I pick up my pace, eyes scanning, heart thudding with a resolve that feels steadier than anything I’ve felt all night.
Because whatever Erica is to my past?—
Grace is standing in my present.
And I’m done losing ground.
Chapter31
Grace
Cold seeps through the thin soles of my boots and curls around my ankles, sharp enough to keep me rooted.I perch on the edge of a tree stump near the Hartleys’ barn, the quiet pressing in until my phone vibrates in my pocket.
I pull it out.
Morgan:Okay but tell me you’re notactivelyresisting the Maddox Hartley situation.
My brow furrows as I type back.
Me:What situation?
Three dots appear immediately.
Morgan:Don’t play dumb.
Morgan:I googled him.
Morgan:The racer is criminally hot.
A weak smile tugs at my mouth.She isn’t wrong, though she also isn’t even close because hot barely scratches the surface.And thinking about him—his mouth, his hands, the way the kiss broke me, owned me—chokes something painful in my chest.
For one suspended second, it had felt inevitable.
And then Erica appeared, and he left with her.No explanation.Just gone.
Me:You googled him?
Morgan:Obviously.
Morgan:I have eyes.And Wi-Fi.
Morgan:Also, Grace… seriously?
My thumbs hover over the screen, unsure of what to say.Whatever it was that ignited between us shouldn’t have happened, and then his ex showed up.So, where does that leave us now?
Not to mention, I’ve still got to finish this assignment and figure out my life.No matter what happens with Maddox, do I want to continue journalism?The time and distance from LA, Vitale, and all the memories of Cary have given me perspective.
As Toby’s news has settled, it’s felt more and more like a release, and I’m no longer sure I want to spend the rest of my life digging for something I’m bound to never find.
Me:It’s complicated.
Her response comes slower this time.
Morgan:Uh-huh.
Morgan:That’s the kind of answer that usually means you’re already in trouble.
I huff out a quiet breath.