Seven Days Grace (A Grace Rose Novel Book 1) (46 page)

‘
Ha
,
what
’
s with him?
’
Kate asked.

‘
I don
’
t know. You better enjoy it while it lasts. Let
’
s go
,’
Grace said.

She had a lot to do in getting together a list of leads and story ideas for her future freelance writing business.
Ah
,
it can wait.

She didn
’
t know what she would get done with a broken leg for the next six weeks. Top of the list was some family time with Joy and the kids which had been a rarity in recent years.

‘
Do you mind if I catch a taxi home?
’
Grace said.
‘
I
’
m bone tired and I want to lay on the couch with Shadow and do nothing.
’

‘
Sure. Christian wanted to meet up but I didn
’
t want to leave you today in case you wanted company.
’

‘
Please
,
spend time with Christian. The two of you have hardly spent any time together since you met. I
’
m sure you have heaps to talk about and he seems like a stand-up guy.
’

Kate hailed a taxi for Grace and helped her into it.
‘
I
’
m going to catch the bus to Bondi and meet up with him. I
’
ll see you during the week for a chick flick
,
okay?
’

‘
For sure. Love you
,
Kate
,
you
’
re the best.
’

‘
And you
,’
Kate said as a few small tears welled in her eyes.

Grace felt free as she sat in the taxi with the window down and the breeze blowing on her face on this cloudless spring day. No commitments
,
no ties
,
no place she had to be
,
no-one she had to answer to – at all.  When the taxi stopped outside her home
,
the driver was kind enough to help her out
,
carry her things and open her front door.

‘
Thank you
,
’
she said.

She planned to spend time with her feline friend
,
even clean up and become a tidy person
,
have her sister and family over during the week. Of course
,
Joy would cook them all dinner.

She was reluctant to admit it until now but The Voice
,
Alex – she made an effort to call him by his real name – had been right in a way. This story had helped her to follow dreams she didn
’
t even know she harboured which was to work in humanitarian causes. Now she was in a fortunate position where she could work on her own terms. Perhaps the publicity from the story would set her up to be a respected journalist in her field. A voice of authority. She was determined good would come out of the unnecessary deaths of Minister Crow and Antonio de Silva.
There must be many lives that need to be saved.

She wondered how he knew this was her dream job. She guessed it was a throw-away line for him to entice her into his evil scheming. She was frustrated she wouldn
’
t know the answer to this even though it turned out to be the scoop of the year for her.

As her thoughts drifted from one to another
,
one particular thought continued to creep into her mind. It kept niggling at her. Even after she
’
d arrived home and couldn
’
t do any more cleaning because her leg was pulsing in pain
,
it was still there. After deciding on an early night
,
she lay awake in bed despite her exhaustion. The gnawing feeling would not leave her. It was getting worse.

After many long hours
,
Grace fell into a deep sleep. At dawn she woke with a start and sat bolt upright. She was covered in a cold sweat and hyperventilating. It was impossible. She had to do something. She took the brave step of admitting the incessant thought that had rolled around in her head for hours on end. If she acknowledged it then she would have control over it and it would go away. It would be a relief and she would be able to tell Kate
,
‘
You were right.
’

I think I am in love with Jake.
 

# # #

About the Author

I started life as a journalist in 1996
,
although
,
I already considered myself a writer. I have had a love of story from when I was a toddler and it has always been with me. I love people stories and the power they have to change lives. I have wanted to write books for many years. It
’
s surprising and humbling that I have managed to finish my first novel. I know there will be many more.

The world of travelled beckoned me once I left school. I have lived and visited a smattering of countries across Asia
,
North and Central America and the South Pole. I even spent some time as a travel journalist.

You
’
ve heard the term late bloomer? Well
,
that applies to almost every area of my life. I didn
’
t apply for university until I was 29 years old and began a few months after my 30
th
birthday. Subsequently
,
three years later
,
I held a Bachelor of Journalism. My final year of university was spent in Flagstaff at Northern Arizona University. This year was often referred to as
,
‘
The Time of my Life
’
. What a beautiful part of the world.

I was a working journalist for a number of years and my passion was for people stories. I sought them out wherever I could find them.

Though it
’
s hard for a single
,
working girl to make ends meet on a print journalist
’
s wages. So
,
I gave up the world of writing
,
changed tracks and worked in sales
,
marketing
,
training and a number of other jobs before returning to my first love.

Along the way not much changed. My love for people stories continues.
Seven Days Grace
is about people
,
their lives
,
their loves
,
their hurts
,
their triumphs. I
’
d love to hear your thoughts. Please comment on my Facebook page at:
www.facebook.com/KellieMerrimanAuthor
.

A percentage of the profits of this book will go to charities that help children living in poverty
,
extreme hardship and adverse conditions in developing countries to be restored
,
rehabilitated and educated so they can have a future full of hope.