego, according to Zeke’s request that they attend Jack’s charity event he was hosting with some people.He said he suspected that this was how they had been able to keep under the radar for a long while, and he wanted them to show up there.So, being nervous and tensed was just an understatement. If anything, she was scared, and the way her heart was leaping hard in her throat, pumping hard against her rib cage, was indication enough.Her hands trembled as she attempted to apply a touch of makeup, but her nerves made the task difficult. Tonight was the night she would confront her ex-husband, Jack, face-to-face for the first time since she ran away from him.Zeke’s plan echoed in her mind, the fact that he had said they had to attend this charity event, hosted by Jack and his associ
Saving Grace 70
Back in West Valley Rocks, Grace and Noah became even more discreet about things than ever, but they were doing as Zeke had asked them to be. Things were a bit tough, between going to work, and making sure to close early, and driving back home to ensure no one from Diana came to threaten her again.Noah had insisted actually, but she didn’t want to have to be that scared anymore. Now, she was eased into closing early and getting back home early where it was save.Speaking of Diana, according to Noah, who wanted to meet with her and ask her about sending that man, she was nowhere to be found in town, so maybe she had skipped town, or at least, that was what Grace believed.Anyway, after work today, she had decided to make some pot roast she would be taking with her over to Noah’s parents, as they had invited a small number of people over to their house to celebrate the success of Zeke and his wife’s wedding, and honeymoon.Grace shook her head when she remembered Tammy calling her to i
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The dimly lit apartment seemed smaller than usual as Noah and Grace stood facing each other, the tension thick between them. Grace’s hands trembled slightly as she struggled to articulate her fears. “Noah, I can’t do this anymore. We were so close to being caught tonight. I can’t bear the thought of something happening to you.”Noah’s jaw clenched as he tried to maintain his resolve. “But Grace, we’re onto something. This isn’t just about us anymore. There’s something fishy going on in that warehouse, and I need to find out what it is.”“But at what cost, Noah?” Grace’s voice cracked, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. “I can’t lose you. I won’t be able to live with myself if anything happens to you because of this.”He softened, realizing the depth of her distress. “I understand, Grace. I do. But if we stop now, we might never uncover the truth. I can’t just turn away.”They stood in silence for a moment, the weight of their opposing desires pulling at the fabric of their rela
Saving Grace 68
The warm fragrance of sandalwood and man filled her nostrils, making her want to thread her fingers into the heavy waves of his hair, so she could hold him there and simply breathe in.They had just finished packing and Noah and came to her room to find her, to talk, but somehow, they had ended up in each other’s arms, his tongue down her throat.Her heart stuttered as he released her hands to slide one of his under her hair to the nape of her neck. The first brush of his mouth against hers had sent her eyelids drifting down so she could savor the firm warmth of the lipsHe traced the line between her lips with the tip of his tongue, not invading, just stroking lightly, shifting his weight so his thigh pressed between hers, the thin material of her skirt pulling tight around her hips to accommodate him.Grace moaned as she parted her lips, he swept inside, his tongue teasing the moist flesh of her mouth as he stroked it around, then he moved his leg between her thigh a little bit.It
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Grace sighed, feeling a mix of relief and regret. “Noah, I… I’m sorry,” she said, her voice tinged with remorse. “I had no idea you felt that way. I was hurt and confused, thinking I had repulsed you in anyway. I mean, I’ve seen how attractive your ex girlfriend looks, so...”She trailed off to look away from him, getting embarrassed from talking this close to him. He put his hand under her chin to raise her face to his, a small smile playing on his mouth.Their eyes met, a silent understanding passing between them. The air seemed lighter, the tension that had loomed between them dissipating with the truth finally laid bare.“I realized what I should have done when I pulled back. I should have talked to you about it,” Noah admitted, a hint of remorse in his voice. “But when I heard that cry, all I wanted to do was beat myself up and just punish me for hurting you in whatever way.”Grace nodded in agreement. “Yeah, we both should have. But now that we’ve cleared that up…” She trailed o
