Fall From Grace

I laugh sarcastically. “I wish that was the worst of my problems.”

“Did you ice your face?”

“Last night after he punched me, I did.”

“You look like shit. And that eye is only going to get worse.” He spreads some mulch around and then stands up, brushing his hands on his jeans. “I’ll go get you a glass. And some ice.”

“Don’t bother.”

He walks past me and puts a hand on my shoulder. “I don’t know what happened but I plan on finding out. Just remember the shit I went through with Claire and losing Anna because of it. You were here. You made sure I took care of myself. So I am going to do the same for you.”

I nod and let the shame hit me as he walks inside. I know he already knows about some of the things I’ve done. But I know I am going to have to tell him everything.

He comes back out and tosses me a bag of ice before taking a seat next to me and grabbing the whiskey out of my hand. He pours two substantial glasses and then sets the bottle out of my reach. “I’m guessing you talked to Grace?”

I take a decent sip of my drink. “I don’t know if I would call it talking.”

“That bad, huh?”

“I think my first mistake was falling for Grace.”

Noah chokes on his drink. “Did I just hear you correctly?”

“Yes.”

“You’ve finally gotten over Tiffany?”

I elbow him in the side. “I think Grace is the only person that would have ever gotten me over that part of my life. You should have seen her put Tiff in her place at the charity gala. I think it was then that I realized the mistake I made with Tiffany and saw what it was like from outside the colored glass. And Grace. Fuck, she was the one to shatter the glass. She taught me so much. Because we weren’t perfect. Unlike with Tiffany, when everything felt too good, too staged, too planned. With Grace, it’s messy, and she puts me in my place. She isn’t afraid to state her opinion or tell me I’m wrong. No, Grace Prescott is on a completely different level.”

I look over at Noah, and he is staring at me, slack-jawed.

“Dude.”

He raises his brows. “I… I never thought I would see the day that you finally got over that bitch and saw the forest for the trees.”

I throw back the rest of my whiskey. “Well, it was a long time coming.”

Anna pulls into the driveway and Noah grabs the whiskey and pours more into both of our glasses.

“Did you come over here to get drunk—what happened to you?” Anna asks as she walks toward us.

I don’t say anything, just drink my whiskey.

“Trouble in paradise, babe.”

“Isn’t there always?”

I smirk at her. “Pour yourself a drink, Anna May. Get drunk with your favorite brother-in-law.”

Her hands drop to her stomach. “I wish I could.”

I look at her, then to my brother, then back to her. “Really?” I ask and the first feeling of happiness in the last forty-eight hours hits me square in the chest.

“Don’t say anything. It’s still early. No one knows. Not even Mom.”

“Scout’s honor,” I say and then stand and wrap my arms around Anna. “Congratulations, sister.”

“Eww, please don’t call me that. I think it’s weird.”