Return to Love

Andy snorted, then coughed loudly into his fist.

The heat in Gracie’s face morphed into an inferno, and she wished the sidewalk would swallow her whole—her flaming cheeks, blotchy neck and shaky hands in one big gulp.

Lori pulled in her bottom lip, but a smile poked around the edges of her mouth. “I’m glad you thought so.”

Andy gestured toward Lori and Gracie. “These ladies here have been volunteers with our youth group for over a year now. They’ve been a big help.”

“I’m sure.” Carter smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. His mind was on something else—Gracie remembered that zoned-out look he’d get before starting a conversation he wished he didn’t have to have. She searched for a way out, a way to backpedal into a new topic. Her mind went blank. Breathe, Gracie. It’s almost over. She’d somehow survive this encounter-that-should-never-have-been and record the entire brutal ordeal in her journal.

Then promptly burn the pages.

Carter cleared his throat, emotion dimming his eyes. “Gracie, it’s been so long, I really—”

“Like we said, we were just heading to dinner.” Gracie quickly gestured over her shoulder. She was being rude, but she couldn’t bear to listen to whatever he had been about to say. Her heart fluttered faster than the humming birds outside her mom’s old garden. “So I guess we’ll see you at church tomorrow night, Andy.”

“Sounds great. Carter will be there, too, playing for the youth.”

Lori’s mouth opened. “I didn’t realize you were this month’s entertainment! I can’t wait to hear you play.”

“Thanks.” Carter smiled, but his disappointed gaze stayed on Gracie’s, searching, seeking—what? Acceptance? Forgiveness?

She flexed sweaty palms at her sides. “It was nice, uh…nice seeing you.”

“You, too—and nice meeting you, Lori. I hope to visit the aquarium again.” He edged back a step.

“How long are you in town?” Lori squinted up at Carter against the fading evening sun.

He shrugged. “Not sure. Why do you ask?”

“Gracie is hosting a fund-raising event at the end of next month. A big Christmas gala, to raise money for a penguin expansion project at the aquarium.” Lori shook off the hand Gracie laid on her arm. “You should come. It’s for a great cause.”

Gracie’s cheeks continued to burn. What was Lori up to? The fund-raiser was none of Carter’s business. Irritation settled in her stomach, replacing her Cajun-food craving.

“Like I said, I’m not sure how long I’ll be here.” He glanced at Gracie, then back at Lori. A slight grin tipped the corners of his mouth. “But I imagine ’bout as long as it takes.”

“Perfect.” Lori tossed back her long hair. “Then you should still be here for the dedication. It’d be great for you to cut the ribbon in honor of your father.”

“My father?” The smile faded from Carter’s face and his eyes darted to Gracie in alarm.

Her heart skipped, then thudded hard against her chest. This wasn’t exactly the way she had planned on telling Carter about the new wing being named after the reverend. In fact, she hadn’t planned on telling him at all. He wasn’t even supposed to be here. Did he have to ruin everything that was important to her?

Lori glanced back and forth between Gracie and Carter’s narrowed eyes as if following a tennis match. “I hope that wasn’t a surprise.”

Carter shook his head, but the light remained extinguished from his expression. “It’s not a problem.” The frown between his brows suggested otherwise.

Gracie tugged on Lori’s sleeve. “We better go eat before all the tables are gone.” The restaurant wouldn’t be booming on a weeknight, but she couldn’t look at Carter a second longer.

Lori followed Gracie’s pull and stumbled after her down the street. “See you guys later!”

Gracie tightened her grip on Lori’s shirt and forced a smile at the men standing in their wake.

Not if she could help it.

Chapter Three

“Have you lost your mind?” Gracie’s voice grated with frustration as she pulled her chair away from the table. The legs scratched against the concrete floor of the Gumbo Shop and she plopped into the seat with a glare. Carter and Andy had been seated on the other side of the outdoor patio—at least they’d taken her not-so-subtle hint about preferring to eat separately. Though after Carter’s reaction to the new wing honoring his dad, she was a little surprised he hadn’t turned and fled the city. Abandonment was his middle name, after all.

Lori raised her eyebrows in feigned innocence as she settled across the table and reached for her menu. “What do you mean?”

“You know exactly what I mean.” Gracie snatched the menu from her friend’s hands and leaned forward, her voice lowering to a hiss. “Are you trying to kill me with embarrassment? There’s got to be a better way to go.”

“Don’t be silly.” Lori took her menu again and opened it. “I’m just helping along the natural course of true love.”

“True love?” Gracie nearly choked on the words. She rested back in the chair and crossed her arms over her thumping heart. “Maybe a decade ago, Lori. Not now. No way.”

“I thought you said it was only seven years.” Lori grinned. “Hey, want to split the crawfish étouffée?”

Gracie shrugged. Annoyed as she was, she had to admit the crawfish sounded pretty good. Her stomach growled on cue. “Fine. Whatever.”

“You still buying?”

Gracie’s throat clenched.

“Just kidding! I know better than that.” Lori laughed. “Maybe I should get dessert to make it up to you. Chocolate brownie pie?”

Gracie chewed on her lower lip. Forgiveness would come at a price, all right—but what better payment than chocolate? “Okay, fine. With ice cream.”

Their truce settled, the girls tucked the menus away and gave drink requests to the waitress.

“So what was that all about?” Lori leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table.

“What was what all about?”

“Carter’s reaction to the new wing’s name. He looked like he’d seen a ghost.”

Gracie snorted. He probably had, in his mind anyway. No better way to heap shame on a man than by confronting him with one of his biggest mistakes. Served him right. “He was probably ashamed.”

“I thought he left you, not his father.” Lori frowned.

Gracie shrugged and averted her eyes, tired of the painful memories. “He left all of us.”

The waitress arrived with their drinks, and Gracie gratefully stabbed her straw into the ice, glad for the distraction. But Lori wouldn’t let it go.

“Do you think Carter will actually come to the fund-raiser?”

“Not if I don’t officially invite him.”

Lori’s gaze jerked to meet Gracie’s. “What do you mean? You have to!”