“Good for you, Grace.” She held her glass up in a celebratory fashion. “Good for you.”

As the band struck up their instruments, Josie perked up. “Oh! The band is starting! I better go find my husband before some Chester girl tries to claim him for first dance. I’ll check in later!”

The first dance of the Harris Gala was always a fun one to witness. The tradition stood that whoever was the first to ask for you for a dance, you had to agree. No ifs, ands, or buts.

That was how I was able to get Finn to dance with me all those years ago.

That was how I began to fall in love with him way back when.

My eyes darted around the room for Jackson, and I started in his direction as I saw him still standing near the bar, but my heart landed in my throat as I heard the words, “Gracelyn Mae, may I have this dance?”

I turned around to see Finn standing there in a suit and tie. He looked so handsome, and I hated him for it.

“No,” I barked, turning away, but he kept talking.

“It’s tradition, though. You can’t say no.”

I groaned.

“He’s right, you know,” an older woman stated, walking by us with a young man who looked underwhelmed. It was clear he didn’t choose her. “It’s tradition.”

I rolled my eyes and looked at Finn. “One dance. That’s it.”

“That’s all I want.”

“That’s all you’re getting.” We walked to the dance floor, and he tried to place his hand on my lower back, but I didn’t allow him to do so. His hands sat on my shoulders, as if we were at a middle school dance.

“Thank you for this,” he said, his breath dripping with whiskey scents.

“You’re drunk,” I remarked, staring into his glassy eyes.

“I had a few drinks, yeah. I was just trying to build up the nerve to talk to you, to ask you for this dance. I thought it would bring back some memories of us.”

I didn’t reply.

“Well?” he questioned. “Does it?”

“Finley, where’s Autumn?”

“I don’t know. I don’t care about her. I care about you.”

“Since when? Since I started talking to Jackson?”

He grimaced. “It drives me crazy to see you with him, you know? It drives me batshit crazy.” His eyes watered over, not from the alcohol, but from his emotions. “Grace. It kills me seeing you with another man.”

“Now you know how I felt.”

“I’m so sorry, Grace. I really am,” he told me, tears rolling down his cheeks. I couldn’t think of the last time he’d cried in front of me. “After the first miscarriage, I lost myself. It hit me hard, and I had to try to hide my pain because I knew you were hurting so much. I just needed space to think and clear my head.”

“Using other women’s bodies? How long did you expect me to wait for you? How long did you think I’d sit here praying for you to love me again?”

“You don’t understand. After everything that happened, I couldn’t breathe.”

“I like how you’re using the miscarriages as an excuse for your disloyalty when it should’ve been the complete opposite. I…” I blinked my eyes and took a sharp inhale. “When I needed you most, you weren’t there for me. When I needed you to catch me, you watched as I began to fall, and right as I was seconds away from hitting the ground, you turned and walked away.”

“Grace…”

“I’m done, Finn.”

“This isn’t you. This is that guy getting in your head. You love me,” he told me. “You do, and I know you do. You can’t just give up on us, Grace. You can’t—”

“I want a divorce,” I cut in. I was tired of him coming and going as he pleased. I was tired of him trying to tell me who I was and what I stood for. “I don’t want to do this anymore. I don’t want to beg you to love me. I don’t want to sit up at night wondering if you’re loving someone else. I don’t want you to want me just because you believe someone else does. I want to be free from the chains, Finley. I want to let you go.”

“What? No.” He tensed, trying to keep his hold on me, but I pulled away.

“You’re the only woman I’ve ever loved, Grace.”

I didn’t know why, but that stung me. “Then I don’t think you know what love is.”

I turned to walk away, and Finn’s hand landed against mine. “Gracelyn, please.” His grip was a bit tight, and his eyes were pleading. I stared into those crystal blue eyes for a moment. Those same eyes I’d thought I’d spend the rest of my life gazing into. Those same eyes that I’d thought would always bring me peace during my darkest storms…

“Finley James…” I whispered, looking past him to where Autumn had just entered the room. She looked beautiful in her golden dress that somewhat showed her curve. Each and every one of her curves. “Let me go.”

He dropped his hold and looked over at her.

“Dammit,” he muttered.

I walked away quickly, trying to shake off my nerves. As I was going to escape, Jackson walked over to me. He gave me a halfway smile, and I gave him the other half.

“What’s wrong?” he asked me.

“Nothing.”

He narrowed his eyes. “What’s wrong?”

I shook my head. “Really, I just need a bit of air. That’s all.”

He stood tall and cleared his throat. “Is my being here bringing you more stress? Because if it is, I can go. I know this is a big deal for you and your family, and I don’t want to cause any kind of harm.”

Oh, Jackson… “You being here is the only thing keeping me from drowning.”

“What happened? Did someone hurt you?”

“Yes, no, well…they just hurt my heart.”

He moved in closer and combed a fallen curl behind my ear. “Those are the worst kinds of hurts.”

A tear rolled down my cheek, and I didn’t bother to dismiss it.

Jackson frowned. “What can I do for you?”

“I just need to step outside for a moment. Can you just…wait,” I whispered, laying my hand against his chest. As I looked up into his hazel eyes, I saw such softness. I stared into those hazel eyes for a moment. Those same eyes that helped me take small breaths… Those same eyes that brought me peace during my darkest storms…

“Please, Jackson,” I begged, “just wait for me.”

“Princess…” His thumb moved to my cheek, and he wiped away my falling tears. He tilted his head to the left and gave me a smile. It was small…tiny, really. Most people would’ve missed the expression, but I’d been so zoomed in on Jackson that I noticed every move his lips ever made. The comfort that swept over me as he softly spoke words my way. “How could I not wait for you?”

41

Jackson

Grace walked away for a minute to get some air, and I waited for her return. I stood in the room, feeling completely out of place. The suit was itchy. The people were rude, and the food was bite-sized.

I was officially in hell.

“Not your normal crowd, huh?” a woman remarked.

“Not in the least.”

She held her hand out toward me. “I’m Judy. Grace’s sister.”

Of course—they had the same eyes. I shook her hand. “Nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“Same with you.” She smiled and shifted around in her heels.

I arched an eyebrow. “Is this the part where you tell me to stay away from Grace?”

“No. Why would you think that?”

“That’s what everyone seems to be telling me to do.”

“I see. That’s not why I’m here. I’m just here to ask you to be gentle with her, okay?”

“What do you mean?”

“Her heart…it’s fragile. She’s been through more than I think she even realizes, and I don’t think she can take much more. If you are going to allow her to fall for you, please be ready to catch her because I’m not certain she’ll be able to stand again after being dropped.”

She loved her sister, and it was apparent through her words. She wasn’t shouting at me to stay away from Grace, only requesting that I be easy with her heart and soul.

“I can do that,” I told her.

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

She smiled, rubbing her left hand up and down her right arm. “You like her.”

“I do.”

“She likes you.”

I hope so…

“Have fun tonight, Jackson, and please ignore everyone at this party except for her. She’s all who matters tonight, okay?”

Judy thanked me before she walked off to go entertain others. I could see so much of Grace’s personality in her sister. It was nice to know other good people existed in the world besides Grace.

I wanted to go check on her since she’d been gone for a while, but I was working on being patient. She needed to breathe, and I’d be there when she came back to me.

“You must be real proud of yourself, huh?”

I turned to see Finn walking my way. He looked a bit wild in the eyes as he spoke to me.

He was drunk.

I’d seen the look in my father’s eyes enough times to know.

“Finn, let’s not get into it tonight,” I told him.

“Stay away f-from my wife,” he ordered, slurring his words a bit.

“Wife?” I huffed. “We’re using that term a little loosely, aren’t we?”

“Don’t get slick,” he warned, stumbling in my direction.

I groaned.