Saving Grace (Bear Creek, Texas)

Grace laughed and playfully hit him on the shoulder. “I grew up, silly, and what a hunk you turned out to be. I guess I should have married you when we were eight and you proposed.” He was tall and husky with blond hair and brown eyes and bulging muscles everywhere.

Billy teased her, pulling gently on her hair like he used to when they were kids. “Too late, darling, now I’d know you were using me for my body.”

Grace laughed and hugged him again, so glad to see him safe and sound and feel his arms around her. Before she could speak the door broke open and she screamed. Billy turned toward the door, sheltering Grace with his body. He turned to see the sheriff with his gun drawn. He looked at Grace and then at Billy. “Shit, Billy, when did you get back?”

Billy smiled and shook Ben’s hand. “Just got here today and I came to check on Grace. I hear I am just in time to kick some ass. My favorite thing to do.”

Ben nodded, putting his gun back in the holster. “Good to have you back. Hannah called me, hysterical that Grace screamed and someone was at her door. Took ten years off my life.”

Grace gasped and looked at the sheriff. “Sorry, Sheriff. I was talking to Hannah when Billy’s knock on the door scared me and I dropped the phone. Let me call her back so she won’t worry.”

Ben smiled. “It’s okay. I’ll call her in a second. Jackson is on his way here to save you.”

Grace folded her hands in front of her, getting an angry look on her face. “Well, I don’t want to see him, especially if he’s with Kelly.”

Ben grinned when he heard squealing tires. “I hear his truck. I’ll let him explain that one.”

“Who’s Jackson?” Billy asked curiously, looking at Grace’s angry face and tensing as he heard footsteps climbing up the stairs, getting into protective mode.

“Who are you?” Jackson asked sternly, walking in the open door looking at Billy first then at Grace. “Are you okay, Grace? You scared the shit out of me.”

Grace nodded then turned away and sat on the couch, not wanting a confrontation with Jackson, not right now. She wasn’t strong enough emotionally to handle it right now. She was scared James would find her and hurt someone here and that was enough to deal with.

“I’m her cousin Billy and I am here to protect Grace,” Billy answered, giving Jackson his best intimidating glare that usually scared the crap out of people. “Are you the no-good, cheating asshole my parents told me about?”

Ben stepped in between the two men as Jackson walked fiercely toward Billy. “Now is not the time to flex our muscles, guys. I have news and we need to work together if we want to protect Grace.”

Grace gasped. “He knows where I’m at, doesn’t he? Are my parents okay? He did

n’t hurt them, did he?”

Ben walked over to her and sat next to a pale-looking Grace. He didn’t know how to tell her. He motioned for Jackson to come over close to her. Jackson put his hands on her shoulders as he stood behind her. She tensed up but didn’t protest.

Billy sat across from the couch with a concerned look on his face.

“He broke into your dad’s office at work earlier and stole his address book. Thank God your dad was at home with the police,” Ben began. Grace nodded and braced herself for more bad news and instinctively grabbed Jackson’s hand despite being mad at him. Ben looked worried. “His cell mate told the police that all James talked about was getting back together with you. He is delusional and says people want to keep you from him but he knows you want to be with him.”

Grace put her hand over her mouth as Billy muttered under his breath. She couldn’t stop the tears from falling, and then the sobs started. Jackson came around the couch and hugged her tightly, rocking her back and forth and staying calm. “It’s never going to end, is it?” she whispered, laying her head on his shoulder. She couldn’t stop the tears. It was like trying to stop a flood. “I’m trying to keep it together and not fall apart, but I am so terrified right now, Jackson.”

“It will be okay, Grace. You have to believe that. I know you’re scared but between all of us, we’ll protect you,” he said firmly and calmly, willing her to believe that. Ben motioned for Billy to follow him outside so Jackson could have a moment alone with Grace.

Once Grace was done crying she looked up at Jackson and gave him a mean look as she remembered Kelly. “Why are you here if you’re back with Kelly?”

Jackson tilted her chin up and looked straight into her teary eyes wiping them gently away with his thumb. “Do you honestly think I would prefer Kelly to you, Grace? Give me some credit.”

Grace shrugged her shoulders, trying to appear like it didn’t matter to her. She had her pride, too. “You picked her up from the bar and went home with her. She was with you when I called your house. People do gossip, Jackson. You should know that.”

Jackson explained what had happened with Kelly and how he wanted nothing to do with her. “Grace, I know this is lousy timing with all that’s going on, but can’t you see how I feel about you?”

Grace looked down, wiping the tears from her face with shaky hands and shook her head. “My emotions are all over the place right now, Jackson. I’m tired of feeling up and down.”

“Then lean on me, baby. I love you. I’ll fight anyone who tries to take you away from me. I’ve waited my whole life to feel this happy and some psycho is not coming along to take you away from me no matter what I have to do!”

Grace looked up at him in shock and whispered, “You love me?”

“Yes, without a doubt in my mind. I don’t expect you to say anything back, baby. I just want you to know how I feel. All the pain and heartache that we both experienced has led us to this road, Grace. Me and you we can be strong and happy together. I truly believe that with all my heart,” he promised, looking right into her eyes, willing her to have the courage to believe in them despite the fears and doubts racing through her mind.

He reached out his hand and she stared at it for a moment then bravely grabbed it as if it was her lifeline. She needed to believe this was real. She and Jackson together could walk through the darkness and out into the light. He pulled her into his lap and buried his face in her throat and she could feel the trembling going through his big body and she wept, not out of fear, but in hope that everything would be okay. This man, holding her as if someone would literally tear her out of his arms at this moment, loved her. Despite her fears and doubts, Jackson Hawthorne loved her, and that alone gave her the strength to quit being afraid. She could lean on him if she needed to.