I woke up real early today like a kid on Christmas morning, but I wasn’t eager for presents, I was eager for Grace—just to see her, to spend time with her. It was the things she said and the things she didn’t say that drew me to her. She wasn’t like any other woman I had ever encountered. The other girls were like turnips. Sure, they were pretty, but what you saw was what you got, and they were mostly forgettable. Grace, she was like an onion: layered, complex, with so much to offer. Onions could be grilled, sautéed, baked, caramelized, roasted—heck, even eaten raw. They could take a dish to a whole new level with all the flavor they packed. They were unassuming but also surprising, just like Grace. I’d even used them as insect repellent in a pinch—sliced them open and rubbed them all over my skin.
Sitting on that porch with her last night, noticing how she was different than anyone I’d met, made me realize I wanted to spend all my nights with her.
I brewed a fresh pot of coffee and waited at the kitchen table with the local newspaper. I was five pages into the paper, but I couldn’t tell you what I had read because my mind could only think of one thing, and that was Grace. I kept glancing at her bedroom door, hoping and willing she’d come out any moment now. I stood outside of it for a while, just listening. The morning chores and some much-needed property maintenance were done, so I had the whole day to devote to her—if she’d allow it, of course. I worried I might be encroaching on her space, but I’d get a good read on her today and decide whether I needed to take a step back or a step forward.
Finally, the door creaked open, and I heard her soft footsteps pad the hallway. I tried to look as casual as possible, sipping at my coffee, flipping through the newspaper like I hadn’t been waiting for her to wake up. When she entered the kitchen, it was like all the air got sucked out of the room.
“Good morning,” Grace said. Her voice was quiet and raspy like she had just woken from a deep, deep sleep. I’m glad she felt comfortable enough to sleep soundly in my home.
I acted as though I was surprised to see her. “Morning.” Her hair was tied up in a ponytail, and she was still in her little white nightgown. Her face was almost fresh, but she had definitely put some of that black stuff on her lashes because it made her blue, blue eyes pop even more.
“How’d you sleep?” I asked.
She paused for a moment, biting at her lower lip. “Umm . . . fine.”
Shit. Grace clearly hadn’t slept well. Maybe it was the old mattress she was sleeping on. I considered offering her my bed but stopped myself as that might come off as odd.
“Is it the mattress? I could go out and get you a mattress pad or something. Just want to make sure you’re comfortable.”
“No, the mattress is fine. But . . . did you hear anything last night?” Her body language changed as she asked it like she was scared of the answer.
“Like what?” I tilted my head. “Around here, you’ll hear all sorts of stuff at night.”
She bit at her lower lip again. “A scream.”
“A scream? No, can’t say I heard that.”
Grace rubbed her forehead. “I must have been dreaming or something.”
She poured a cup of coffee and leaned her back against the counter. Grace wrapped both hands around the mug and took a sip.
“Maybe you were, but what kind of scream was it?”
“Like a woman screaming,” she said, peering over her mug at me.
“That was probably an animal. The red fox’s mating call sounds like a woman screaming. It’s near the end of their mating season too,” I explained. “It’s rather haunting when you hear it because it sounds human.”
She stared into her coffee, not acknowledging what I said. It was like she was lost in thought.
“They’re another animal I gotta worry about. They come after my chickens too at all times of the day. At least mating season keeps them busy so I don’t see too much of them this time of year,” I said with a chuckle.
Her eyes flickered as she nodded. Grace glanced at the table and then back at me. “What are you reading?” she asked, changing the subject.
“Just the paper.” I flipped a page.
“Anything interesting?”
I scanned the page quickly. I hadn’t read a damn single word of this thing. “Not really,” I settled on. “Got any plans for the day?”
She crossed her ankle in front of the other. “Relaxing, reading, maybe go for a run.”
I raised an eyebrow. “How about some fishing?”
“Calvin Wells, are you trying to turn me into a country girl?” she teased.
I folded up the newspaper and placed it in the center of the table. There she went saying my full name again, sending a shiver right down my spine. I sat tall in my chair. “I just might be.” I nodded.
“Well, I’d like that.” She brought the mug to her mouth again and sipped.
I stood and pushed in my chair. “Go and get your proper dirty clothes on, and I’ll meet you down by the river with the gear.”
She started toward her bedroom, calling over her shoulder, “It’s a date.”
A flush crept up on my cheeks and my heart rate quickened again as I watched her pad down the hallway. Her nightgown just barely covered her backside. I never wanted to see her walk away from me again.
“You’ve got to put a worm on the hook, silly,” I joked.
Grace dropped the line right in the water without casting it or putting anything on it. Her cheeks flushed as she reeled it back in. She was dressed in short shorts, cowboy boots, and a black tank top. I was sure there was nothing underneath it either. Grace definitely made an effort to make herself look good. Her lips were pink and glossy, her lashes long and dark, and her hair was slightly curled.
“A worm?” She crumpled up her face as she reeled the remainder of the line in.
“Yes, ma’am. You ain’t gonna catch much without it.” I set my pole down and grabbed the little tub of worms beside the tackle box. I pulled out a long, thick one covered in dirt. It squirmed as I tore it in half. I tossed part of it back in the container and held it out for Grace. The other half of it still wiggled. The tail end would die shortly, so I always used that part first. The half with the brain would survive and could generate a new tail if given the time.
“Here you are.”
She shook her head and pointed the tip of the rod toward me. Grace made her blue, blue eyes extra big and her lips extra pouty. “Will you put it on?” Her voice was baby-like, and she was definitely working me to get her way, but I didn’t mind.