How We Fell in Love: Grace and James's short story Read online

  I do. “I think it’s charming.”

  “That’s why you’re so special.”

  He kisses my nose, and my eyes fall shut as we sway. I try to shut out his sweet words and love affirmations. They are just too good to be true. He’s too good to be true, and to be honest, I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop. He saw Shea and me get into a fight the other day, and I fully expected him to hightail it out of there. Instead, he played the neutral party. He talked us through the problem—Shea ate my last box of KitKats. Shea apologized, and then James made us hug it out. Afterward, James took me to buy a bulk supply of KitKats. When I told him I was going to get fat, he told me he didn’t care as long as I was happy.

  Who the hell says that?

  “I love this song,” I say as Tricia Yearwood sings “To Make You Feel My Love.” I sigh dreamily. “I love the movie too.”

  “What movie?”

  “Hope Floats.”

  I feel his brows pull together. “This wasn’t in that.”

  “Yes, it was. The Garth Brooks one, though.”

  “Oh, you’re right. I think I dig this version better.”

  “Me too,” I agree, moving my nose along his jaw. He tightens his grip on me as we sway. I love the strong beat of his heart.

  “You make this party, and this place, ten times better. Pretty sure you are the most gorgeous person here.”

  I flash him a wide smile as I shrug. “I don’t know. Jackie is giving me a run for my money in that two-piece evening gown. I didn’t even know they made those.”

  He doesn’t look away, even though Jackie is near us. He could turn and drink in her beauty, but his eyes stay on me. “She doesn’t come even remotely close to you.”

  I slide my hands up his arms, wrapping them around the back of his neck. “Awkward, my ass.”

  “I don’t feel awkward with you,” he admits softly. “I feel good.”

  He leaves me breathless, and it makes me so mad that I can’t control it. Again, my heart speaks from inside its box before my brain can stop it. “Me too.”

  We stare into each other’s eyes for what seems like forever. When his hand comes up, cupping my cheek, I lean into it, a contented grin on my face. He draws in a deep breath and then whispers, “Grace, I—”

  “James Justice!”

  I jump at the interruption as James looks to the left to see an older man coming toward us.

  “Boy, you owe me a drink.”

  I watch as recognition fills James’s eyes and a wide grin takes up his face. “Bryan! How are you?”

  He lets me go to hug Bryan tightly.

  “Good, boy. Man, you look great. You’ve been hitting the gym?”

  James laughs. “A bit. You’ve lost weight.”

  “A bit. That niece of mine told me I can’t die.”

  “Well, she’s onto something. We’d all miss you.”

  Bryan’s loud laugh makes me jump once more. He’s so full of life, and it matches his wide stature. He isn’t overweight by any means; he’s just jacked up. Pretty sure he could bench-press me. With one hand. “She’s back from New York where she sang on Broadway. Crazy, huh?”

  “I never have gotten to meet her, but you’ve always told me she’s amazing.”

  “She is, and you should have gotten with her when you had the chance. Now her heart’s all cut up from some douche who didn’t deserve her. Hated that guy.”

  James laughs softly. “While I’m sure sorry that happened to her, I have to say I’m glad I didn’t take you up on your offer. Then I wouldn’t have met this lovely lady.” He reaches for me, pressing me into his side. “Bryan Fisher, my girlfriend, Grace Adler.”

  Bryan holds out his hand to me, but then his brows draw in. “Adler? Any relation to Shea Adler?”

  I nod, grinning. “He’s my twin.”

  He slaps his leg dramatically, his loud country accent spreading over me like honey. “Well, hot damn, she has to be a good one, then. Shea is the best man I know. Aside from James, of course.”

  James chuckles as I nod. “They’re both pretty great.”

  “They are, and boy, are you gorgeous. I wish y’all nothing but happiness.”

  “Thank you,” James says, but I don’t say anything.

  Usually, when someone cheats on me, it’s anything but happiness. I want what Bryan speaks of, but it just isn’t in the cards for me.

  “Well, I’ll let y’all get back to it. Want to make a tee time for Wednesday?”

  James nods. “I’ll email you the details.”

  “You’re the best. See you. Nice to meet you, Grace.”

  “You too,” I say as Bryan walks away. “He’s nice.”

  “He’s a hoot. Great guy. He begged me to date his niece for years,” he says with a laugh.

  “Why didn’t you?”

  He shrugs. “Don’t get me wrong… She’s stunning. I’ve seen her in passing, very pretty, but I didn’t see her as mine. You know when you know.”

  I blink. “But you see me that way?”

  “Every time I close my eyes,” he says, pressing his nose to mine, his bottom lip touching my top. My heart does a flip, smacks into my ribs, and then falls flat on its back.

  Okay, heart, get back in your box and stay there.

  No.

  Damn it.

  “I want to leave.”

  He raises his brow, his eyes filling with worry. “Are you okay?”

  “Oh, I’m fine,” I say, trailing my hand down his chest before cupping his junk between us. “I just want you more than I can even fathom right now.”

  He swallows hard and then nods. “Then, we need to go.”

  May 18th

  “So you need me Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday?”

  James nibbles at my ear as he surfs the channels. We’re sitting together in my recliner even though Shea’s is open. James said he wanted to be near me, and I don’t hate sitting in his lap. “I need you every day.”

  I roll my eyes with a dramatic sigh. “James.”

  “Yes, baby. Put on a pretty dress and be ready for really boring charity events.”

  I close my planner. “You do a lot of these?”

  “I do. I love supporting kids and their families with cancer, and then MADD. Since, you know, that’s how my family died.”

  I press my lips together. Every time he brings up his family, it hurts. I can’t imagine not having my mom and dad. Or Shea. “I hear you, and I’m there.”

  “Pretty dress?”

  “Always. Something tight on my boobs.”

  “Awesome. Good looking out,” he says, nipping at my neck.

  I giggle as I lean into him, wrapping my arms around his chest in a tight hug. He holds me just as tightly, resting his head on mine as he continues to flip through the channels.

  “I feel we should watch SportsCenter or at least this week’s Survivor.”

  I shake my head against his. “We have to wait for Shea for Survivor, and I don’t want to watch SportsCenter ’cause he’ll make me watch it later.”

  He lets out an annoyed breath. “Fine, how about SVU?”

  “Well, see… Usually, I’d say yes. But I started an episode, and Shea got invested, so I need to wait for him.”

  I can almost hear him grit his teeth. “Fine, let’s watch 24.”

  I press my lips together. “Yeah, I don’t like that show. It’s Shea’s.”

  “Well, please tell me what we can watch without Shea, or is Shea’s, or anything that deals with Shea.”

  I side-eye him. “Do I hear a bit of frustration in your voice?”

  “Yes, I want to watch TV with my girl. But everything is off-limits until Shea gets here.”

  “Hey, he was here before you,” I snap, and I imagine he’ll snap back. This is destined for a fight, and when he throws the remote down toward the end of the recliner next to our feet, I’m ready. I turn to face him, and his eyes burn into mine. Then he reaches out, taking my face in his hands before kissing me hard on the