Offering a mock salute, Gretchen peeled out of the driveway. The women’s laughter echoed as they drove away, and Grace was glad she’d been left with laughter instead of tears.
Grace started for the front door of the tiny house. Standing on the sidewalk in this neighborhood was as good as begging to be assaulted or shot. Sunshine wasn’t a talisman against violence, particularly not here. It just meant targets were easier to spot.
Letting herself inside, she tried to ignore the smells of stale beer and old cigarettes that permeated the place. No matter how much she cleaned, she couldn’t get rid of the pervasive odors.
“Just a couple more weeks,” she murmured to the empty room. Once the internship was over, she’d be able to get out of here. She’d head to Baltimore, rejoin Meg and begin to figure out where she fit in the world. Thanks to Justin leaving things the way he had, there would be no ties to bind her to this place.
She couldn’t wait.
6
HANDS TREMBLING SLIGHTLY, Justin retied his tie for the fourth time. The knot still wasn’t right, but if he didn’t leave now, he was going to miss his bus downtown. Being late on the first day of his new job would be a miserably epic fail—right up there with sleeping with the intern. Muttering a vile curse, he reached for the doorknob at the same moment his sister Evelyn pounded on the door.
“I’ve had to pee for twenty minutes, Justin. Face it. You’re as pretty as you can make yourself without surgical intervention so come out already.”
Why had he agreed to stay the night with his family? A cushy sofa and a good meal weren’t worth this. He yanked the door open and scowled. “You’re not the one running late.”
“You wouldn’t be late if you’d gotten up when your alarm went off.”
“I did get up, but someone was already in the shower using up all the hot water.”
“I couldn’t sleep.” She slid past him and into the bathroom. “Leave already. No one can stand you when you’re in a mood.”
“I’m not in a—”
Evelyn slammed the door in his face, clicking the lock in place with force. “Yeah, you are.”
Irritated, Justin stalked to the sofa, dug out the only pair of oxfords he owned from his overnight bag, slipped them on and scanned the room. “Briefcase. Where the hell is my briefcase?” A quick search found it tucked behind the television stand. He jogged to the front door, surprised when his mother beat him there.
She smiled. “How could I send you off to your first day of work without wishing you well?” Looking him over, she nodded. “Don’t you cut a fine image?”
“No pictures, Mom.”
“You’re no fun.” On tiptoe, she gripped his shoulders and pulled him down for a quick kiss. “Knock ’em dead.”
“I’ll settle for grievous wounding on my first day.”
“Glad to hear your nerves haven’t killed your sense of humor.”
“I really do have to go.”
“You wouldn’t be late if you’d given up preening twenty minutes ago,” Evelyn shouted from the bathroom.