Saving Grace by RaeAnne Thayne

Author:RaeAnne Thayne [Thayne, RaeAnne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781488034558
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2000-12-08T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 11

The mythical Hawaiian sunset had nothing on a tropical dawn, as far as Grace was concerned.

With her bare feet buried in damp sand, she sat on a straw mat she found in her room and watched the sky put on a dazzling display of color as the sun continued its climb above the horizon.

The ever-present trade winds stirred the feathery fronds of coco palm trees spearing into the sky and rattled the leaves on the other thick vegetation surrounding her.

There were no other houses on this part of the beach, only Jack’s, and she felt as if she were the only person alive here in the pearly light of early morning.

The ocean dominated everything, overwhelming in its majestic beauty. It was a feast for every one of her senses; she inhaled the salty spray and tasted it on her tongue. The low musical murmur of the surf filled her ears with its ancient song.

And she couldn’t look away from the endless, stunning blue.

She found it difficult to believe this was the same Pacific that battered against the Washington coastline. This sea was softer, somehow, gentler, despite the legendary North Shore waves so sought after by surfers.

It soothed her. Calmed her.

She felt a tickle and looked away from the water to find a tiny crab scuttling over her toe. It inevitably reminded her of the scene in her bedroom the night before with Emma.

The calm the ocean had given her receded and guilt washed over her like the sea licking at the sand. She had been cold and unkind and the memory of it pinched at her with claws sharper than any crab’s.

As tired as she had been from the long flight, she spent most of the night staring at the clean, white-painted walls of the guest room, listening to the surf and feeling ashamed of herself.

All Emma wanted from her was friendship. Would that be so terribly hard to give? Was she going to spend the rest of her life avoiding any kind of association with children, being needlessly cruel because she couldn’t find her way past remembering all she had lost?

She thought of the hurt in Emma’s big green eyes when she had snapped at her, then the disapproval in Jack’s identical pair, and again felt small and mean.

She couldn’t do it anymore. It wasn’t fair or right. She couldn’t continue to blame an innocent child for simply living—for having skin and breath and substance.

Somehow she would have to find a way to break away from her memories and change her behavior toward the little girl.

She didn’t have to open her heart to her, didn’t have to let her in at all, really. She just had to be kind. She just had to force herself to deal with Emma as herself instead of projecting Marisa onto everything she did.

She could do it. She would. It was only for a few days, just while they were here. She could survive anything for a few days.

Above the sea’s deep purr,

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