“It wasn’t your fault.” She looked up, but she could see in his face that he blamed himself. “It wasn’t. It was Eric. He attacked me.”
But Jaime was shaking his head. “It wouldn’t have happened if not for me. Let me shoulder the guilt, okay? I deserve it.”
She wanted to argue with him. She wanted to shake him and make him see sense. But she was too tired. Her cheek hurt and she just wanted to go home. Jaime gently let her go and drove her back to Joy’s, where he made an ice pack for her cheek.
“Keep this on it,” he said. “It’ll help with swelling.”
Grace’s eyelids drooped. Before she knew it, she felt herself being carried into Joy’s bedroom and then laid down on the bed, a light kiss brushing against her forehead.
Chapter Eighteen
“You’re not doing this,” Jaime told Grace three days later. “I told you to stay out of this.”
He knew his tone was harsh, but seeing the bruise marring her cheek, he knew he had to be firm. Grace was as stubborn as they came, and she refused to back down.
“I’ve been working with Kat to hack into Eric’s computer—” At Jaime’s groan, she glared at him. “We’re so close!”
“There is no ‘we.’ There is me, and that’s it.”
“So you’re just going to throw whatever Kat’s found to the wayside?”
He rubbed his temples. He didn’t know what to do, except that he wanted to beat Eric within an inch of his life. The coward had retreated to his apartment and, as far as Jaime knew, hadn’t left Heron’s Landing. Probably still licking his wounds.
Despite his threats, Jaime knew very well that this thing wasn’t over. It wouldn’t be over until Eric was charged and Jaime was cleared of everything regarding the missing money from the vineyard.
After Eric had attacked Grace, he’d wanted to go the police, but Grace had been the one to stop him. “They’ll just arrest you for assault,” she’d pleaded. “They’ll say you instigated it because that’s what Eric will say. You aren’t the one they’ll want to believe.”
He’d hated to admit that she’d been right. He’d expected Eric to call the police, but so far, nothing. He had no idea what the man’s next move was, but he was going to do something before that happened.
He stood up from his kitchen table, where he and Grace had been sitting. He’d made her pancakes—at her request—and he picked up the plates to take them over to the sink. “I’ll contact Kat myself,” he said as he turned on the faucet. “Tell her you’ve had to stop being involved.” He scrubbed at the plate. “I also don’t want Kat getting hurt.”
Grace put a hand on his arm. “She won’t, because Eric won’t find out. I told her beforehand the risks. She thought it was worth it. Because you are worth it, Jaime.”
He couldn’t help but grin. “Like the commercial? ‘Because I’m worth it’?” He tossed his head like he was in a shampoo commercial.
Grace pinched him and he yelped. “Be serious.”
He just looked at her.
“Okay, you are being serious. But so am I. I want to help, not sit on the sidelines like some useless damsel.”
He shut off the water, turning to her. “You’ll never be useless, but you were already hurt.” He touched her bruised cheek, resolve filling him. “I can’t let that happen again.”
She just sighed.
Although Grace agreed that she wouldn’t snoop around the vineyard anymore, she said that she would like to come with him to meet with Kat. Knowing this wasn’t a battle he was going to win, he reluctantly agreed. The three of them would meet at Joy’s later that evening, Joy also attending (considering it was her apartment).
“So what exactly are we doing tonight?” Joy asked as she, Grace and Jaime sat on her couch. The same couch they’d made love on only a few days prior. Jaime tried not to think about that too much, but his vision filled with Grace’s hair down, her body trembling against his…
“Kat’s showing us what she found,” Grace replied. “She said she’d be here by eight o’clock.”
“And this is supposed to prove Jaime is innocent?” Joy asked with an eyebrow raise.
“Supposedly. But I’m not sure how we’ll manage that considering hacking into someone’s email is considered illegal.” Jaime gave Grace a look, which she patently ignored.
“Well, good thing I told Adam I was busy cleaning my bathroom tonight, otherwise he would’ve shown up, too, and wouldn’t that have been great?” Joy made a face.
Grace had decided to lay low after Eric’s assault, mostly so she wouldn’t worry her family. Although her face was still bruised, it hadn’t turned as bright purple as they were expecting, and soon she’d be able to cover it with makeup. Only Joy knew what had happened, and soon, Kat. Joy had wanted to go to the police immediately, but Grace had dissuaded her like she’d dissuaded Jaime.
A knock sounded on the door. Jaime got up to answer it. He’d never met Kat before although he’d seen her around town a handful of times. She eyed him when he opened the door, like some kind of science experiment. She wore glasses and red lipstick with her hair in tiny braids that were pulled into a bun on top of her head. She wore bright red skinny jeans underneath a puffy coat with heeled boots that clicked as she walked. Despite her small stature, she seemed to take up the room. After Jaime closed the door, she held out her hand.
“Kat Williamson. I’m assuming you’re the guy we’re all talking about?”
He took her hand; her grip was firm and sure. “Apparently. I’m Jaime.”
“Great. Let me just get set up…” Kat walked into the living room, where she greeted Joy and Grace, asking Joy what her Wi-Fi password was. After she sat down, Jaime followed suit, sitting next to Grace on the couch.
“So, did Grace tell you what this was about?” Kat eyed them, pushing her glasses up her nose.
“Kind of. She just said that she talked to you about the investigation.” Joy sipped her wine.
“Before we start, though, I just want to make sure you know that this could be dangerous for you.” Jaime glanced at Grace, who wasn’t looking at him. “I don’t want to put you into any kind of position.”
Kat looked at Grace, and although Jaime could tell that the bruise on Grace’s cheek surprised her, she was subtle about it. Just a brow lift and nothing more.
“Grace let me know the risks from the beginning. Or rather, I figured them out for myself. But I’m not much for letting innocent people go to jail. Besides, Eric O’Neill is a scummy worm who grabbed my ass at the library, so I’m all about taking him down,” Kat said.
Jaime couldn’t help but smile. “Good to know. Let’s get going then.”
Kat had them stand behind her as she showed them what she’d found. She’d hacked into Eric’s personal laptop fairly easily—he didn’t exactly have high-tech security on his accounts—and utilizing a proxy IP address and other covert technology that made Jaime’s brain spin, she showed them what she’d found.