Divine Grace (23 page)

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Grace stopped to take a couple of Tylenols before lunch because her head was throbbing.

“It’s the barometric pressure, baby,” Martha said when Grace came back to the break room for a bottle of water. “It will get better in a little while.

You need to take a break?”

“No, it’s not that bad. I’d rather push through and get this order finished.”

Martha patted her back. “I think we’ll be done before we close. I’d like to be home and hunkered down if storms are gonna blow through. Are you going straight home after work?”

“Yes, I did my grocery shopping yesterday,” Grace said as she returned to the work room.

“After the storms hit, I’ll bet your head will feel better, honey. Oh, look, you have company.” Rose pointed out one of the windows.

Jack’s SUV had just pulled up. He looked particularly handsome in his denim work shirt, jeans, and work boots and wearing his straw cowboy hat.

He must have just come from one of the local Mexican restaurants because he had two big plastic bags with their logo printed on them.

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“He told me he’d come by for lunch.” Grace held open the door for him.

He smiled when he saw her and kissed her full on the lips, lingering just a second before he came through the door.

“Hope y’all are hungry because I brought lunch for everyone.”

Grace chuckled as the ladies made a fuss of Jack’s kindness. His phone rang as he sat talking with them after they were finished. He looked at caller ID and then said, “It’s my sister. I’d better take this.”

Grace watched him walk out of the break room and saw a hint of worry on his face.

Jack’s sister, Anne, was still staying with his dad, watching over him, making sure he ate properly and got out enough. Grace knew they were worried about him isolating himself and his health going into decline. Jack had told her that he’d been doing fairly well, going every morning to drink coffee with his good buddies at the Dairy Queen on Crockett Street. Doing that gave Anne a chance to grocery shop, run errands, or have some time to herself.

Jack returned to the break room. “That was Anne. Dad had a little fall.

She’s taking him to the ER to get some stitches and get checked out. I’m going to meet them there.”

“Did she tell you what happened?” Grace got up from her chair. An elderly person falling could be a very serious thing, becoming complicated very quickly.

“He took a tumble from a step ladder,” Jack looked worried. “He was outside painting shutters and lost his balance. She didn’t know until he came inside looking for a paper towel to blot the blood off his arm. It sounds like he got banged up a little, and she wants to make sure he’s okay. She’d rather be safe than sorry, and I agreed.”

“Let me know if I can do anything, Jack. Will you call me when you know more?”

“I sure will, darlin’.”

She walked him out to the vehicle and kissed him good-bye.

“That’s a good man, Grace,” Rose said when Grace returned to the break room. “You’ve really been blessed with him in your life. Hold on tight. It’s too bad about his dad. I know how he feels because I worry about my mom, too.”

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They went back to work and managed to be done by closing time. Jack called during the afternoon from the hospital. His dad had needed some stitches for the big gash on his arm and a cut on his head. They were giving him fluids because he’d been a little dehydrated.

He told her Ethan would come stay with her that evening. Even with all the worry over his dad, he took the time to arrange that. She understood their concern and knew they needed to be sure she was safe, although she thought it might be a little overkill. She couldn’t complain too much because she was enjoying the time spent alone with them. Maybe she’d have the opportunity to make it worth the trip for Ethan, she thought with a smile as she headed home.

The sky grew dark, and thunderheads were piled high in the atmosphere.

Before she left work, she listened to the weather radio and caught the announcement of a severe thunderstorm warning and a tornado watch for their county. It started to rain as she pulled into her driveway, great big fat drops that stung when they hit. She popped open her bright pink umbrella and ran up the steps under the porch. As she turned around to close her umbrella, she saw Ethan pull up in his truck. Perfect timing.

He ran up the front walk, the rain plastering his black button-up shirt to him in seconds. She looked up into his sparkling blue eyes as he reached for her and kissed her on the porch.

“Hey, hot stuff! Have you heard any more about Jack’s dad?” She loved the feel of his hot skin through the damp sleeves of his shirt, his muscles firm and solid under her fingers.

“They plan to release him later this evening. Of course, he’s not happy about it. He wanted to get home and batten down the hatches before the storms hit. I just checked on things at his place.”

Grace unlocked the front door and let them inside.

“Was everything all right? Jack said he fell while painting shutters.”

“Yeah, I put away the ladder and tools. I picked up some smaller things that might blow around, moved what needed to be moved over into the barn, and closed it up. I’m sure everything will be fine over there. Now I’m here to batten down
your
hatches.” He pulled her to him with an evil grin. “I heard something good about my Gracie.” He waggled his eyebrows.

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“Oh?” she asked innocently. “And what did you hear? That I’m a good cook? That I’m in love with three smokin’-hot cowboys?”

“I heard from Jack that you have a gifted little mouth and can give a blow job that could make a grown man weep with joy. High praise. Wonder if it’s true.”

“Did he tell you everything about it? All the details? What makes it different from just any old blow job?”

“He said you finished what you started and didn’t leave him in the lurch, that you took every drop of his cum. Is that true?” With each word he spoke, she got hotter and hotter, and he got harder and harder.

She looked straight into his twinkling eyes and said, “Every last drop. I took it all and loved it, too.”

His eyes burned with lust for her. She wrapped her arms around him, and he lifted her from the floor.

“All right, hot mama!” He set her down on her feet again. “Let me check the back porch and move anything that may blow around back there.

You stay inside, okay?”

“Can’t I help?”

“You might want to bring that hanging fern in off of your front porch.

They were warning of possible straight line winds on the radio, and there’s a tornado watch for the whole evening.”

He went outside and opened the back door to her garage. The storm had picked up in the last few minutes, and lightning flashed all around them. She went out to the front porch and hoisted the fern from the chain. Luckily, it wasn’t full of water yet. She opened the garage door, getting whipped by the wind and soaked in the process. She carried the fern into the garage as Ethan guided her barbeque grill through the back door. Her lawn chairs and patio furniture were already brought in.

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“Let me have your keys, and I’ll pull your car in the garage. You run in through the back door. You’ll be protected better by the back porch roof.

Stay inside, okay? I got it all.” He ran out to her car, jumped in, and started it. She ran to the storm door and noticed that her headache was gone. Just as Rose said it would be.

The wind blew hard, and the rain flew past the house sideways. It sounded like the house was being scoured with it. The tree branches blew at extreme angles outside. She closed and locked the front door when she heard him close the back garage door and come through the storm door in the kitchen. She got him a towel and then plucked stray leaves from his hair.

He dried off as well as he could, standing on the mat and wiping his boots. She went to the front windows and became a little concerned when she watched a trash dumpster be blown by the wind down the center of the street. She watched the storm and jumped when she heard a branch hit the roof. She turned to look at Ethan, who stood next to her at the window.

“I wish we’d had time to pull your truck into the driveway closer to the house.”

“It’ll be fine. It’s just a work truck, and it’s insured.”

Something crashed against the side of the house, startling her again. The wind began to scream loudly over the house. A chill went up her spine at the sound. He wrapped his arms around her and calmly said, “I want you to go into your bathroom.”

Straight line winds.

“I know where Jack is right now, but have you heard from Adam?”

“No,” he said as he ushered her to the bathroom, “but don’t worry about Adam, honey. He’ll seek shelter if he needs to.”

He went to her bedroom and brought her pillows and her comforter. He helped her into the old enameled cast-iron tub and put the pillows and comforter in with her. He left and came back a few seconds later with the cushions from the couch and her purse. Thoughtful Ethan. She backed up and made room for him in the tub as he closed her bedroom door and the bathroom door.

He climbed in with her, turned her so she was underneath his body. He pulled the comforter and cushions over them, and they hunkered down to wait. The cushions and comforter might not protect them from falling debris, but would at least provide some cover from flying glass. The wind
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outside continued, screaming insanely. Lying in the solid old tub, she felt the house vibrate. Somehow it felt like even the air in her lungs vibrated.

She started to pray and couldn’t hear her own voice over the noise. She tried to stay calm as he held her protectively. His weight on her comforted and grounded her through the storm.

She focused on her breathing and willed herself to calm down. He clasped his hand in hers, kissing her cheek. He must have noticed her attempt to contain the hysteria that threatened. The kiss and the contact helped. They were in the safest place in the whole house.

Impossibly, the wind grew even louder. The walls vibrated, and then she heard a tremendous shattering sound. She shook and trembled under him as she listened to her windows blowing out. Whatever they found when they got up was going to be a real mess.

Suddenly, there was a tremendous crash against the tub, at their feet.

She couldn’t imagine what that must have been but was thankful she hadn’t replaced this old tub with a newer one over the years.

Ethan’s lips were at her temple. Beyond their tiny sanctuary, all hell broke loose, but inside the tub, clasped tightly in his arms, she felt safe. She wasn’t alone to deal with this latest disaster the way she always had been before. She knew there would be plenty of wind damage. Her house had minor wind damage in the past, and this did not sound minor.

She felt Ethan’s body relax a little. The winds were still loud outside but losing intensity because she could make out what he was saying.

“I love you, too, Gracie. I love you, too.” Somehow he’d heard her over the cacophony of the wind.

Filled with relief that the storm was passing, her body went limp after being so tense in fright. She wondered about Jack and Adam and hoped they were able to take shelter. Jack was probably still at the hospital, in which case she knew he was safe. Adam could have been at a customer’s house, or worse still, on a construction site.

Ethan turned on his side to take some of his weight off of her, and she turned to face him. They were like sardines in the tub, and she giggled when she realized she hadn’t even noticed because she’d been holding on to him for dear life. Ethan left the cushions where they were for the time being and peeled back the comforter to look out of the tub. She heard the tinkle of

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broken glass from the window above them as he shifted. The dim room had begun to lighten a little as the storm passed.

“Grace, stay here for a minute. I’m going to go see how bad the damage is. The storm may not be over yet. I’ll be right back.”

“Be careful.”

“I will, I promise.”

She lay back and listened to the sounds as he moved from room to room. The wind and rain had calmed considerably. She heard her front door open and glass fall to the floor. The large glass panel in her storm door must have broken. She heard his boots crunching in places. He came back in the bathroom, and she heard a soft curse. She pushed back the comforter and peered over the edge of the tub. Ethan squatted down at the foot of the tub, holding half of a red brick in one hand and felt the dent it’d left in the end of the tub with the other hand.

“That was close,” she said. “I wonder where it came from.”

He held out his hand to her and said, “The façade on State Bank, two blocks over, is made from this kind of brick. I think it’s safe to come out.

The rain has even stopped. You lost a few windows, and I’m willing to bet you’re missing a few shingles, too. There may be more damage on the roof.”

She took his hand because she needed help rising from the tub on her wobbly legs. “You’re really shaking. Come here, honey.” He helped her stand and wrapped an arm around her waist. She laid her head on his shoulder and heaved a sigh of relief.

“Feeling groggy?” He gently rubbed her back.

“It’ll pass. I’m just relieved that we’re okay, that the house is still in one piece. Thank you for protecting me and keeping me safe, Ethan. I was terrified.”

He squeezed her in his strong, solid arms. “Stay right where you are.

I’ve got you. I’m calling the guys to let them know you’re okay.”

She waited as he dialed Jack’s number first.

“Hey. Yes, she’s fine. You want to talk to her?” Ethan smiled and handed her the phone.

“Hello?” Grace said.

“It’s Jack, darlin’. You okay?”

“Yes, just a little wiped out.”

“I’ll be there in just a few minutes. I’m already on my way.”

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“Good. Be careful, honey.”

“Hold on to Ethan. I’ll be there as soon as I can. I love you, darlin’. I was so worried about you.”

“I was worried about you, too. I love you. Here’s Ethan.”

“Hey,” Ethan said, “it’s the stress. She said it would pass. We’ve got some damage here. Plywood and maybe a tarp. I’ve got a drill in my truck.

Okay, I’ll call him.”

Ethan hung up and then said, “Wait here for just a second. Don’t come outside.” When he returned, he was dialing Adam’s number. He handed her a stick of gum.

“It’s Juicy Fruit. The little bit of sugar might help you feel better.”

She took it and popped it in her mouth.

“Hey, Adam, it’s me. Yes. She’s all right. It was pretty scary. A little wiped out but I think she’ll be okay. Yes, we do have some damage. Are you still at Jack’s dad’s place? I need the plywood and the big tarp if you can find it. No, I have a drill, but bring screws. While it’s still light enough I’m going to have a look at the roof. Here she is.”

He handed the phone to Grace.

“Hello?”

“Were you scared, baby?” His soft, husky voice comforted her deeply.

“Yeah, but I feel better now. Are you coming?”

“I’m going to get plywood and a tarp, and then I’ll be there.”

“Be careful, okay?”

“Okay, I love you, baby.”

“I love you, too, Adam.”

She handed Ethan his phone. He put it in his pocket and looked at her.

She felt like she was bouncing back a little. She smiled at him.

“Better?”

“A little.” She smacked her gum and grinned at him. “Okay. Game plan time. I’ll sweep up as much of the glass as I can then mop. With no power, I really don’t want to close up the house with it wet inside.”

Ethan said, “I’ll check the outside and climb up on the roof and take a look. You sure you’re okay?”

“Yes. I’m okay. I can handle this part. It really helps that you’re here.”

She hugged him hard.

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“I’ll have a look outside, and then I’ll come back in and help you.” He went out the front door and carefully stepped over the broken glass from the storm door, and she went in search of her work gloves, broom, and mop.

She brought the trashcan into the living room and got started, working as fast as she could. She had the room swept in a couple of minutes and poured the glass in the trashcan. She moved through each room, sweeping as efficiently and quickly as she could. Ethan returned and began to mop. They had no electricity, so they couldn’t turn on the fans, which would have helped a lot. After she swept, she found her old sponge mop and helped with the mopping.

Jack arrived, found her in the bedroom, and hugged her firmly. He heaved a big relieved sigh and then another. His body trembled before he finally spoke.

“I called several times and kept getting your voice mail. I’m so glad you’re all right.”

“I probably didn’t hear the phone ring. It was so loud I couldn’t hear anything. I was worried about you, too.” She hugged him, and he kissed the top of her head.

“Adam is bringing plywood. We’ll board up the windows and secure the house. Will you come and stay with us?”

After all she’d been through, trying to stay independent, refusing to leave her home, she had to laugh. She finally nodded.

“Yes, Jack. I seemed destined to it, no matter how hard I try to remain in my own place. I’ll go home with you. But I love you so much I may never leave.” It wasn’t that she didn’t want to stay in his house. She
knew
once she got there she’d never want to leave again. She still didn’t know if she was ready for this step.

Jack’s eyes twinkled as he kissed the tip of her nose. “It’s more likely we won’t
let
you leave. Let’s just see how things work out. I hear Adam. I’ll finish mopping in here. He’s probably looking for you, too. Go see him, and let him know you’re okay.”

“Okay.” She left the bedroom and walked through the living room to the front door, following the sound of Adam’s voice as he talked with Ethan on the front porch. She overheard Ethan say that she seemed like she felt better.

They were sweet to be concerned over her odd reaction to stress. Now that they were all here, she felt so much better. She pushed open the framework
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of the storm door, and Adam turned to her at the bottom of the steps. He held his arms out wide, the big grin on his face showing his relief to see her.

She flung herself into his arms and wrapped her legs around his waist. He hugged her tightly and chuckled.

“I see you’re feeling better, baby.”

She nodded and hugged his neck. “Yes, now that you’re here, now that you’re all here with me. The wind was horrible. Ethan made me get in the tub and kept me safe. Now you’re all here, and I feel much better.” She knew she probably sounded a little hysterical, but she thought they would understand.

“Are you coming home with us now?” He sounded so hopeful.