Stealing Grace by Shelby Fallon Page A

look out the shop window to the street, “I’ve about had it with this town.”

    * * *

    “What do we do when they don’t come pick up the documents when they were supposed to?” Elena asked as she eyed a small pile of documents that were past due.
    “Well, it wasn’t really important to them or they would have come and picked them up. They pay me either way, so.” He walked over and looked at the stack, taking the first few off the top. “This is Roger’s. Hmm. It’s not like him to not pick up his stuff. Maybe I’ll drop this off to him.” He looked at his watch. “Ready to go, now? We’re done anyway.”
    “Sure,” Elena said and cleared her desk quickly.
    They drove the short distance to Roger and Amy’s house. It was a cute bungalow really, much like the house Alex and Elena lived in. Alex’s office was pretty much in the center of town. Main Street was where everything was and everything just kinda gravitated around it.
    “I’m anxious to know how Amy is doing.”
    “I know you are,” he said softly, “but I think it’s best if you stay in the truck. I’ll only be a minute.”
    “I know. You’re right.”
    Her cheek burned just thinking about seeing Roger again. He smiled at her and opened the door.
    “Be right back.”
    She nodded and watched him make his way to the front door. Roger came to the door and looked relieved to see Alex. He pulled him inside and slammed the door.
    Elena waited patiently. Played with the radio, thinking. Alex came back after about ten minutes and sprinted quickly to the truck.
    “Sorry. That was weird.”
    “What happened?”
    “He was, uh...I don’t know. He didn’t really talk about anything just didn’t seem to want me to leave.”
    Alex backed the truck out of the driveway slowly.
    “Hmm.”
    “Amy seemed ok, though. She brought me some tea. She doesn’t have any bruises or anything that I could see.”
    “Good, that’s good,” Elena mused.
    “Yeah. I wonder what was going on with him. It was almost like...he didn’t want to be alone with her.”
    “Well, they are being watched and checked on like us aren’t they?”
    “Yeah, should be.”
“Maybe he’s just irritated, like you. Ready for some company that isn’t someone trying to decide if he’s handling his wife right or not.”
    “Well, I’ll call him. We’ll get together with them soon.”
    “I’d like that, thanks,” she said and bit her lip.
    She wanted to sit beside him but was still cautious. She didn’t really know why. She just didn’t want him to think she was being clingy or too forward. Her never being in a relationship before this was not helping matters now. If you can sleep in his bed with him then you can scoot your butt over and sit by him.
    She unbuckled her seatbelt and scooted over.
    He put his arm around her and pulled her close.
    “It’s about time.”
    “What?”
    “I’ve been wondering when you were going to stop sitting way over there.”
“You have? Why didn’t you just tell me to sit by you then?”
    “You don’t get to make a lot of your own choices anymore.” He looked at the road sadly. “I’m not going to tell you what to do unless I have to. I wanted you to want to sit by me.”
    She smiled and decided to stop being so paranoid. She laid her head on his shoulder and felt his hand tighten on her arm.
    “Ugh,” Elena muttered, “why do you all have to live so close? We never stay in the truck for more than five minutes at a time.”
    “Yeah, I’m pretty comfortable myself.”
    He passed the house and kept going.
    “Where are you going?” she asked, puzzled.
    “Why don’t we circle the community, one more time.”
    She grinned at him in the dim pink and purple light from sun setting behind them.
    “You read my mind,” she said softly and laid her head back down on his shoulder.
    He rubbed her arm with his long fingers and kissed her hair.
    “Are you a little happy here with me then?”
    “Yes.” She looked up at him and felt