Chapter Nineteen

JENSEN

Morning comes too soon. I fight my body’s insistence that I wake up for several moments, but I quickly give up, realizing it’s no use trying to go back to sleep.. When I open my eyes, I find Grace is asleep in my arms, her head resting on my chest. I feel an immediate sense of relief.

She didn’t slip away again. She didn’t run.

I lay there, gently playing with her hair, feeling more content than I ever have before. This is just so… right. I can’t believe how lucky I am, and as I watch Grace sleeping so peacefully in my arms, I know I’ll do anything I have to in order to keep her. My mind wanders briefly to my dad and his attempt to put Camille in my path. As hopeful as I am that he’d come around to Grace, I know without a doubt that I’d give up everything — my trust, inheritance, whatever he wants to try and hold over me — in order to be with this woman.

She and I are the same. We refuse to live in others’ shadows. She wants to carve her own path and be known as more than Carson’s sister, and I want to break away from my father’s expectations and live the life I want. Together, supporting each other, I don’t think there’s anything the two of us can’t do.

As I’m watching her, she begins to stir. Slowly, she turns her face up to me as she blinks open her eyes and gives me a sleepy smile. Her blue gaze seems to sparkle, even with the lingering sleepiness and slight puffiness. Her cheeks are pink and her lips look plump. I run my thumb along the bottom one.

“Good morning,” she murmurs.

“Good morning,” I reply with a grin. “You’re still here.”

She chuckles softly. “Yeah, I am.”

“So I didn’t dream any of it? You’re really going to give us a chance? Even in the face of the cold light of day?”

She bites her bottom lip and drops her gaze, but then she slowly nods.

“Yeah…but we still need to keep it a secret for the time being. I don’t want Carson to find out. Not yet, anyway.”

“Okay,” I assure her. “That’s fine. I don’t want to hide you, or us, but we’ll take this at your pace. When you do decide it’s time to tell Carson, I’ll do it, or I’ll be there with you when you do.”

"Thank you, Jensen," she whispers, tracing a finger over my chest. "That means a lot."

We lay there for a few more minutes, ensconced in the warm afterglow of our night together. When I glance at the clock on the bedside table, I groan. “The bus is going to be here to pick us up in a couple of hours,” I say. “We should get up.”

She sighs. “Yeah, I should get back to my room before anyone else is up. I don’t want to run into anyone in the hallway.”

Anyone meaning Carson, or somebody who might tell him. Reluctantly, I release her from my arms and we rise from the bed.

"We can't act any different around Carson," she says, looking at me as she gathers her clothes.

"I know," I nod in understanding. "It'll be like nothing has changed."

"But everything has changed," she whispers so softly that I almost don't catch it. It's true; everything has indeed changed, more than either of us probably realize yet.

I move toward her and wrap my arms around her, pulling her in for a soft and slow kiss. When I pull back, she smiles at me.

“I should go,” she murmurs, though I can tell she’s reluctant to leave, which makes my heart hammer.

“All right,” I nod. “I’ll see you when we get back to Denver.”

She gives me one last kiss before slipping out of my arms and out of my hotel door. Once she’s gone, I let out a laugh and shake my head. I’ve finally made progress with her, and it feels goddamn incredible. I think back to when I first met her in Miami. She was so beautiful and had impressed me with her boldness when she’d walked up to me and introduced herself. No other woman since has made me feel the way she does. I actually want to build a future with her and be a better man so that I can truly deserve her.

The fact that I’ve found her again, that I’ve been able to hold and touch her again … has been incredible. I’m not going to let this feeling escape me. I’m not going to give her up. However long she needs to figure things out with Carson, it doesn’t matter. I’m going to be right there waiting for her when it’s all said and done. There are no obstacles that will get between me and the life I want with Grace.

It’s as if a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I’m lighter as I move around the room and start to pack up my stuff. Before I finish, I take a quick shower. When I’m done, I walk out of the bathroom with my towel around my waist and grab my clothes to change into. Before I start to dress, though, my phone begins to buzz.

Picking it up from the nightstand, I look to see who it is that’s calling. I release a long sigh. It’s my dad.

I haven’t talked to him since I walked out of that dinner with him and Camille. I don’t really want to talk to him now, but I don’t want to just ignore him either.

Reluctantly, I answer the call.

“Hello?” I say coldly.

“Jensen,” he says, his voice as formal and distant as ever. “We need to talk.”

I roll my eyes. “Dad, I can’t now. I need to get ready to get on the bus to the airport. We’re flying back to Denver today?—”

“You owe Camille and I an apology,” my father snaps. “And a dinner.”

“Wha… what?” I stammer, baffled. “I already told you, I’m not interested in her or your crazy plot to get us together. I’m not going to have dinner with her.”

“You’re acting like a child,” he scolds me. “Camille is just the type of woman you should be pursuing. You need to stop being stubborn and listen to me. I know what’s best for you.”

"Dad, I think I know what's best for me better than you do," I say, trying to keep my voice steady. "Especially when it comes to my love life."

Silence follows on the other end of the line, then he sighs. "Son, you know this isn't just about you. There are bigger issues at stake here.”

“Bigger issues,” I echo softly, my mind reeling. “Is that what Camille is now? A ‘bigger issue?’”

“You’re being difficult,” he says tersely.

“No, Dad,” I retort. “I’m being myself.”

"You never understand," he growls. "Why can't you realize that your actions have consequences?"

"If there are any consequences to face, they will be mine and mine alone," I say firmly. "And if Camille has any self-respect, she won't want someone who's being forced to be with her."

There's a strained silence on the other side of the line. I take this as my cue to end the conversation.

"I've got to go, Dad. We'll talk about this later.” With that, I hang up, not bothering to wait for a response.

Now I’m fuming. Has my dad completely lost his mind? I can’t believe he’s doing this to me.

Before I realize what I’m doing, I’m dialing Tyler’s number.

“Hey,” my brother answers after the second ring. “What’s up? Aren’t you in Indiana or something for a game?”

“Yeah,” I say dismissively. “Dad just called.”

“Ooooh,” Tyler replies, releasing a low whistle. “I see. What did he say?”

“He’s trying to set me up with one of his business buddy’s daughters,” I growl. “I told him no, but he’s trying to strongarm me into going to dinner with her again.”

"Whoa," Tyler says, a note of surprise evident in his voice. "That's insane. Why would he do that?"

"Because he’s trying to control my future," I grit out, my frustration mounting. "He seems to think that she's the 'type of woman I should be pursuing.’ He doesn't care about what I want or who I want."

There's silence for a moment before Tyler speaks again. "Listen, man. You gotta stand your ground on this one."

"I'm trying," I sigh, running a hand through my hair. "All I’m ever doing is standing my ground with him. I’m exhausted and I don’t know how I can continue having any kind of relationship with him."

Even though there’s a part of me still wanting dad’s approval, I’m realizing that I might have to come to terms with the idea of cutting him out of my life completely if he can’t figure out how to support me.

"You don't owe him anything, Jensen," Tyler interrupts me firmly. "Remember that. You're your own person, not some pawn in his business games. You have the right to choose who you want to be with."

"I know," I say, my voice softer now. "It just… it just gets under my skin, you know?"

"Yeah, I get it," Tyler replies sympathetically.

“Besides,” I begin hesitantly. “I’m… kind of seeing someone.”

“What?” Tyler exclaims. “You’re seeing someone? Since when? Who?”

“You, um, remember that girl I met way back, in Miami?” I pause and wait for Tyler to respond.

“Wait! You mean the one you’ve been pining for the past few years?”

I roll my eyes. “Yeah… sure. Well, turns out she’s my buddy Carson’s sister and she’s working for him now. We’ve sort of rekindled things…”

“Holy shit!” Tyler shouts. “That’s amazing! The universe is at work, man!”

“Yeah, it sure is,” I say, smiling despite my earlier frustration. “She’s amazing, Tyler. Like no woman I’ve ever met.”

“That’s the good stuff, right there!” Tyler says enthusiastically. “I’m really happy for you, dude. She was a cool girl. Lynn, right?”

“Thanks.” I pause before adding, “Her name’s Grace, actually. She was trying to stay anonymous in Miami.”

“Grace,” he echoes appreciatively. “Nice name. Elegant.”

I can hear the grin in his voice. It makes me smile too.

“I got your back on this one,” Tyler assures me, his voice firm and promising. “Dad gives you any more grief, you let me know.”

“Thanks man,” I say gratefully. “I gotta go, but I appreciate you talking me down. I feel a little better.”

“Good,” Tyler declares. “Give Grace a kiss for me.”

“I’ll tell her hi,” I reply. “Any kisses she gets are only from me.”

He chuckles. “Oooh, you got it bad. Talk soon.”

“Yeah, talk soon.”

I hang up the call and release a long breath. I do feel better. More at ease. I can look past my father’s infuriating phone call to focus on what’s really important right now, and that’s Grace.