Shattered Grace (Fallen from Grace) (34 page)

Another fifteen minutes and the house was cleared. Darlene guaranteed no one had left with any of Grace’s belongings and continued to apologize for the misunderstanding. Grace thanked her and finally shut the door behind her as she left. A small knock on the door just seconds after Darlene left had Grace grabbing the handle with exasperation.

“
Yes?” she said snidely as she opened the door.

Rose stood on the front porch in her bully stance, her eyes menacing as she spat out, “I meant what I said earlier.”

“
Whatever.” Unimpressed, Grace shut the door in her face.

“
You’re messing with the wrong person, Grace,” Rose yelled through the closed door.

She turned the lock on the door handle and dead bolt, and stumbled mentally exhausted up the stairs and to her room. She hadn’t seen Quentin since she got out of her car earlier, but she was too tired to worry about it. Setting the alarm on her cell, she collapsed on her bed for a little nap before the party
.

From the dark recesses of her mind, Grace could make out a faint, relentless buzzing sound. She wanted it to stop. She finally felt peaceful. Like an annoying fly, she swatted at it. Something clanked loudly to the floor, and she realized it was her phone. And it probably just shattered. Finally completely awake, however reluctantly, she hung over the side of her bed and picked it up. No cracks, it was fine. The screen was lit up with an incoming text from Emily, asking if Grace wanted to ride to the party with her and Tommy. After replying yes, she scrambled out of bed. Somehow she had managed to sleep through her alarm. In fact, she’d slept for a couple of hours. Emily and Tommy would be there to get her in forty minutes.

She hurried to her closet, grabbing a pair of white capris, sandals, and her yellow silk halter that tied around the neck, then ran into the bathroom. She freshened up a little, changed, and touched up her makeup. By the time she was finished, she had only ten minutes until her ride was supposed to show up. Not knowing if there would be food, she hurried to the kitchen and slapped together a sandwich, standing over the sink to wolf it down so she wouldn’t have to mess up a plate.

A slight noise behind her alerted her to Quentin’s presence. Of course, he wouldn’t show up and try to talk to her until her mouth was full. Quentin stopped just shy of the island and gave her a serious look. “I’ll just be outside if you need anything, including a ride if there’s any drinking.”

“
You don’t have to stay outside and play G.A.,” she said with her mouth full.

“
What the hell is a G.A.?”

Grace smiled, but kept her lips over her teeth in case she had any food stuck in them. “Guardian angel.”

“
Ah, cute. I need to stay outside.”

Confused, she stopped eating. “Why?”

“
Because,” he said, turning away from her. “You’re still upset and if I’m there, you won’t be able to have a good time. After the last couple of weeks and today, you’re due for some fun.”

Taken aback by the sudden lump of emotion stuck in her throat, she struggled to swallow. “Thank you, but I’ll get over it, Quentin … really.”

He smiled thinly when he met her eyes. “I know you will. I’ll be here when you do.” Before she could respond, he turned to leave the kitchen. “I’ll be right behind you when you leave.”

The comfort in knowing he was going to be watching over her returned and warmed her from the inside out. Quentin had been a beacon of comfort and dependability since the moment he’d first stepped into her life after her grandfather’s funeral. If only he wasn’t such a pain in the ass…

Cars were lined up side by side in the driveway and on the grassy lawn on the front and sides of Brian’s house. The house was alive and inviting. All the windows and doors were open. Smoke from the bonfire out back billowed like a welcome sign against the periwinkle twilight sky. The night’s weather was perfect, upper seventies with gentle warm breezes. Music surrounded Grace, pulling her and her friends closer as they stepped onto the walkway, the house bouncing with every beat.

Grace, Emily, and Tommy could hardly get through the front door without pushing their way in. A swarm of people danced in unison to the rhythm pulsing from the oversized speakers on either side of the fireplace. Tommy guided Emily and Grace through the crowd with a hand on the small of their backs. “Do you guys want something to drink?” Tommy yelled above the music, once they were far enough away from the makeshift dance floor.

“
Sure,” Emily hollered back.

“
What about you?” he asked Grace.

“
Yeah, thanks.”

Grace tried to keep her hands palms down against her thighs, not wanting to touch anyone. She’d dealt with enough of her own drama for one day. She didn’t need to feel anyone else’s.

“
There you guys are,” Leah said as she joined them, bouncing a little to the rhythm of the music.

“
Where’s Brian?” Grace asked close to Leah’s ear.

Still bouncing, she said, “He’s getting me another drink.”

Craning her neck, Grace scanned from face to face, trying to find Amanda. It was highly unlikely she was here, but she searched all the same.

“
If you’re looking for Zeke, he’s in the kitchen with Brian,” Leah offered.

Did everyone but Grace think she and Zeke were together? Grace didn’t say anything and continued to glance around. Amanda was nowhere in the living room. She would try outside later.

“
Here you go,” Brian said from behind Leah, bringing a red Solo cup over her head and putting it in her hand. Tommy brought Emily’s drink and Zeke brought Grace’s. It seemed they were all in collusion, trying to force the hand of fate and whatnot. Sorry guys, not gonna happen, she mused
.

Tommy and Emily wandered over to the sound system to peruse through the music. Brian talked about making s’mores over the bonfire and grabbed Leah by the hand to ensure she tagged along. That left Grace and Zeke—alone. He finished his beer and asked if she wanted another before heading back to the kitchen for more. When he returned, he had a red cup in each hand, and a lawn chair under each arm.

“
Let me help you.” Grace took the chairs from under his arms. Unfolding them, she sat down and took the cup he offered. “Thank you.”

“
You’re welcome.”

“
Aren’t you tired of entertaining me?”

“
Nah,” Zeke said, taking a drink. “I feel like a third wheel with all my other friends.”

Grace felt the same way. His calling her a friend didn’t go unnoticed. She settled back into her chair. Grace talked nonstop and Zeke hung on her every word. They joked and laughed until tears fell from Grace’s eyes. Finishing her second drink, she suddenly felt like she had just drank her fourth. She needed to slow down. “Do you know where the bathroom is?” Standing up to head in the direction Zeke might point out, Grace scanned the room again.

“
If you go back through the kitchen, then down the hallway, it’s the first door on the right.” He stood and leaned down in order to talk in her ear. “Or,” he continued, “you can use the bathroom upstairs. That may be easier to get to.”

“
Okay. I’ll be right back.” Handing Zeke her empty cup, she headed in the direction of the stairs.

“
Good luck. I’ll be right here,” he said with an impish grin.

Good luck was an understatement. She made her way through the tightly packed room, fighting elbows and unintentional shoves as the partygoers danced about her, all while trying to keep her hands from steadying herself against the moving bodies. The constant motion and cumulative effect of the beer she’d downed suddenly made her wonder if the floor was moving. When she finally made it to the staircase, Grace paused. With a sigh, she peered up the stairs, then contemplated not even going there, especially if they were moving like the floor. Girls were scattered like Legos all up and down the stairs. She decided to go for it. “Excuse me … excuse me … pardon me.” She ended up throwing elbows back, putting her shoulder in it, and tried to hide her annoyance with forced politeness. She bounced from side-to-side like a pinball all the way up the stairs, then was surprised when she made it to the top. Pausing for a second, she tried to remember which door Zeke had said was the bathroom.

“
If you’re looking for the bathroom, it’s the door at the end of the hall on the right,” someone volunteered, a guy who was standing against the banister talking to some girl. Grace didn’t know either of them and assumed they were friends with Brian’s brother.

“
Thanks.” She focused on her feet as she tried walking a straight line to the last door on the right.

After locking the door, she rested her back against it. A few minutes later, she was able to push herself away. She went to the bathroom and washed her hands. The cool water felt good. She shook them off, touching her wet fingers to the front and back of her neck, hoping the coolness would sober her some. With cupped hands under the faucet, she took a couple of sips and headed back to the party.

The staircase would require walking slowly. Grace looked over the crowd of heads that rolled like waves of an ocean to the rhythm of the music. Impressive sight, she decided, taking one careful step at a time. So many individuals moving as one with like-minded rhythm—only a few with an apparent inability to follow. Her gaze still roamed over the rolling crowd when an unmoving body caught her attention. He was showing up everywhere, and despite her inner warnings of why she should steer clear, she found herself smiling from ear to ear. And promptly blamed it on the beer.

Darius held up a red cup, extending a couple of fingers in a wave. Grace gave him a slight wave back. He was standing next to a guy she didn’t know, probably another friend of Brian’s brother. She watched as Darius said something to him before moving through the swarm of bodies.

At the bottom of the stairs, she chastised herself for being buzzed as she watched him come toward her. But then again, she was kind of glad. She couldn’t relax around this guy. Maybe the two beers would help.

Once her eyes met his, she forgot what her issue was. She was caught in the Venus flytrap of his green, come-hither eyes. The closer he got, the more her chest constricted so tight she almost couldn’t breathe. As he approached, a knowing smile took over his face; she was hooked and he knew it. A sharp and spicy scent enveloped Grace when Darius reached her. He was all around her, overpowering all her senses. “Hi.”

“
Um … hi,” she said nervously.

He chuckled at her uneasiness. Just like the magical laughter of her dreams, it bounced around her. “Are you having a good time?” Darius asked.