Saving Grace (Bear Creek, Texas)

Flo nodded but didn’t stop glaring at him. “I will tell her.”

Chapter 6

A few days later Grace couldn’t stand being cooped up in her lonely apartment anymore. She had avoided visiting the animal shelter in case Jackson was there. She missed hanging out with Hannah and talking about normal things like clothes and who Hannah thought was cute. All she did was work and have dinner with Bill and Flo. Flo had told her Jackson was sorry but she still didn’t want to run into him. She had many mixed emotions about Jackson and it confused her. She was attracted to him, but he obviously didn’t return those feelings.

She decided to take a walk to the local park and feed the ducks in the pond some old bread. Thanks to the sleeping pills the doctor gave her she was sleeping better but she still felt depressed and lonely. She called her parents once a week to catch up but that made her feel more sad and alone. It seemed like coming here to get better had been a waste of time and she wondered if she should just head home.

The pond had several benches lined along the grass so people could sit and relax. There were also plenty of trees to hide from the sun and walking paths to walk or ride bikes on. It was a beautiful sunny day and the park was filled with people and families spending the day outside. Everyone looked so happy and she would give anything to be included in that group.

She was throwing little pieces of bread to the ducks when she noticed a shadow behind her. She tensed up, not wanting to be sociable and chitchat with anyone.

“It’s only me, Grace, Jackson. I just want to talk. I won’t touch you, okay?” Jackson said softly, putting his hands in his pockets in a nonthreatening manner. “I was across the street when I saw you and I just wanted to talk for a minute.” It might be his only chance to speak to her without her two guards, Bill and Flo, so he walked over to her. He sat quietly beside her for a minute, as if gathering his thoughts. “I don’t know where to start. I guess ‘I’m sorry’ sounds pretty inadequate. I don’t blame you for hating me but I feel guilty I ruined your friendship with Hannah. She says you won’t answer her phone calls and she blames me.”

“Listen. I don’t know how to convince you that I am not chasing you. I haven’t answered Hannah’s call because I don’t want to be the cause of you two arguing over me,” she told him tiredly, wishing he would just go away. She didn’t think she could handle any more arguments with him. She felt fragile and so tired and didn’t know how much more she could take.

Jackson sighed tiredly, looking over at the water and the ducks waiting for more food. “I know you probably won’t believe me but I’m usually a nice guy.”

“So Hannah says,” Grace said in a voice full of doubt.

Jackson laughed. It was a rusty sound since he hadn’t laughed in a long time. “Once upon a time I was a nice guy until a wicked witch tricked me into believing she was a princess and now I am an angry, bitter jerk who drinks too much. What’s your story?”

Grace turned and looked at Jackson. For once his face was not mocking or cruel but kind of sad and tired. She understood pain and heartbreak and she couldn’t help but sympathize with his story. He had fallen for the wrong person, just like her. She understood all the emotions and heartache he had gone through.

“Once upon a time I was a naïve, trusting fool, thinking the world was a wonderful, safe place and nothing bad could ever happen. Then I discovered that path led to heartache and pain so now I like being alone. I’m really not after you or your money, Jackson. I’m only here to recover my strength and then I am going home to Michigan. I didn’t come here to make enemies or cause trouble.”

“Can we be friends if I promise not to be mean and grouchy? I know I am asking a lot of you to trust me after the jerk I’ve been, but I can make a good friend.” He asked seriously. “Just give me a second chance.”

Grace gave him a bewildered look. She had never seen him acting so friendly before. It made him look more approachable and less scary. “Is that possible? I mean for you to not be mean to me?”

Jackson chuckled. “Ouch, I deserve that comment. I guess I won’t get a big head hanging around you. I know it might take time for you to believe this but I really am sorry, Grace. You didn’t deserve the way I treated you. It wasn’t you, just my own pain that I have been having trouble dealing with, but I think I am on my way to finally recovering.”

Grace thought for a moment, not sure if this was a trick or if he was sincere. She wanted to believe him but she was scared and she hated always feeling scared. She gave him a hesitant look. “Can I think about the friendship thing? I am glad you’re getting better for your family’s sake. Maybe you can give me pointers,” she joked.

“Okay and I’ll help you in any way I can,” he said seriously, but he didn’t look angry as he sat next to her on the bench looking out at the water. “But think fast please. Hannah glares at me all day and Ida burns all my food. I’m pretty sure even Roxy and Molly are mad at me, too. They no longer jump on me or lick me. I swear when they see me they turn up their noses at me.”

That made Grace laugh, thinking of those two adorable dogs. “I thought you didn’t want me around Hannah?” He couldn’t know her story, could he? Surely the sheriff wouldn’t gossip? Why was he being so nice all of a sudden? She felt a little distrustful at his sudden about-face in attitude and had a lot to think about.

“I was out of line when I said that. These days I don’t stop to think about what comes out of my mouth.” He sat with her in silence for a few mo

re minutes then he stood up to leave, giving her one last mournful look. “At least call Hannah so she can stop walking around the house giving me dirty looks. Will I see you at the cook-off? We can start over and hang out as friends. Who knows, I might surprise you and we might actually have fun together.”

She nodded with a smile and watched him walk away with mixed feelings. Men are complicated creatures, she mused as she threw more bread to the ducks.

* * * *

Grace yawned and turned off the TV. She had gone to the animal shelter after talking to Jackson at the park, and Hannah was overjoyed Grace wasn’t mad anymore. They had taken the dogs for a long walk and neither woman mentioned Jackson, although Hannah talked about how Todd wasn’t as nice as she thought he would be. It was nice having a friend again.

She needed to get some sleep. She wasn’t taking the sleeping pills every day, only on the nights she couldn’t turn her memories off. Jackson Hawthorne had been on her mind a lot lately. It probably wasn’t wise to think of him so much, but thoughts of him kept unexpectedly popping into her head. He was a handsome man. There was no denying that. She wasn’t sure of his assurance that he could be nice to her, but she had to admit if only to herself that she was curious about him. For once her dreams were filled with a handsome blond cowboy.

Chapter 7

Grace woke up with a new attitude. She was tired of feeling scared and uncertain. Yes, she had been a victim of a violent crime but that didn’t mean she had to give fear control of her life any longer. She was a strong woman and it was time she acted like one. She had been sitting around waiting for a miracle to wipe out all her bad memories and make her the Grace she used to be. That wasn’t going to happen. Life had a way of teaching you lessons and you couldn’t go backward. She had to learn to take things one day at a time and live in the present not the past. After her experience, being the old naïve Grace wasn’t going to happen, and she had to accept that and move on.

She had the day off since tonight was the cook-off. Flo and Bill had closed the café so they could get everything ready for tonight. She couldn’t help but feel excited. She thought about running into Jackson. Every time he stood close to her, feelings she had been sure were dead came alive again—excitement, anticipation, attraction.

She regretted the fact that all she had were baggy clothes she had brought with her when she was deciding on what to wear. She had saved her tips since she never went anywhere. Maybe she would take a walk to the boutique in town and see what they had. It was silly but she wanted to look nice. She had always paid attention to fashion and loved dressing up before. Until James’s attack and the lawyers trying to blame her for it made her scared to dress up. Well, no more.

Grace found a pretty white-and-pink gingham patterned skirt that she fell in love with right away. It was the perfect fit. She had beige cowboy boots already. After trying several shirts on she settled on a short-sleeved button light gray blouse. She hadn’t felt this excited in a long time. Was she being ridiculous? After all, Jackson said he wanted to be friends and that was all. And she wasn’t interested in ever entering another relationship, so why did she feel the need to dress up tonight? Bill and Flo were picking her up so she went outside to anxiously wait for them, not wanting them to know she was excited at seeing Jackson. They had taken a dislike to him.