Pieces of Grace by Karen Gibson

Author:Karen Gibson
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781736826706
Publisher: Penbrook Press

Chapter Sixteen

“Song lyrics? That’s so romantic, but seriously, you need to get the scoop on the daughter. Those poor little rich girls can be really nasty to a step-mommy. They make horror films about that sort of thing you know.”

“Lex, we haven’t even been on a date yet.” Grace groaned. “Well, not officially anyway. I don’t think his daughter has to worry about an evil stepmom at this point. Is that why you haven’t married Sean? I think I finally get it. You’re afraid his kids will see you as the evil stepmom if you two get married.” Grace did her best evil villain laugh.

“I get along swimmingly with them because I’m just that cool and they know it.”

Lexie could make Grace laugh about all of it, but she knew she had to shield her heart, too. She was still fragile in so many ways.

It was easy to forget all her arguments for steering clear of him when Benjamin asked her out for dinner the following week. He was sweet, almost shy when he asked, and she immediately realized his vulnerable side was just as attractive as his suave, confident side.

Finding the perfect outfit became her biggest problem. After careful consultation with Lexie, a long-sleeved black dress with a little bit of her back showing was the winner. She twirled in front of the mirror, hoping to rediscover some of the magic she’d initially felt.

As it turned out, she did. Benjamin seemed to know everyone, all of them greeting him as Dr. Hayward. The waiters anticipated his every need, and she started to imagine herself as the guest of royalty. When a colleague from the hospital approached, he introduced her as his friend, and she found herself hoping that descriptor would change. She really wanted to be more than Benjamin Hayward’s friend.

Once the wine was poured, he lifted his glass to toast. “To a beautiful woman. Thank you for joining me tonight, Grace.” He held her gaze for several seconds, even as he took a drink of his wine. “I didn’t think I’d ever feel like this again. I couldn’t imagine being with someone after Keera died.”

She struggled with an appropriate response, wondering if the evening was going to be about Keera once again. “I’m glad you asked me out.”

When the conversation centered around her life, and what brought her to Chicago, she felt her earlier worries disappear.

She told him about her marriage that ended in shambles with relatively little emotion, but when she got to the part about Jasper, she felt the start of tears and pressed her fingers against her eyes to stave them off.

He took her hand, a gesture she appreciated as she struggled to regain her composure.

“I’m sure it was terrible, but you have to put it into perspective. He was a dog.”

His hand in hers felt less comforting and she was thankful the food arrived when it did. Before long, the sting wore off and she forced herself to consider his words. She was crying for a dog…not a lost spouse.

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