The Gate to Everything (Once Upon a Dare Book 1) (11 page)

“I’ll get your car, Gracie. Don’t worry about it.” He looked in the rear-view mirror and counted at least three cars behind him. “What do you want to do? Do you want to come over to my place for a while and sit this out?” They’d done it before, and both knew it could take hours.

“No,” she said, and her voice sounded expressionless now. “Take me home. They’ll camp out for a while, but hopefully they’ll be gone when I leave for work tomorrow.”

“Have they been coming to your apartment?” he asked. “Dammit, Grace. You didn’t say anything.”

“Don’t swear,” she told him. “I can’t take it right now. And yes, a few have shown up at my place. Thankfully not Farley. I think he’s just happy I’m not with his precious quarterback anymore.”

The bitterness in her tone had his jaw locking. “I’m sorry about this, Grace. You have no idea how much.”

He turned onto the interstate to take her to her apartment, filled with the sick sense that this was it—he’d never win her back. The media would always be a part of his life while he played football, and she couldn’t handle that. And who could blame her after a scene like that? But he still planned to ask her.

By the time he pulled up to her apartment, he felt as hopeless as he’d been on the night of their breakup. Since the reporters weren’t far behind, he jumped out to walk her to the door. She was already out of the car and striding to the front with her key out.

“I’m fine,” she barked out when he lurched forward to open the door. “Don’t worry about my car if it’s a problem. I can take a cab or ask Tony to pick me up.”

“I’ll get your goddamn car, Grace,” he said, his frustration spewing out of him. He paused when she jolted, then said, “I’m sorry. I’m just mad.”

“Me too,” she said, letting him come inside the apartment lobby with her—away from the reporters. “I’d hoped…”

He took her by the shoulders. “Let me come up so we can talk. What happened at the store between us—”

“No,” she said, stepping away. The new distance drove into him like a knife. “I had a weak moment, but this only confirms my decision. I won’t have the baby go through this, Jordan. It’s not fair. I just want our child to have a normal life. Like you and I did growing up.”

That was impossible. What she’d said earlier was true—their child would be the daughter or son of a famous football star. It was out of his hands. “I told you I’ll do my best to protect you both.”

“Maybe I shouldn’t live next door to you,” she said. “I’m only making it easier for them to get what they want.”

Every nerve in his body tensed up. “Don’t say that, Grace.”

“Proximity might only makes things worse,” she said. “Look at today. If we’d just ordered things online, this wouldn’t have happened.”

“We can’t live in a cave, Grace.” He ran his hands through his hair. “Listen, I know this isn’t ideal. I hate it too. But it’s going to be okay. Just don’t…”

He had to take a moment to reel in his emotions. She released a long breath.

“Please don’t go back on what we’ve agreed is best for all of us,” he said, staring into her troubled eyes. “Not because of one bad moment. Besides, if you and the baby are apart from me, I can’t protect you as easily.”

“Jordan, how can you be so blind? You can’t protect me—us.” She put her hand to her belly. “Not when you’re the only reason anyone’s interested in us.”

His heart broke into a million pieces. “Don’t say that. Not that.”

“I’m going up,” she said, firming her shoulders. “Text me when my car is back if you manage it.”

After handing him the keys, she left him standing there with the reporters waiting for him outside.

He had no idea what he was supposed to do now.

Chapter 8

Grace spent a sleepless night lying in bed cupping her belly. Whenever the tabloid journalists surrounded her and Jordan, she felt caged in. Exposed. Now she realized their baby was going to be exposed as well. The worst part was that she had no idea how she was going to protect their child.

She reaffirmed her resolve not to get back together with him. She’d slipped up yesterday. It wasn’t going to happen again.

Jordan texted her early that morning, saying her car was back in her parking lot. He asked to come up and talk, but she couldn’t face him yet. She was too raw.

When she finally got out of bed, she received another text from Jordan.

Can you call me? The media is all over what happened yesterday. I bet reporters are outside your place and at the restaurant. I don’t want you going out alone.

A sharp spasm shot across her belly, and she took a moment to breathe through the fear. Heavens, she’d prayed it was over, but Jordan had lost his cool—and so had she. Of course the sharks would come, Farley in particular. Heading over to the windows that faced the street, she cautiously looked through the blinds and gasped. There were at least five TV vans out there with a host of twenty or so reporters camped out.

She texted Tony.

I know you’re not at the restaurant, but expect some reporters. There was a thing yesterday.

He immediately texted back.

I saw it on the news this morning. I was just about to text you. Are you okay?

She responded.
 

Working on it. Do you want me to stay home? I don’t want to make things tough for everyone.

It wouldn’t be the first time reporters had lingered outside the restaurant. She usually stayed home in these situations—it was easier for everyone that way.

Probably for the best. Rest. I’ll come over with something special later.
 

Tony always made sure she ate well.

Her belly gripped again, and she felt something damp between her legs. Alarmed, she headed into the bathroom and froze when she noticed some heavy spotting.

“No, no, no!” she called out, cupping her belly. “It’s okay. We’re okay. Don’t…”

Don’t leave me.

She called her mom in a panic. Though her mother did a good job of hiding the worry in her voice, Grace could sense it. Her advice was to call her doctor without delay, which Grace did. When she reached the nursing assistant, she relayed her symptoms and was told to come to the office immediately.
 

Since the reporters would likely recognize her car, she called for a cab and asked it to pick her up in the underground garage. She didn’t text Tony because she didn’t want to worry him until she knew more.
 

She didn’t text Jordan because they were following him around too, and he would insist on meeting her. Besides, her mom had said it was best to keep calm, and she just couldn’t deal with so many confusing feelings right now.

No one followed her to the doctor’s office, thank goodness, and she was immediately ushered into an exam room. Dr. Jessica Saunders arrived moments later and examined her thoroughly. The spotting was serious, it turned out. Grace had placenta privia—a tear in the placenta. With full bed rest, Dr. Saunders was hopeful Grace would be able to carry to term.

Grace hung her head, trying not to cry. It was her fault for reacting to the press like she had—she knew it. Dr. Saunders recommended as little stress as possible until she reached full term, not wanting to risk an early delivery. Right now that stress involved Jordan—and Grace’s heart broke for all of them. She was going to have to tell him she couldn’t see him for a while, especially given the media’s renewed interest in them. There was no way she would risk losing their baby.
 

It finally sunk in that she wasn’t going to be able to work, the one thing that had always given her joy. And it would put Tony in a bind, which made her feel guilty. She knew Tony wouldn’t care about that, but she did.

In the cab on the way home, Grace called her mom and gave her the update.
 
Her mom said she would fly out to see her as soon as she could get a ticket. The relief was so staggering, she almost wept. Then she called Tony and told him the news. His sigh was heartfelt, and he said he would come over to her place shortly.

He arrived with Italian wedding soup and Grace’s current addiction—freshly made chocolate Italian gelato. He assured her that everything at the restaurant would be fine. She could work on their new menu while at home. That soothed her a bit. Right now, she couldn’t imagine lying in bed all day, every day, doing nothing but worrying if she would miscarry.
 

She knew she should call Jordan—she owed him that much—but she was in full-on avoidance mode. To his texts, she responded briefly that she was taking care of herself. She wasn’t sure of what else to say.

Her mom arrived the next day, and Tony picked her up at the airport. She heard them enter the apartment together, but Tony must have realized they needed some time alone because her mom appeared solo in the bedroom doorway. Grace fought tears at seeing her. Her mom’s red hair was streaked with gray and cut in a fashionable bob that fell to her chin. Shorter than Grace and just as petite, she usually had a smile filled with sunshine, but her expression today was all concern

“Hi, honey,” her mom said and then crossed to the bed and pulled Grace into her arms.
 

“Oh, Mom,”
she said, snuggling her face into her neck and bursting into tears.
 

Her mom didn’t say anything, just rubbed her shoulder. After a few minutes, Grace lifted her head and dashed at the tears streaming down her face.
 

“I’m so glad you came, Mom.”

“Where else would I be? Now, let me look at you.” Her mom gently rested her hand on her belly. “You’re still pretty small for thirty weeks. You’re not eating enough.”

“You sound like Tony. This media thing…it knocked me flat on my back. Literally.”

Her mom’s eyes narrowed. “You father and I watched the video clip on YouTube. I wanted to tear their hearts out for hounding you like that. I won’t say what your dad and the boys wanted to do.”

“Worse than tear their hearts out?” she asked, feeling the briefest smile touch her lips. “I got scared, Mom. They surround you and push you and call you names…when that guy tried to touch my belly…”

“No one should subject you to that kind of harassment,” her mom said, “and when I see Jordan, I plan to tell him to do a better job of protecting you and my grandbaby.”

Grace hated that they had to be protected at all. “I was scared for me, but then it hit me that they might hound our baby like that. I can’t stand the thought of it, Mom. It’s not the kind of life I want for my child. I had so much freedom when I was younger. Riding my bike in the street with other kids or running through the fields.”

Her mom reached for her hand. “You don’t live in South Dakota anymore, Grace, and there’s no use hoping for what might have been. Don’t do that to yourself—or Jordan.”

She knew it wasn’t fair, but she couldn’t seem to help herself. “I haven’t always wanted this baby, Mom. Without Jordan…I thought we would get married and
then
have a baby, but he never asked me. Well, not until he found out about the baby, and we both know that doesn’t count.”

Her mom’s frown spoke volumes on that subject. “He’s an idiot.”

“But as it’s grown and moved around inside me,” she continued, “I’ve started to imagine what he or she will look like. I see other kids when I’m out running errands and I think, I’m going to have one of those. It overwhelms me sometimes. But then I think about being alone and wonder if I can do it by myself. I’m afraid I can’t.” It was one of the toughest things she’d ever said out loud because it meant admitting her own weakness. She felt like she was swimming in them these days.

Her mom lifted her chin and looked her straight in the eye. “Gracie, you listen to me. I’m not saying it’s ideal, but you’re strong enough to do anything you set your mind to. Did you believe you could go to the Culinary Institute of America and work for not one, but two award-winning restaurants?”

She shook her head. Plenty of people in their small town had thought she was a big dreamer who needed a strong dose of reality. The same had been true of Jordan.

“Being a mom involves juggling a lot of balls—more so when you don’t have a partner—but you can do it,” her mom continued. “Besides, Jordan’s idea to have you two be neighbors gives you a ‘type’ of a partner. I might not like how things turned out between you two, but I’ve known him since he was born. He’ll pull his weight.”

Grace nodded because she knew it to be true. “I haven’t told him about my condition yet, Mom. I was afraid of the stress. For the baby. He’s going to blame himself for what happened with the press. I hate this.”

They rested against each other in silence for a while, and Grace was comforted by her mother’s rock-solid presence.
 

“You look wiped out,” her mom said. “Do you think you can rest now? I’ll talk to Jordan for you. I’m here to help, and Tony’s going to stay a little longer too. You’re not to worry about anything.”

She had secretly hoped her mom would offer to talk to Jordan, and she’d tried not to feel guilty about that as well. “Tell Jordan, I’m sorry…and that I’ll call him when I can.”

The baby’s safety had to come first. She knew he would understand.

Chapter 9