Chapter Twenty-Eight

Grace strolled around the pulsating crowd. The sights and sounds were mesmerizing, and her body swayed to the syncopated rhythm, her fingers tapping on the side of the champagne glass. Then she spotted Adam.

The lively music disappeared, the dancers and the gaiety evaporated as if she had entered a vacuum and time moved in slow motion.

She could see his mouth moving, articulating speech, and silent laughter spilled from his lips as his head tilted back. Grace’s body stiffened and her heart beat wildly. The glass slipped from her hand and bounced on the grass, the contents splashing her silk stockings. Her breath came in short gulps, while a sickening knot formed in her stomach.

A young pretty woman perched on his knee, her short chiffon skirt billowing up to reveal a rolled stocking. In an intimate manner, his hand rested on the rounded part of her thigh. The woman’s arm crooked around his neck and her hand cupped his cheek. She said something into his ear and then pulled his head toward her for a kiss.

In that moment before their lips met, he glanced fleetingly in Grace’s direction and his eyes locked on her, first only in interest, then fixed as realization dawned.

Pulling out of the embrace, he rose to his feet, upsetting the young woman, who almost toppled over backward. He came toward Grace with long deliberate strides, his unruly golden locks slicked back now, his lips curled in that familiar wicked grin that revealed his straight white teeth. Grace observed his approach as if seeing him for the first time.

He hadn’t changed much.

He was still beautiful, still sensual, and desirable. What had she expected? That without her he would degenerate into a pathetic excuse for a man?

She watched him come toward her with an odd combination of wonder and cold uneasiness. She braced herself for the affectionate assault that was his way.

“My God! Grace!” He picked her up and twirled her around twice before setting her down again. “I can’t believe my eyes! My sweet, lovely, beautiful Grace.”

Grace flinched at the sound of his voice. It had been two years, but she hadn’t forgotten the husky sound of it. She looked into familiar deep brown eyes, a hint of gold around the edges.

Strong hands pulled her forward, kissing her forehead. He put an arm around her shoulders and led her away from the dance floor and down a gravel path toward the ocean.

It had always been this way with Adam, Grace remembered. His personality overwhelming, his appetites and desires taking precedence over all others. In truth, no one ever objected, that she could remember. People gravitated toward him, craving his acceptance. Somehow it had always seemed ludicrous to deny him. Maybe those who allowed him this control did so because they knew he needed it as he did the very air he breathed.

An icy sensation shot out of nowhere. Until a moment ago, she’d been feeling relatively comfortable, safe. Part of her wanted to explore the feelings exploding within her, and the other part wanted only to escape.

Stopping on the path, he turned to her. His glittering eyes scanned her face. “You were made for moonlight and candles, Grace. You are still incredibly beautiful. I thought I would never see you again.”

“I see you haven’t lost your touch, Adam.”

He lowered his hands and shoved one into his pocket. “I deserve that, and more. I never tried to apologize because I figured you wouldn’t listen.”

“You were right,” Grace said dryly.

“Will you allow me to apologize now?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“For heaven’s sake, Adam! I found you with...” No, she would call it what it was. “I found you fornicating with my maid of honor, my best friend! I...we...the entire wedding party, walked in on you in the library of the people who were going to lend us their home for our wedding! Can you really explain that away, Adam?” She pushed at him. His eyes expressed surprise, then something else. Annoyance?

“Yes. It was inexcusable, but at the time, I was...” He stopped to run his hand over his slicked hair. “I was nervous, getting cold feet. And you... Well, you’re so much better than I am. I didn’t know if I could... I wanted to, but, hell! Grace, I made a terrible mistake.”

He grabbed her shoulders. “Please forgive me and give me another chance. I promise you won’t be sorry. I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you.” He bent his face to kiss her, taking her mouth roughly, but after a moment, he softened the embrace.

Grace leaned into him, not in passion, but in exhaustion. Mentally, she couldn’t stand one more assault on her emotions. She felt as though if she broke a fingernail, she would crumble. She dropped her head to his shoulder. “I’ll forgive you, Adam, but I’ll not give you another chance. That’s not what you want.”

She took a step back from the embrace and said in an even voice, “You want me to adore you again, to trust you with my heart and soul, yet you’ve never considered anyone other than yourself in any decision you ever made. Your desires, your needs are your only concerns. You’re weak in all the ways that matter. Your code of honor is nonexistent. It’s impossible for you to love me, Adam, for you will always love yourself more.”

The moment stretched long. Adam stared at her with an unreadable expression. The only sound was that of water crashing into white foam. Then he raised a hand to her cheek, cupping it gently as his eyes skimmed the features of her face. His thumb traced the line of her jaw and rubbed lightly over her lips. Then his hands fell limply to his sides. Turning abruptly, he took another path toward the ocean.

Grace drew a deep, cleansing breath. The ocean breeze cooled her heated flesh. Evident by his initial glibness, Adam would never understand the pain he’d inflicted by his betrayal, a physical pain so intense she would, given the choice, rather cut off an arm than go through it again.

He simply didn’t understand that some deeds were so hurtful mere words couldn’t erase them. He cared about her, maybe even still loved her, but she would never be enough. He would always need other women to bolster his self-confidence and meet his needs.

Wearily, she tried to remember why she’d been attracted to him. She recalled he had been charming, wonderful company and made her feel as if she were the only woman who mattered. She foolishly believed every lie, every deception, when all he wanted was to turn her into one of his adoring fans. Though still incredibly handsome, he’d lost his appeal because he had lost her respect.

He’d embarrassed her—no, embarrassed himself—and humiliated her. She no longer found anything in his character to admire. His selfish actions had revealed his true character.

At that moment, she realized with startling clarity that during Adam’s kiss one love had finally vanished and another had taken its place: She loved Jared. She wanted his kisses, his embrace.

And his love, she thought sadly. Suddenly, the night’s breeze was no longer refreshing. She shivered.

A few feet from where she stood, a shadow shifted and then rose from a bench on the path. “I’m sorry, Grace. I tried not to eavesdrop, but I didn’t know how to extricate myself gracefully.”

As Will began to rise from the bench, a muted popping sound came from somewhere behind her. Grace felt a slicing pain across her right shoulder. Will’s body slammed violently back against the bench, then slumped forward.

Grace caught him before he fell to the gravel path, dead weight in her arms. “Will! Will, what’s wrong?” She was vaguely aware of something wet and sticky on her arm, and then her shoulder began to burn like the devil.

She saw Will’s eyes roll back in his head. “Will! Stay with me! Will—Will!” When she lowered him onto the bench, Will’s jacket opened. In the moonlight, Grace watched in horror as a dark circular stain spread on the left side of his white shirt.

She gasped, “You’re bleeding! Oh, my God! Will, stay still.” She pressed her hand on the wound, wondering how she could minister to him and still call for help above the din of the ocean and the raucous music.

As if in answer to her prayer, Jared appeared from nowhere and assessed the situation quickly. “We need to get him to a hospital. There’s one about three miles from here. Can you keep your hand on the wound, Grace, while I carry him?”

Grace nodded numbly. Jared picked his friend up with little effort. They skirted the lawn around the house and found Henry parked near the entrance, anticipating his employer’s usual preference to leave a party early.

Will moaned as Jared set him gently on the seat.

“What about Agnes?” Grace asked. “I should go back...” Suddenly she felt very woozy and the lights were dimming...or was it the moon? And where was she, anyway?

Grace’s eyelids fluttered then drooped as she fainted. Jared reached for her just as she fell, sweeping her legs from under her and placing her gently on the seat opposite Will. A dark trail started from her shoulder and wound a path down her arm. Jared knelt between them on the floor of the vehicle.

“St. Francis Memorial. And step on it, Henry!”