“Girls,” Lucas and I shouted at the same time and then looked at each other and chuckled.
Kelly’s head shot out from around the corner and gave me a confused look. I just shrugged my shoulders and went back to talking shit with her little brother. She disappeared around the wall and I heard her and Grace start up again.
“So, what is it, kid? You’re like eight, maybe nine years old or something?”
“I’m ten. Ten years old. Do I look like a baby to you?” he said, raising his voice and standing up, pushing his chair back I slid back in my chair and laughed, pretending I was scared.
“Whoa, sorry, pal. I didn’t realize I was dealing with such a tough fucking guy.”
Lucas laughed and sat back down in his seat.
“Tougher than you, car guy.”
He went back to eating his eggs and so did I. We didn’t talk anymore.
Maybe the little fuck wasn’t so bad after all.
Chapter 40
Kelly
GRACE WAS PULLING THE SHEETS off the sofa bed like she was mad at them, but I knew she was angry with me for bringing Hunter around. She had always been protective of me, but it had only grown stronger since Phil had walked out. She didn’t trust men around me. That went for any men, let alone huge, handsome men covered in tattoos with a tendency toward violence.
“Kelly, I just don’t understand what is going on here.”
“Grace, please, just give me a chance to explain. It’s not what you think.”
I was trying to come up with something to tell her, but I knew I wouldn’t get out of this conversation without the truth, or at least some version of it.
“Well, then just what is it, Kelly? Don’t lie to me, young lady. I see the way you’re looking at that vagrant in there, and even worse, I see the way he’s looking at you.”
I was momentarily flustered when she said she saw the way Hunter looked at me. I got a rush of butterflies in my stomach like some schoolgirl who found out the boy she was crushing on thought she was pretty. I could feel myself blushing and I felt stupid, but I didn’t care.
“Grace, it’s just, he’s just,” I was stammering through my words and looking at the ground. “He’s not what you think, Grace. I mean, he is, but.”
“But, what, Kelly?” Grace interrupted.
I went to open my mouth, but I couldn’t think of any answer that would make sense to her. Or me, for that matter.
“You supported Elle when she met Forrester,” I stammered.
“That was different,” Grace said back.
“Why was that different?”
“For one thing, Forrester was different from Hunter. He didn’t smell of booze. He didn’t beat people up in the diner.”
“Forrester was no angel, and you know it, Grace. And yet he and Elle are happily married now.”
“Well, that’s true, but that doesn’t mean this is going to work out the same way for you, Kelly. You can’t be naive. You have to face the facts.”
“The facts? The facts are that you supported Elle. You gave her your diamond bracelet. You wanted nothing but happiness for her, while for me, you’re just being negative.”
“Child, I am not being negative.”
“You are, Grace. You’re against this thing with Hunter. This one chance I have at happiness.”
Grace looked at me with a seriousness in her eyes that I had never seen before. She looked like she was going to scream at me, or perhaps burst into tears. Then she spoke, slowly and deliberately.
“Kelly, the reason I’m more cautious with you, is because I love you more.”
“What?”
“I only got to know Elle for a short time. I cared very deeply for her in that time, but you’re different. You’re family. You’re a daughter to me, Kelly. You and Luke are like my own flesh and blood. And I’d never forgive myself if things went badly for you. Remember how sure you were that things were going to go well with Phil? And look how they turned out. I can’t watch you go through that again, Kelly. I love you too much.”
I didn’t know what to say. I just shook my head.
“I don’t want you to make a mistake, Kelly, because I couldn’t bear to see some thug from out of town come here and ruin your life. I couldn’t bear to see you heartbroken again. You’ve been through too much. If it’s wrong of me to want to protect you, then I admit to it now.”
I just shook my head.
I didn’t want to listen to her, I didn’t want to hear her words, but she was right. She was coming from a place of love. She only cared about protecting my heart, and I was all too willing to throw it at the first hot guy to glance my way. I had met Hunter scarcely twenty-four hours earlier. It hit me like a ton of bricks, and all of a sudden I lost all my certainty about everything.
What was this? What was I doing with him? Was it all just lust? Some girlish crush?
Or was it really something more? And how was I supposed to tell the difference?
I let out a deep sigh and looked around the corner to check on Hunter and Lucas.