Falling for Grace (20 page)

A dream. Had to have been. She’d had a dream
of her own.

But it wasn’t a nightmare, although it was
quite confusing. And nice. Scary even. But still nice.

Sometime in the night, she’d dreamed Carson
had kissed her. Again.

* * * *

“
Gracie’s sleeping
late.”

“
No, we’re up
early.”

“
But she’s usually up by
now.”

“
How do you know
that?”

“’
Cause I hear her shower
running while I’m still in bed every morning.”

Carson thought about that. The kid was
perceptive. And she was right. He’d laid in bed on numerous
occasions and heard Gracie’s shower running next door. Of course,
he didn’t care to think for long about Gracie in the shower.
Particularly after the stupid thing he’d done last night.

“
Are we just going to
leave her in my bed?”

Carson put Gracie’s half-eaten bowl of
cereal down the garbage disposal. “Yes.” He ushered her toward the
door, trying to ignore thoughts about Gracie in any bed. “We’ll
leave her a note. You ready?”

Izzie stopped and placed her hands on her
hips. “But what if she wakes up and is scared ‘cause she’s in a
strange place.”

Carson signed. “Gracie is a big girl,
Munchkin. She’ll be fine. Besides, Claire is with her. So grab
Bandit and let’s go.”

Izzie planted herself into the carpet. “I
don’t wanna.”

“
But I wanna. We’ve got to
get to Louisville. C’mon now.” He opened the front door and
motioned her through the door.

“
I am staying here with
Gracie,” she told him.

“
No. You’re coming with
me. Remember, Kate is expecting you.”

“
I know, but—”

“
Don’t you want to see
Kate?”

“
Yes, but—”

“
Then let’s get
going.”

She shook her head. “No.”

Carson couldn’t believe his ears. His child
was telling him no?

He glared at her. “Isabella, this isn’t up
for negotiation. I have to be in Louisville in one hour. I’m
already pushing it. Kate is expecting you for the day. Now, grab
the pup and let’s vamoose.”

Izzie glared back at him. Slowly, she bent
to pick up the dog, held him in her arms, looked hesitantly at her
father, but still didn’t move. “I wanna stay with Gracie
today.”

Hell. He didn’t have time for this. “You’re
spending the day with Kate. You can spend time with Gracie some
other time. Besides, Gracie has to work.”

“
But she’s still in
bed.”

“
And we’re letting her
sleep.”

“
I’ll wake her and she’ll
let me stay.”

“
No, she was up late.
We’ll let her sleep.”

“
I was up late, too, but
you didn’t let me sleep. I had a really bad nightmare.”

Carson huffed out a breath. Izzie had told
him all about the nightmare during breakfast. The fact that it
involved Marci might have something to do with his fowl mood. He
was just glad, and thankful, that Gracie had been there for her.
“That’s because Kate is expecting you.”

“
Call her.”

“
No.”

“
Kate doesn’t braid my
hair like Gracie.”

“
Well, neither do I but
you stay with me.”

“
Kate makes chocolate milk
funny.”

Carson eyed his daughter. “Let me guess. And
Gracie makes it just right, right?”

“
Yep.”

He shook his head and with every passing
word, was getting more determined to get his daughter out of the
house and back with Kate for the day. Izzie was definitely getting
too dependent on Gracie. “Well, I’m sorry about that, but you’re
going with me.”

“
But Gracie lets me play
with her jewelry and Kate never lets me do stuff like
that.”

“
I thought you didn’t like
girlie stuff.”

“
I don’t.”

“
Then why?“

“
I just like
to.”

“
Gracie—”

“
No!

“
But—”

“
It’s only for the day,
Iz.”

“
Please,
Daddy?”

“
Isabella! I said
no!”

Carson had raised his voice entirely too
loudly and he was quite certain that he’d probably woke Gracie.
Damn. He had to get the child out of the door before she stepped
through the bedroom door.

Then Gracie stepped through the bedroom
door.

“
Why did you let me
sleep?”

“
Gracie!” Izzie ran toward
her and wrapped her arms around her waist. Smiling groggily, Gracie
enveloped the child in her arms.

“
Good morning, Izzie.
Guess I slept in your bed last night, huh?”

“
Yeah.” The child was
grinning from ear to ear. Carson didn’t like it.

“
Izzie, c’mon. We have to
go. Gracie, I’m sorry to leave so quickly, but I have an
appointment this morning with my former law partner. A case we need
to finish up. Gotta go.” He reached out to grasp Izzie’s
arm.

She nodded, understanding. He wished she’d
wrapped a sheet around her or something. That damned t-shirt was
not what he needed to see this morning.

“
Since Gracie’s up, I’ll
just stay here, Dad.”

“
No.” He gave Izzie the
warning stare.

“
Dad, don’t do that eye
thing at me, okay?” she responded.

“
I’m not doing the eye
thing, Izzie.”

“
Not
that
eye thing Dad, but the other
one. The one where you try to look mean at me.”

Carson was just about tired of this whole
ordeal. “Isabella, pick up the dog and let’s go. Now.”

“
She can stay with me if
you’d like, Carson. It’s not a problem.”

Oh yes, it is a problem. More than you
know.

Carson shot his gaze to Gracie. Not her,
too. Damned females. He blew out a breath. “Thank you, Gracie, but
no. I’ve already made plans for Izzie today and quite frankly, this
is one time she’s not going to get her way. So, please just let me
take care of this, all right?”

As soon as the words were out of his mouth,
he realized he’d spoken much to harshly. In the next instance, that
observation was written all over her face.

“
Of course. I wouldn’t
dream of interfering,” she bit out.

Carson knew she was puzzled, maybe even
angry, but right now he didn’t have time to think about it. Feeling
even more guilty because he knew she’d help him out last night, he
tried to shake off what he was feeling.

Later. He’d just have to deal with it
later.

He looked to his daughter. “Izzie, now.”

Thankfully, she picked up Bandit, screwed
her mouth into a tight little bow, knitted her brows, and stomped
through the door and down the steps. He glanced behind her, then
turned toward Gracie.

“
I’m sorry. She’s was just
being so—”

“
It’s not a problem,” she
told him sharply, shaking her head and waving him off. “Go. You’ll
be late. I can see my way out.”

Carson hesitated, feeling that maybe he
needed to say something else, then he decided to just let it be and
left her standing there.

But at the door, her turned and faced Gracie
again. “Thank you for watching her last night. And for being with
her. Izzie told me about the nightmare.”

The look on Gracie’s face softened. “You’re
welcome. I’m glad I was there.”

Carson nodded, realizing that once again, he
wasn’t there when his daughter needed him. Seemed no matter what he
did, he just couldn’t change that scenario.

A funny feeling snaked over him all the way
to Louisville. It took him a while to shake it. But by the time
he’d arrived at his law office, he’d figured out what it was.

And, he’d figured out what he needed to do
about it, too.

Or, at least he hoped he had it figured
out.

Chapter Thirteen

“
Grace Elizabeth Hart,
that outfit will never do.”

Dumbfounded, Gracie looked down at herself
and then stared at Amie. What was wrong with her new ivory blouse,
made of a replication of hand-spooled Brussels bobbin lace, and her
mauve ankle-length skirt?

“
Why?”

“
Because it just won’t,
that’s why. This is cocktail party, not a Victorian
tea.”

Gracie scowled. “Whatever are you talking
about, Amie? I’m definitely not dressed for an afternoon tea party.
This outfit is fine. Now let’s go.”

“
No it’s not. And we’re
not leaving until you change.”

Gracie huffed out a breath and rolled her
eyes. She slammed her clutch down on the counter next to her cash
register and hands on hips, turned to her friend. “I believe that
I’ve been dressing myself for quite some time, and, I believe that
I know the appropriate attire to wear to a evening function. My
goodness, this is Franklinville, for goodness sake, not New York
City.”

“
Well, perhaps you should
dress like it’s New York City.”

What Amie was getting at, Gracie had no
clue. Her attire was fine. She’d actually bought it in Boston on
her trip a few weeks earlier.

“
It’s a hospital
fund-raiser, Amie. It’s the country club. I’ll be fine.”

Amie glanced at her watch. “We have time.
And besides, Constance isn’t here yet. I told her we’d meet her
here at the shop. Now go change! I’m sure you have a little black
dress up there somewhere. Try that.”

Not a second later, the bell above the door
chimed. In walked Constance. “Let’s go,” Gracie said, grabbing her
clutch. She’d had just about all she wanted to listen to about her
clothing.

Constance took one look at her and stopped
in her tracks. “Oh, Gracie. That outfit will never do.”

Resisting the urge to scream, Gracie took
two more steps toward the door. “I’m fine. Let’s go.”

Constance blocked the doorway.

Gracie stared her in the eyes.

Amie brought up the rear.

“
The outfit,” Constance
said, “has to go.”

And before she knew it, both Amie and
Constance had hooked their arms in hers and were leading her
through the store, up the back stair, and into her apartment and
bedroom.

They released her and Gracie plopped on her
bed with a humph. “The two of you are crazy,” she muttered while
they rifled through her closet. “My skirt and blouse are fine. This
is what I’m wearing.”

Amie popped a little black dress from the
closet. “There. This will do nicely.”

“
It’s too short,” Gracie
replied, inspecting her nails.

“
It will be lovely,”
Constance told her while fishing a pair of black heels from her
closet. “These are perfect.”

Amie went to Gracie’s jewelry box. “The
pearls are all you’ll need, honey.” She placed them on the dressing
table. “Necklace and earrings. Now, we’ll move along so you can
change.” She ushered Constance toward the door. “Toodles!”

Tossing her a high finger-wave and a
mischievous smile, Amie left the bedroom right after Constance.
Gracie wasn’t quite sure what in the hell had transpired the past
few minutes.

She glanced down at herself. There was
absolutely nothing wrong with how she was dressed. Nothing!

She was fine.

Absolutely fine.

Nothing would convince her otherwise.

* * * *

He was about to leave until he caught sight
of Gracie.

The cocktail party to top off a day of
fund-raisers for the local hospital was a bit much for him. Besides
playing in the golf tournament that afternoon, he’d been up early
that morning helping with the pancake breakfast. All in all, he’d
had a day of it and was ready to call it a night.

Until Gracie stepped through the country
club doors and changed his mind.

He couldn’t take his eyes off her.

And if he’d managed for
one second
to
take his eyes off her, he imagined he’d see every other set
of male orbs in the placed glued to her as well.

But he didn’t risk it. He couldn’t look
away.

Gracie was stunning.

And he, well, was stunned.

He’d watched her flip pancakes all morning
at Amie’s for the benefit breakfast, while he played waiter and
cleaned tables. He’d caught sight of her several times that
afternoon serving up drinks and snacks at the concession stand
during the golf tourney. But he’d yet had a chance to talk to her
today. He wondered if she was still miffed at him.

But he’d be damned if he’d wait any
longer.

As he slowly made his way toward her, he
felt his heart begin a steady thrum in his chest. She was chatting
with someone else—he had no clue to whom because his eyes were only
for her.

The black dress...he could only suck in his
breath and hold it, and the effect it had on him was mind-boggling.
Not that he hadn’t seen women in little black dresses before. He’s
seen them hundreds of times.

But he’d never seen Gracie in a little black
dress. He’d never seen any woman do a little black dress justice
like she did. It clung to every curve of her tall, lithe dancer’s
body and moved with every gesture she made. It was short. Shorter
than any other dress he’d ever seen her wear. But not so short it
was indecent. It was...

Just right.

A single strand of pearls graced her neck.
Matching pearl stud earrings pierced her lobes. He grew closer and
could see their luster from the overhead lights.