Her Hometown Hero(49)

"I don't have friends," she said, putting an emphasis on the S at the end of the word friends.

"Come on, Grace. I've known you since you were a kid," Camden said, blowing out his breath as he paced her small apartment.

"You're certainly not my friend, Camden. Please don't insult my  intelligence by pretending you are," she snapped, going to her fridge  and pulling out a bottle of water.

"There was a time when we were more than friends, Grace." She turned to  find him right behind her, way too close for her comfort. "You know I  would never purposely hurt you."

"Ha. That's amusing, Camden. It's amazing how you can twist our history.  The only friend I have is Sage, and I don't want to pull her into this.  I'm going to live my life, and if everything goes to hell, I guess that  will just happen."

There was no possible way that she was giving this man ground-or  anything else. He'd already taken her heart eight years before. Then  he'd smashed it into tiny little pieces and he'd never looked back.

"I'm offended that you think so little of me, Grace."

"I have a feeling you'll get over it. Just put an ad on Facebook telling all the lonely singles that you need some consoling."

"Why are you such a pain?" he practically shouted.

"Maybe because that's how I survive. You can either deal with it or you  can stay the hell away from me. I've already told you I have nothing to  say and I've been more than clear that I don't want your help. I don't  care what anyone does or says, I will not cower in a corner."

"I'm not asking you to cower in the corner, but you don't need to put out flashing neon lights saying Look at Me."

She knew he wasn't dealing well with the situation. They'd already had  this conversation a million times now, ever since he'd received that  blasted file, ever since her father-not that he deserved the title-had  royally screwed her over.

"Maybe I'm a girl who likes to play games-dangerous games, Camden. Maybe  I've decided my life has been boring so far. Maybe, just maybe, I'm the  perfect protégée for my parents," she said, sending him a wink and  shrug.

"I don't know what you're trying to prove, but you're doing an excellent  job of acting like a spoiled brat. If you want to roll over and play  dead, I should let you, but I know somewhere, maybe locked deep down  inside, is the smiling girl I used to know. Where is she, Grace?"

"How dare you! You have no right to psychoanalyze me. You have no right  to step into this apartment. Where in the hell were you when I needed  you most? Was that your week with bimbo one or bimbo two?"

"What happened in the past is in the past. You need to let it go."

"Please go away, Camden. I'm too tired to deal with you anymore today."  The fight had been drained from her. She needed to put on her happy face  and pretend everything was copacetic.

"This isn't over, Grace," he warned as he moved toward the door.

"It never is, is it, Camden?" She sighed as he turned toward her, fire  burning in his eyes. Yes, she knew there was still hunger there, but  more than that, there was rage. Right now they both felt it in spades,  each at the other.

"I'll leave for now, but don't think for a minute that I'm going to just  roll over and watch you ruin your life," he said as she yanked open the  door to push him out if she had to.                       
       
           



       

"Trust me, Cam, I would never think you were the type to ever roll over," she said, trying unsuccessfully to smile.

Cam said nothing else as he left her apartment.

Grace sagged against the door, allowing herself a moment of pity. Then,  blowing out a breath, she pushed her worries from her mind. It was  Christmas Eve and she was going to spend it with her best friend. She'd  had enough anger and sadness to last her a lifetime. She was going to  bury all of that for at least the next few days.





"Sage, wake up right this minute!"

Sage sat up, disoriented and rubbing her eyes. "What time is it? What's  the problem? Is everyone okay?" she blurted out, still half asleep.

She'd taken naps at the hospital before, and she knew how to wake up  quickly and be prepared for an emergency, but with her recent insomnia  due to high emotions, she was struggling to clear the fog from her  brain.

"Nothing's wrong," Grace told her. "You just have to come with me right now."

"What are you doing at my grandmother's? I thought you were flying out tonight."

"I was, but I got stuck behind a major pileup on the freeway, and I had no choice but to turn around."

"Well, I for one am glad. Spending Christmas in Hawaii was a dumb idea, Grace."

"With all of this snow, I thought it would be a nice change."

"Of course lying on the beach and soaking in the sun is always nice. But  Christmas is time for family, and since you're basically my sister, I  call it abandonment when you leave me like that."

"Well, I'm here now, and very grateful to be with you. Now get your butt  out of bed and come with me. I can't believe you're sleeping at 6 p.m.  on Christmas Eve. I've gone to bed early before so I can wake up in the  morning, but never that early." Grace tugged on Sage's hand until she  was standing, and then handed her a thick sweatshirt.

"Are we going somewhere?" Sage asked.

"You'll see. Come on." Grace shimmied Sage over to her UGG boots and  stood there while she slipped them on, then dragged her down the stairs.

It sounded like music was playing, but that wasn't a surprise. Her  grandma always played Christmas carols when she was baking, and she  always baked the night before Christmas. Actually, she baked the entire  week before Christmas. Her pies had become quite famous in their little  town.

Lots of people usually stopped by Bethel's house during the entire month  of December. All the neighbors wanted the woman to see their faces, a  reminder they were still there so they could have some of her goodies.  Then they acted all surprised when Sage and Grace handed out sugary  confections. And Sage loved doing that. It was always a pleasure to see  how much joy her grandmother brought to others.

As they reached the bottom of the stairs, Sage realized that the music  was coming from outside the house. The entire downstairs smelled like  gingerbread, and Sage's stomach rumbled as they passed the kitchen.

"What is that?" Sage asked as they reached the front door.

"Come and find out," Grace told her. She stood next to the door but didn't open it.

Sage was suddenly afraid. The light in Grace's eyes told her that this  was something big, something special. Was she ready to see?

"It's Spence, isn't it?" she said, hope and fear dueling inside her.

"I guess you'll have to open the door if you want to know," Grace replied, a grin splitting her face.

"A true best friend would tell me what's on the other side of that door.  A true best friend wouldn't leave me hanging like this."

Sage didn't do well with surprises. Or at least she hadn't until she'd  met Spence. Now, it seemed, she was more used to them, and even  anticipated them. Her fear was dwindling as she stood there. In its  place a calm acceptance was rising up-a feeling of security and warmth.

"A true best friend would be green with envy and planning on heading to  the nearest voodoo shop to get a doll and stick pins in it whenever she  thought about how sickeningly romantic your future husband is."

"What's he done now?" Worth a try to ask again.

"I'm still not telling you what's on the other side of this door, Sage."

They knew each other well-heck, they each knew what the other was going to say before she said it.

"Fine!" Sage couldn't stand it a second longer. She moved to the door,  yanked it open, then stood for all to see with her hair a wild mess, no  makeup, and wearing a thick, baggy sweatshirt, unflattering sweatpants,  and sheepskin boots. And she didn't care-not even a smidgen.                       
       
           



       

"I just want to say that I am the most jealous best friend in the world.  If you don't run to him right this minute, I'm going to push you down  the porch steps and use your body as my own personal red carpet so I can  take him myself."

"Then I guess I'd have to get Camden to console me," Sage said slyly.

"I would scratch your eyes out," Grace said before her eyes opened wide and she covered her mouth. "I mean . . ."

"I will find out exactly what you mean, Grace, but later. Right now I'm  going to push you out of the way and run out there into the arms of the  man I love."

At least a hundred of their neighbors were standing in front of Bethel's  house, and more were showing up by the minute. They were all singing  Christmas carols and holding paper sky lanterns with candles glowing  inside them. Spence was in front of them all, down on one knee, a  lantern in one hand, a box in the other.