The Gate to Everything (Once Upon a Dare Book 1) by Ava Miles Page B

afraid I can’t.” It was one of the toughest things she’d ever said out loud because it meant admitting her own weakness. She felt like she was swimming in them these days.
    Her mom lifted her chin and looked her straight in the eye. “Gracie, you listen to me. I’m not saying it’s ideal, but you’re strong enough to do anything you set your mind to. Did you believe you could go to the Culinary Institute of America and work for not one, but two award-winning restaurants?”
    She shook her head. Plenty of people in their small town had thought she was a big dreamer who needed a strong dose of reality. The same had been true of Jordan.
    “Being a mom involves juggling a lot of balls—more so when you don’t have a partner—but you can do it,” her mom continued. “Besides, Jordan’s idea to have you two be neighbors gives you a ‘type’ of a partner. I might not like how things turned out between you two, but I’ve known him since he was born. He’ll pull his weight.”
    Grace nodded because she knew it to be true. “I haven’t told him about my condition yet, Mom. I was afraid of the stress. For the baby. He’s going to blame himself for what happened with the press. I hate this.”
    They rested against each other in silence for a while, and Grace was comforted by her mother’s rock-solid presence.  
    “You look wiped out,” her mom said. “Do you think you can rest now? I’ll talk to Jordan for you. I’m here to help, and Tony’s going to stay a little longer too. You’re not to worry about anything.”
    She had secretly hoped her mom would offer to talk to Jordan, and she’d tried not to feel guilty about that as well. “Tell Jordan, I’m sorry…and that I’ll call him when I can.”
    The baby’s safety had to come first. She knew he would understand.

Chapter 9

    Jordan was close to leaving the stadium after a pre-season afternoon practice, and honestly, he couldn’t wait to get home. The press had been hounding him, and his easy-going demeanor was shot. Grace had responded only briefly to his texts. He could feel her pulling away from him, and that one moment from their shopping trip kept playing over again in his mind. They’d been so close to giving it a second try. He knew it. A part of him was depressed by it all, and since the media was everywhere these days, he basically went to practice and then back to his apartment. He didn’t like how caged in it made him feel. Not one bit.
    For the first time since he’d become famous, he understood Grace’s feelings about the invasion of her personal privacy. The media was keeping him from doing what he wanted, from what he needed to do. That couldn’t continue.
    His phone rang as he was changing, and when he noticed Grace was finally calling, he hurried out of the locker room without a shirt on to take the call in a more private setting.
    “Hey!” he said, pitching his voice low. “How are you? I’ve been worried.”
    “Jordan, it’s Meg.”  
    “Meg?” Then it sunk in. “Something happened. What happened?” He pressed a hand to his forehead as tension shot through it.
    “Grace is okay, but she needs to be in bed for a while with the baby. I came to stay with her.”  
    Oh, God, no. Not this. “Are they all right? Dammit, Meg, when did this happen? Why didn’t Grace call me?”  
    “I’ll explain more when I see you.”  
    Meg’s familiar voice had soothed his hurts when he was a boy and cheered him on in his football games in more recent years. Now it was slightly stilted, and it was yet another slash to his aching heart. “I’m finishing up now. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” He strode back to the locker room.
    “Jordan, I think it’s better if I meet you at your place. I’ll leave here shortly. Tony is going to stay with Grace.”
    “What? Why can’t I come over? I want to see Grace.” I need to see her. And the baby. If Grace was resting with the baby, it meant there was trouble. Had she almost