When I Fall in Love(106)
Jace had Eden in a huddle, leaning down to speak into her ear.
Eden’s expression as she glanced at Grace stopped her cold. She slowed, winding her way around the tables. “What’s going on?”
Jace appeared ill, shook his head.
“Max’s brother is in trouble. He . . . Max thinks he might be . . .” Eden sighed, took Grace’s hand. “Max’s brother has Huntington’s disease. And Max went to make sure that he was okay.”
“Huntington’s disease?” Grace frowned at Jace, who wore such an odd, pained expression that she reached for one of the chairs. “Isn’t that a hereditary disease? Something like Lou Gehrig’s?”
“Yeah,” Jace said softly.
Again, the way he looked at her . . . Her grip tightened on the chair. “Does . . . does Max have . . . ? Is Max sick?”
Jace drew in a breath. “Not yet.”
Not. Yet.
“Oh.” She pulled out the chair, lowered herself into it. “He’s . . . going to be sick.”
“Someday. Yes.”
Eden sat across from her, her own expression stricken, probably mirroring Grace’s. “That accounts for a lot. Like his weird behavior, hot, then cold—”
“Then hot.” Grace’s eyes had started to fill. “He told me he loved me. That he wanted to love me. Wanted to grow old with me. Wanted to have a family . . .”
Eden slid her hand over Grace’s. “But wanting it is different from actually having it.”
Grace pressed a hand to her mouth, her body tight, numb.
No wonder he kept walking out of her life. She kept pulling him in and he kept trying to extricate himself without hurting her.
Oh, Max.
“He doesn’t want anyone to know,” Jace said, coming over to Eden. “That’s why he threw the cooking contest. His brother tried to publicize the event, and Max couldn’t—”
“Bear for me to find out.” The words settled over her—he threw the cooking contest. That made sense, then—his exit from her life, even why a guy like Max might let guilt push him into helping her with this wedding.
She looked at the glittering, beautiful room, the sunlight cascading through the high windows, diamonds in the sunbeams. The sounds of laughter filtered from the kitchen as the students prepared for the most beautiful day of Eden’s life.
Grace put her hands over her face, her shoulders shaking.
“Oh, Grace.”
She wanted to put up her hand, to say she was fine, but—
No. She’d never be fine. Because suddenly it all made sense . . . from his reckless behavior in Hawaii to their conversation at Pearl Harbor, even his cryptic words that day in the elevator. I think everyone who gets to have dreams should reach for them.
He believed he didn’t get to have dreams—because his dreams coming true would mean destroying hers . . . like having a family. A home. A husband to grow old with.
I am going to be okay without you.
No. No, she wouldn’t.
The truth hung over her, descended into her, wrecked her. Oh, God . . . Her prayer stumbled there, stuck inside.
“C’mon, Grace. Let’s get out of here,” Eden said.
“I—I have . . . to . . . make . . .”
Ingrid entered, carrying place cards, Amelia behind her. Ingrid knelt beside Grace. “Honey, are you okay?”
Owen joined them. “What did he do to her?”
“Owen, stay out of this,” Eden started.
“There you are!” Casper’s angry voice jerked Grace’s head up. Her brother stormed in, still looking as rough-edged as he had this morning.
“Casper, are you all right?” Ingrid said, rising, but Casper was advancing hard, something wild in his eyes.
Still, no one expected him to launch himself at Owen. He tackled his brother to the ground, slammed his fist into his face. “What did you do to her, you jerk?”
He hit him again, but Owen had reflexes born from being the youngest and grabbed Casper’s arm, the next blow just grazing his face. “Get off me!” He pushed Casper, and they rolled over in a tangle, wrestling, their fists finding ribs.
“Casper! Owen!” Ingrid ran toward them.
Grace got to her feet, grabbed her mother’s hand. “Stay back!”
They banged a table and dishes crashed to the floor. Amelia screamed.
Jace plowed into the battle. “Guys—break it up!”
John, Darek, and Ivy walked in. Tiger ran ahead, but Ivy caught his hand.
Grace’s stomach hollowed at the look on her dad’s face.
“What on earth—?” He ran over, but Darek beat him to the pair. Jace got hold of Owen while Darek hauled Casper up.
Owen’s eye patch had fallen off, the ugliness of his wounds laid bare. Blood ran from his mouth, his nose, his eye plumping. “He started it!”