his tears away. “You’re our family now. This is where you belong. Don’t ever question it. Don’t ever feel you don’t deserve it, because you do. We love you so much.”
Ian looks confused by her statement. “But all I got you was an easel and some stupid paint brushes,” he says, with guilt on his face.
“That’s silly,” she says. “You gave me your heart, and that is the best gift anyone has ever given me.”
Chapter 7
They lie in bed together, both chilled by the frozen world outside. Ian watches out the window as snow drifts from the sky. Grace sleeps peacefully in his arms. He cannot help but stare at her. She is the most gorgeous creature he has ever laid his eyes on. He thinks back to the first time he saw her, peering up at him in math class. It is hard for him to believe that was only three short months ago. How did I fall so hard and so fast? He pulls her tighter, and it causes her to wake.
“I didn’t mean to wake you, baby,” he says softly as he brushes the hair that fell on her face, behind her ear.
She smiles up at him groggily. “It’s okay. When did you come in here?”
“Around three in the morning.”
“You couldn’t sleep again?”
“No. I have so much on my mind,” he says warily.
“L.A.?”
“Yeah. L.A.”
She lays her head on his chest and wraps her arms around him tighter, as if to keep him from leaving her.
“Have you thought about it anymore?” he asks.
“Yes, but…”
He looks at her sadly. “But…you can’t leave your family,” he says, discouraged.
She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath before saying, “No. I can’t.”
They lie in silence. He kisses her head, rubs her back, and holds her tighter.
“Jaden’s Grandpa’s place is huge. You could even have your own room if you wanted to. The rent is beyond cheap—”
She reaches up and puts her hand over his mouth lightly, keeping him from saying anything else. “I can’t leave my family, Ian. They’re all that I have.”
These words enrage him. “All that you have?” he shouts. “ I fucking hate when you say that. I know you love your family, but do you have to say they’re all that you have? What about me?”
“Bad choice of words, I’m sorry,” she says. “I will break their hearts if I leave them. Why can’t you just stay here? What is so awful about our life here that you have to run off to L.A.?” she asks, in an angry plea.
“Do we really need to go over it again and again? I don’t want to see my dad! Does that mean nothing to you? I want to sing and be in a band. Not working in a fucking garage my whole life. Do my dreams mean nothing to you?” he shouts even louder than before.
Grace rips herself out of his warm arms, gets out of bed, stomps to the bathroom, and slams the door. With that, Ian leaves her room feeling defeated and unimportant.
Ian learns quickly that Grace can be exceptionally gifted in the skill of ignoring someone when she is mad. The two of them do not speak for two solid days, until Ian comes to her bedroom late at night. James is home and asleep in his room down the hall. Ian knows he must be extremely quiet.
“House rules: Never go in Grace’s room when I’m sleeping or when I’m not home,” Ian remembers James saying as he creeps across the old wooden floors toward Grace’s room. He opens her door quietly, James’ words playing repeatedly in his mind. “Gracie?” he calls softly.
She flips her bedside light on and glares at him. Her hair looks freshly brushed, her green eyes are bright and show no signs of sleep. “You know you’re not supposed to be sneaking in here,” she says, cruelly.
“I can’t fight with you anymore. It’s killin ’ me.”
Her lips twist up to the side of her mouth and she knits her eyebrows together while letting out an exasperated huff. Ian chuckles, he knows her so well. He knows she is trying to fight the urge to give into him. When she scoots over, pats the bed, and
Ian looks confused by her statement. “But all I got you was an easel and some stupid paint brushes,” he says, with guilt on his face.
“That’s silly,” she says. “You gave me your heart, and that is the best gift anyone has ever given me.”
Chapter 7
They lie in bed together, both chilled by the frozen world outside. Ian watches out the window as snow drifts from the sky. Grace sleeps peacefully in his arms. He cannot help but stare at her. She is the most gorgeous creature he has ever laid his eyes on. He thinks back to the first time he saw her, peering up at him in math class. It is hard for him to believe that was only three short months ago. How did I fall so hard and so fast? He pulls her tighter, and it causes her to wake.
“I didn’t mean to wake you, baby,” he says softly as he brushes the hair that fell on her face, behind her ear.
She smiles up at him groggily. “It’s okay. When did you come in here?”
“Around three in the morning.”
“You couldn’t sleep again?”
“No. I have so much on my mind,” he says warily.
“L.A.?”
“Yeah. L.A.”
She lays her head on his chest and wraps her arms around him tighter, as if to keep him from leaving her.
“Have you thought about it anymore?” he asks.
“Yes, but…”
He looks at her sadly. “But…you can’t leave your family,” he says, discouraged.
She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath before saying, “No. I can’t.”
They lie in silence. He kisses her head, rubs her back, and holds her tighter.
“Jaden’s Grandpa’s place is huge. You could even have your own room if you wanted to. The rent is beyond cheap—”
She reaches up and puts her hand over his mouth lightly, keeping him from saying anything else. “I can’t leave my family, Ian. They’re all that I have.”
These words enrage him. “All that you have?” he shouts. “ I fucking hate when you say that. I know you love your family, but do you have to say they’re all that you have? What about me?”
“Bad choice of words, I’m sorry,” she says. “I will break their hearts if I leave them. Why can’t you just stay here? What is so awful about our life here that you have to run off to L.A.?” she asks, in an angry plea.
“Do we really need to go over it again and again? I don’t want to see my dad! Does that mean nothing to you? I want to sing and be in a band. Not working in a fucking garage my whole life. Do my dreams mean nothing to you?” he shouts even louder than before.
Grace rips herself out of his warm arms, gets out of bed, stomps to the bathroom, and slams the door. With that, Ian leaves her room feeling defeated and unimportant.
Ian learns quickly that Grace can be exceptionally gifted in the skill of ignoring someone when she is mad. The two of them do not speak for two solid days, until Ian comes to her bedroom late at night. James is home and asleep in his room down the hall. Ian knows he must be extremely quiet.
“House rules: Never go in Grace’s room when I’m sleeping or when I’m not home,” Ian remembers James saying as he creeps across the old wooden floors toward Grace’s room. He opens her door quietly, James’ words playing repeatedly in his mind. “Gracie?” he calls softly.
She flips her bedside light on and glares at him. Her hair looks freshly brushed, her green eyes are bright and show no signs of sleep. “You know you’re not supposed to be sneaking in here,” she says, cruelly.
“I can’t fight with you anymore. It’s killin ’ me.”
Her lips twist up to the side of her mouth and she knits her eyebrows together while letting out an exasperated huff. Ian chuckles, he knows her so well. He knows she is trying to fight the urge to give into him. When she scoots over, pats the bed, and
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