Holding You - Page 48/108

Smiling, I said, “That’s how Colt looks at me.”

Grace glanced over to me with a weak smile. “He does look at you like that. And my brother looks at Libby like that, and Will does the same with Alex.”

“And that scared you, Grace?”

Nodding her head, her face looked distraught. “Yeah, it scared the piss out of me, because I knew I was looking at him the same way. The last thing I wanted to do was open my heart up again. What if Noah ended up breaking it? I’m not sure I could have survived it.”

The wind was picking up and the temperature was dropping. Grace and I both picked up our speed. A cold front had been about to blow through. Glancing back over my shoulder to the north, I saw the storm clouds building. I swear the weather in Texas could change faster than Grace could get to a sale at Nordstroms.

“We better hustle and get home before we get drenched,” Grace said as she attempted to give me a reassuring smile.

It started sprinkling, so Grace and I started running. We were only two houses down from our place. As we ran up to the front porch, we both started laughing. “We made it!” Grace said just as it began pouring.

Before we walked into the house, I took Grace by the arm and asked, “Do you regret pushing him away, Grace?”

Tears formed in her eyes as she closed them. Opening her eyes, she slowly nodded her head. “Every single moment of every single day I regret not taking that last phone call from him. I’ll never know what he was going to say.” Letting out a fake laugh, Grace looked into my eyes. “I know I need to move on. My heart won’t let me though.”

Pulling Grace into my arms, I held her as she cried. It was the first time in my life I’d ever seen Grace Johnson cry.

LEANING MY HEAD back, I let the warm sun beat down on my face. A light breeze was blowing, giving just enough relief from the hot sun. We had been out of school for two weeks and summer was already heating up.

Taylor let out a frustrated moan. “Sometimes I swear, I want to move to Montana.”

Grace sat up and looked at Taylor. “Tay, that’s a great idea!”

Looking toward Grace, Taylor asked, “What’s a great idea?”

Grace jumped up. “Oh my gosh! A road trip! We should totally go on a road trip.”

Pulling my head back, I looked at Taylor and then Grace. “To where?”

Rolling her eyes, Grace laughed. “To Montana! We should go to Montana.”

Taylor and I both busted out laughing as I shook my head while I dropped it back down.

“You’re crazy, Grace.”

Grace kicked my foot as I snapped my head back to her. “Hey!”

“Come on y’all! How much fun would it be if we all went on a road trip?”

“What about Libby? She won’t leave the baby.”

Panic set in as I thought about Colt. “What about Colt! I can’t leave Colt.”

“Oh Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. You can go a week or two without seeing Colt.”

My eyes widened. “Two weeks!”

Grace slapped her hands together and started back to her horse. “Come on, let’s head back. I’m calling an emergency meeting at Lib’s. Get on your horses, bitches.”

Standing, both Taylor and I looked at each other. The idea of going on a road trip with all the girls sounded like fun. But could I leave Colt for that long? Yes. Of course I could. I was a strong independent woman. This would be good for us.

As I climbed onto my horse, I actually got excited about this idea. I just had to worry about what Colt thought about the idea. Or worse yet . . . my parents.

TWO HOURS LATER we were all walking into Libby and Luke’s house. The race to get to Mireya was a close one, but Taylor won out. Bitch. She was like a racehorse when it came to moving quickly.

Sticking my tongue out at Taylor, she chuckled as she settled onto the floor with the baby.

“So what’s the big emergency meeting, Grace?” Alex asked as she flopped onto the couch next to Libby. Maegan sat next to Taylor as they both began trying to make Mireya laugh.

Looking around Libby’s house I couldn’t help but smile. Luke and Libby had settled into family life perfectly. Glancing over to Libby her face glowed with a sense of contentment. Since we had been home from school I’d been dreaming of me and Colt and us married and in our own little house.

Alex pulled me out of my thoughts as she stood up. “Are we here to talk about the wedding?”

Smiling, Grace shook her head. “No, Alex. We are not here to talk about your wedding.”

Jutting her lower lip in a pout, we all laughed as Alex fell back onto the couch.