Page 42 of Escape to Lighthouse Cove

Again with the shake of his head. Unfortunately, Grace knew she had no good reason not to take Jacob to his chess lesson, and her son clearly knew it, too. It seemed, she reflected, like one of the brightest moments of his week, and she hated depriving him of it, especially for what were essentially selfish reasons.

But she simplycouldn’tface Noah yet.

“Jacob…”

He tugged her sleeve for a third time. Grace sighed. “Okay, okay,” she said. “I already emailed to say we weren’t going, but we can go up and see if Noah is free.” Considering he pretty much never left Grayhaven, it was likely that he would be. Likely, too, that he’d fumble through some explanation of why he hadn’t returned her kiss, and that was a whole kind of awkward Grace was determined to avoid.

For the sake of her son, she’d go to Grayhaven. But that didn’t mean she had to like it… or talk to Noah.

23

“Grace is here with Jacob.”

Noah didn’t miss the smug note of satisfaction in Isaiah’s voice as he looked up from his laptop. “She is? But?—”

“I guess she changed her mind.”

“I guess she did,” Noah agreed. He tried to figure out how he felt about that and failed. He was glad Grace had come up to the house, but he also felt a certain trepidation at seeing her again. He hated the thought that he’d hurt her, even if it was to keep himself from hurting her more.

“Are you going to go down and greet her?” Isaiah demanded, and Noah sighed.

“Yes, Isaiah, I am,” he replied patiently. “Give me a second, okay?”

He rubbed his hand over his unshaven jaw and glanced down at his sweater, complete with the usual holes in the elbows—his seemed very pointy—and a ragged hem, as well as faded jeans he’d worn two days running. Not that he ever made much of an effort, but he wished he felt alittlemore prepared, especially when he was pretty sure Grace would be as stunningly lovely as ever.

“Okay,” he muttered to himself, still rubbing his jaw as he headed downstairs while Isaiah, in true matchmaker fashion, melted away.

Grace was standing in the foyer, holding Jacob’s hand, and looking just as lovely as Noah knew she would. She was wearing her thrift store clothes—baggy jeans and a dark green fleece, both which were too big for her slight frame and yet still she looked beautiful, her hair pulled back in a low knot at the nape of her neck, with a few wisps framing her face.

She’d looked great in a paper bag, Noah reflected ruefully, although as he came closer he saw that her skin was pale, almost translucent, and there were violet smudges under her wide gray eyes. His fault. He was sure of it.

“Hello,” he greeted them both, his voice sounding croaky, so he had to clear his throat. “Nice to see you, Jacob.” He didn’t look directly at Grace, didn’t dare.

Jacob slipped his hand from Grace’s and ran toward Noah, tackling him about his knees so he couldn’t help but laugh in surprise. It was the first time the boy had shown him true affection, and it touched him in a way that felt both good and painful.

“Hey there,” he said softly, briefly ruffling the boy’s hair, while he slid Grace a sneaky sideways glance. She was staring at them both, her expression both troubled and resolute.

“I’ll come back in an hour,” she said abruptly, and then wheeled around and walked outside.

Okay then. They clearly were not on talking terms, never mind friendly ones. Noah glanced down at Jacob and ruffled his hair again. “You ready to play some chess?” he asked, and the little boy nodded, grinning.

Maybe he’d get a chance to talk to Grace when she returned, Noah reflected, and then again, maybe he wouldn’t. Either way, he knew he was going to have to go with it. His brief foray into friendship seemed to have come to its inevitable and unfortunate end.

Grace marched back down the path toward Grayhaven’s gates, wishing she hadn’t been so abrupt but not knowing how to be otherwise. Just seeing Noah again had caused a prickly flush to break out over her whole body, the equivalent of emotional hives. She remembered exactly how his lips had felt on hers, so slack and still and unresponsive, and she’d wanted to curl into a cringing ball of shame all over again.

She’d told herself, on several occasions, not to be so immature about the whole thing, but it was hard when she’d put herself out there in a way sheneverdid and had gotten so soundly rejected. It was hard not to take it personally. Extremely personally.

“Grace!”

Grace’s steps slowed as she turned to see Isaiah waving to her from the garden gate. He’d been the one to answer the door, but Grace hadn’t invited conversation, as much as she liked the gentle old man. She suspectedhesuspected something of what had gone on, and she couldn’t bear that, either.

Now she suppressed an inward sigh as she forced a smile. “Hi, Isaiah.”

“I’m so glad you came for the chess lesson after all.”

“Well, Jacob insisted,” Grace replied with an attempt at a laugh. “But I need to get back now, so…”

“Be patient,” Isaiah said in a rush, his faded eyes anxious. “With Noah.”