Chapter 100
“Will you be going?” Jason asked.
Grace nodded. “But you…” She hesitated for a moment. “Do you want to go with me?”
He was quiet for a moment then said, “I have to work overtime the night before. The boss said that I will get triple the rate if I do. How about you give me the address? I will go find you the
next day.”
“All right,” Grace said.
However, she then bit her lips and said hesitantly, “But when you show up with me over there, some of my relatives might give you a hard time. When that happens, don’t mind them.””
Jay gave her a faint smile. “Don’t worry, I won’t pay any
attention to it.”
At this moment, she was the only person he cared about.
The closer it got to Thanksgiving, the fewer people would be seen on the road. Many people had already returned to their
hometowns.
Her mother’s hometown was a small town on the outskirts
of Emerald City. It was not far away, and it would only take
about an hour and a half to get there by bus. Therefore,
relatively speaking, she would have to compete for a bus
ticket home with many other people who were also looking to
get out of the city for the holiday.
While Grace was still booking the tickets, she asked Jason, “Jay,
do you have your ID card? I’ll book a ticket for you.”
As a matter of fact, she had never seen his ID card.
“I have already booked a ticket,” Jason said.
Grace did not say anything else after hearing that. Instead, she took out the scarf that she had been hiding in the past few days and helped Jason put it on.
“Is it too short?” she studied the scarf and asked.
“No, it’s just right,” he said. Her scent seemed to be on
the scarf, which made him feel as though he was being surrounded by her scent as well.
“Then, I’ll go ahead and finish up knitting the ends of it so that you can wear it for the holidays. But it will take some more time before the gloves are ready,” she said.
He clasped her hands as she fiddled with the scarf.
Grace’s dark eyes lifted to his. Goodness, he was so perfect.
“Grace,” he said, his thumbs tracing tiny circles on her hands.
“It’s beautiful.”
Only he wasn’t staring at the scarf, he was looking at her.
Suddenly, all those whisperings from the old ladies rushed to the forefront of her mind. Maybe they could be something
more. Maybe this friendship could be something bigger.
As if with a will of its own, her body leaned toward his.
He smiled faintly, his gaze dropping to her lips.
Grace sucked in a breath.
This man… he was more to her than anyone else in her life had
been.
And she wanted him. More than she could even admit to
herself.
He angled his head and leaned closer.
Grace’s eyes fluttered closed.
Then her phone started ringing. Loudly.
And just like that, the moment was shattered. If it had even been there in the first place. Perhaps she’d imagined it.
Grace hobbled over to the countertop and grabbed her phone.
“Hello Lina.”
Lina had planned to hang out in her apartment during the holidays, but when she heard that Grace was going to visit her mother’s hometown, she couldn’t help worrying.
“Are you going alone?” Lina asked. No small talk. No skirting around the subject.
It was no secret that Lina didn’t want her to go back home. Grace glanced at Jay.
“Actually, no. I won’t be alone. Jay will go over to accompany me,” Grace said.
“But, the relatives from your mother’s hometown are…” Lina paused mid-sentence. She knew how heartless those people were when her friend got into trouble back then. They’d not been kind to Grace in the years since.
“I don’t like them, Grace. No offense. They were all fine to ride off your success and take money when you were working, but
the moment you fell on hard times, they abandoned you.”
Grace didn’t argue the point. It was true what Lina said. Every
bit of it.
“I want to see my grandmother, Lina. I haven’t seen her since I was released from prison. I don’t know how she is now,” Grace said. “She’s the only one of them who’s been good to me, Lina. And she’s been getting on in years. I’m not sure how much
time she has left.”
“If anything happens, just call me. I will come get you. I’m just going to be at home during the holidays,” Lina said.
“What can happen?” Grace laughed. “I’m only going back to my hometown. I’m not going to fight someone. You make it sound so dramatic. This is a short visit, nothing more or less.”
“With your family, one can never know,” Lina said.
“Ouch.”
”
“I’m not saying it to be mean. Just so you’re prepared. I hate thinking of you defenseless.”
“They aren’t going to hurt me.” Grace argued.
And she watched as Jay tensed. His whole body changed from lighthearted to violent in the space of a heartbeat. She sucked
in a breath.
“I, uh, I mean, let’s not overplay this,” she said as much to Lina as Jay. “These are my family members. They won’t physically
harm me.”
“It’s not the physical harm I was worried about,” Lina
muttered.
Jason’s eyes narrowed as if he heard Lina’s words and was also concerned about Grace’s emotional duress.
“Relax,” Grace said to the both of them. “I am only going to
visit my grandmother. I will be back in two days.”
Grace set off early in the morning. Before she set off, she hurriedly brushed a kiss against Jay’s cheek. “Take care, Jay. Mind your safety.”
He smiled crookedly. One hand lifted to his face where her lips.
had been.
“For you, sister, I can do anything.”
Author’s Note: Thank you for all your love on Grace and Jason and I had read all your comments. I Know I made some mistakes throughout it. I am so so so so sorry about the names
and they are
going back now. Just comment and ask. 
