State of Grace
Chapter 21
A few minutes later the door opened again and May and Michael were back this time with Luke.
“Can I see your scar?” asked Michael. He looked excited and interested in it so Grace couldn’t resist.
“He wants to be a doctor,” said May as she rolled her eyes, “Go figure.”
“Hi Grace,” said Luke, shyly. He was standing in the doorway, twisting his hat around in his hand, almost afraid to enter her room. It was the first time he had ever been up there. Grace looked at his face and she knew she couldn’t be mad at him.
“Hi,” she said, “you can come in if you want.” May had been curiously watching their conversation and she looked rather confused.
“Tell you later,” mouthed Grace over Michael, who was still examining her stitches.
“Are you feelin’ better?” asked Luke. He seemed genuinely concerned for her wellbeing.
“I’m fine, thanks. How’s Ella?” she asked.
“She’s still in recovery. I haven’t seen her since last night.”
Grace nodded. She knew how the Taylors must be feeling so she offered Luke anything else his family could need.
“No, we’re doing alright and besides you’ve done way too much already!” replied Luke, “I actually came to offer you anything you needed.”
“Could I speak to Luke alone for a second?” Grace asked May and Michael.
“Sure,” said May but when she closed the door she gave Grace a questioning look.
“I’d like an explanation,” said Grace after the couple had left the room. Luke didn’t even pretend to play dumb, “I’m sorry,” he said right away, “I just got caught up in the moment with the rain…”
He sat down next to her and crossed his arms over his knees. “I’ve been wanting to kiss you in the rain since that day you got lost. The opportunity kept presenting itself but I was afraid,” he said.
Grace could hardly speak for a moment. Then she asked, “Afraid of what?”
“I don’t know, Grace. Well I do, really. I was afraid you didn’t feel the same way, that you actually hated me, that I really did hurt your feelings sometimes…” he said.
“You still love her, don’t you?” asked Grace.
“It ain’t love, Gracie, it ain’t even close. I know what love is. I see it in my parents, your parents, Annie and Ryan, even Michael and May. Those people are in love. What I wanted from Rachael was that kind of love. I think Ashley can give it to me. That’s why we’re together,” he said, “She’s changing me for the best.”
Grace wanted to scream at him right then. How could he possibly change who he is? Didn’t Luke Taylor realize he was perfect? He was already the perfect gentleman! He was the most redneck, cowboy gentleman you’d ever come across but he was a gentleman at that!
But she held her breath and said instead, “So you’re sticking with her.” It wasn’t a question, more of a statement. Luke nodded and got up to leave. Grace grabbed his arm, “Wait!” His eyes closed at her touch and he sat back down. “One more thing,” started Grace, “That day, with Rachael, what did you want to talk about?”
He smiled then and looked her straight in the face. “I hadn’t slept that night because it was a bad night for Ella. I knew Rachael wasn’t perfectly honest with me, I had found out the day before. It was after you told me, of course, and after I didn’t listen, like an idiot. Well anyway I was real tired and had worked through it all that day. I wanted to thank you then and ask for advice with Rachael, and I was gonna be straightforward but you came down the stairs and wow.”
“What do you mean, ‘Wow’?” asked Grace, trying to remember that day.
“You looked like an angel. Everything about you just got to me and then you seemed to actually look at me, not right through me. You even smiled at my belt buckle and at me. Then Rachael came down and ruined it all,” Luke finished, lamely.
“You had liked me back then?”
“I liked you since the day I met you, darlin’,” said Luke, real slow and soft. Grace broke his gaze by getting up and moving towards the door.
“Thanks for stopping in,” she said.
“What’s wrong?” he asked. He brushed back her bangs from her face and leaned down and picked up her short braid. He twirled it in his hands then let it fall. He held up his hands and said, “I know, stupid question. I’m sorry again.” With that Luke walked out and down the stairs. Grace turned and faced her window, waiting for his car to pull out. When it did, a tear dripped down her face and she held herself tight. Ashley was waiting in the front seat.
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