“Nothing.” I took a step back, putting my hands up.
“What are you doing with Grace?” She seethed.
“It’s none of your business.” I shook my head and stared off at the setting sun. That’s how I felt. Half here, half gone. I’d felt that way for a long time.
“It is my business.” Her voice cracked. More tears escaped her eyes.
“Char, are you drunk? I can take you home.”
“No, I’m not fucking drunk, Calvin!” She kicked at the gravel and peered up at me. “Can’t you see it?”
A blank look came over me. “See what?”
“Grace. There’s something not right about her.” Char’s eyes widened as she spoke. “Why is she here? It doesn’t make any sense.”
“She’s on vacation. How many times do I have to say that?”
“A million because it doesn’t make any sense.” She took a small step toward me and put her hand on my forearm. “Please, tell me you see that.”
I sighed. “I don’t.”
Char pulled her hand away and folded her arms in front of her chest. “Is that it then? Are you with her now?”
“If I say yes, are you going to stop all of this?” I gestured to her with my hands. I was tired of Charlotte. She was walking a fine line.
“What about us?”
“There is no us.”
Her bottom lip trembled. “But . . . we slept together.”
“One time. I’m sorry, Charlotte, but that’s all it was for me—one time.” She just didn’t understand no matter how much I told her. She even broke up with Wyatt, thinking there was a chance with me. I regretted sleeping with her right after I finished. It was a moment of weakness, and my one moment of weakness had left her permanently weak. I knew I had to be mean to get Charlotte to understand that she and I were never going to be anything other than friends. I let out a deep breath and stared directly into her eyes.
“Charlotte, I want every night with Grace, but with you, one night was enough.”
In her weakened state, she immediately broke. Her face crumpled and tears poured out of her eyes like a faucet in her brain just turned on. When an animal was suffering, the most humane thing you could do was put it out of its misery. I hoped this was enough for Charlotte.
Without saying a word, she got into her car, turned on the engine, and slammed on the gas. Her tires did the rest of the talking as they spit up dirt and gravel.
I let out a sigh of relief as I watched her car disappear down the road. I wouldn’t be made to feel guilty for liking Grace. I had four days left with her, and I wanted to make them the best four days of her life. I didn’t care what Char thought, or Joe, or Betty, or any of them. This town wasn’t good to outsiders. They didn’t like people that were different than them. But I did. I’d always been much more welcoming to strangers. Perhaps because I knew what it felt like to be different, and I myself felt like an outsider sometimes.
Back inside, Grace was finishing up by wiping down the counters. She took care of everything, and it was my turn to take care of her.
“How’d it go?” she asked, wringing out the dishrag over the sink. She looked back at me, waiting for me to speak, but I was just in awe over her.
I shrugged and looked down at my feet. “We both said some things we shouldn’t have.”
Grace dried her hands off with a towel. “It’s probably best she doesn’t come around here for a while,” she said, tilting her head.
I nodded and walked to her, lifting her chin with my hand. “Let’s not talk about anyone else. I just want to focus on you.” I sealed it with a kiss.
“I like that idea.” She smiled.
“I have a surprise for you. Come with me.” I took Grace by the hand and led her outside. Out on the porch, I picked up a picnic basket I put together earlier in the day.
“What’s that?” she asked.
“Shhh . . . it’s a surprise.”
We walked out to the pasture with only the light from the stars guiding us. It hadn’t rained in a while, so the grass crunched beneath our feet. The night would have been completely silent if it weren’t for the buzzing cicadas. I never understood how such small creatures could make so much noise. I held her hand tightly to keep her steady on some of the uneven ground. Grace leaned her shoulder into me as we made our way to the spot I prepared earlier.
“Stand right here,” I said, letting go of her hand. From the picnic basket, I pulled out a lighter and lit a circle of ten tiki torches. Grace gasped as the area came to light. I smiled and pulled a blanket from the basket, laying it out in the center of the torches. Her blue, blue eyes looked like crystals.
“Have a seat,” I said as I unwrapped a plate of grapes and sliced cheese and set out two glasses and a bottle of red wine.
Grace smiled, slid her shoes off, and sat down while I uncorked the wine and poured it.
“Here you are, Miss Grace Evans,” I said, extending a glass to her.
“Thank you, Mr. Calvin Wells.”
I slid my shoes off and took a seat next to her. “Cheers, to you, Grace. Thank you for being not only a guest in my home but a guest in my heart too.” It was a cheesy toast, and I regretted it as soon as the words slithered out of my mouth, but she didn’t seem to mind it.
She clinked her glass against mine and smiled. “Perhaps I’ll take residence up in both.”
Maybe I wouldn’t have to convince her to stay. Maybe she had already convinced herself she wasn’t leaving. We both sipped slowly.
Grace pulled the glass from her lips and glanced around the pasture. “This is really nice.”
“I’m glad you like it.”
She scooched a little closer, leaning her head on my shoulder. A loud whistle came from the mountains. Grace jumped, her eyes bouncing in all directions.
“What was that?”
I put my arm around her and pulled her into the crook of my shoulder. “Just a mountain lion.”
“Just a mountain lion? Are we safe?” Her voice was higher pitched than usual.
“Yeah. They don’t come out this far,” I said with a laugh. “And if they did, I’d protect you.”
Her body relaxed a little and she took another sip of her wine.
“Oh, one more thing. I almost forgot.” I pulled the teddy bear from the basket. “For your comfort.”
Grace bumped her shoulder into me. “Mr. Snuggles.” She held it against her chest.
“You gave him a name?”
“Of course, I did.”
“It’s cute.” I kissed her on the cheek, and she sank further into me.
We sipped at our wine, listening to the sounds of the night. Crickets chirping. Coyotes howling. And mountain lions whistling. I refilled both our glasses, and we clinked them together again. My skin pulsated just being this close to Grace, like a bee buzzing near a flower. I wanted Grace more than I had ever wanted anything in my life. Actually, I didn’t want her. I needed her.
“I really love it out here,” she said.
“I really love you out here.”
She raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything.
I let out a cough and drained the rest of my red wine. “You know what I mean,” I corrected with a laugh.