His Saving Grace Read online

  “I’ve gone on with mine,” Jack insisted gruffly.

  “Have you? I know you wouldn’t let your dad help you with college costs or start-up capital for LIT. Even now, you didn’t want to take a contract with his hospital.” She opened her eyes. “What else have you been cutting yourself off from just because you don’t want anything from your dad?”

  “I just don’t want him to think I need him.” Jack wouldn’t meet her eyes.

  “He’s family.” To emphasize this point, Gracie pulled away a few inches from Jack and made eye contact. “Family helps out family. It’s just natural.”

  “Well, not for me. Sometimes connections are broken and can’t be fixed.” His voice was harsh.

  Gracie let her face rest against Jack’s shirt again. She could hear his heart pounding with the intensity of his emotion.

  How does a person repair a heart or a family, Lord? Is this what is going to happen to Annie and Troy? Oh, no, please don’t let it. Tears sprang to her eyes and she suppressed a sob.

  “Are you crying?” Jack smoothed the hair back from her face.

  “I’m just worried for Annie and Troy.” More tears fell.

  “Their situation isn’t like my mom and dad’s. He’s not cheating on her.” His uneasy statement sounded more like a question.

  Gracie recalled Annie walking and laughing with that young man in the union cafeteria. There would be temptation for Annie on campus, a lot of temptation. She was so pretty, so smart. No, that couldn’t be right. Annie would never be unfaithful to Troy. It wasn’t in her.

  But tears still flowed down her cheeks. She brushed them aside with her fingertips.

  “Don’t cry, Gracie,” Jack whispered, his breath on her face.

  She felt him kiss her forehead. Unable to stop herself, she lifted her face to him.

  For a long moment, an eternal moment, he merely looked down into her eyes. And then he lowered his mouth to hers.

  Their lips met, tentatively—just a whisper of sensation. Then he cupped the back of her head in one hand and kissed her more deeply.

  She tangled her fingers in his soft cotton shirt. His lips played over hers and she was aware of each nuance, each breath they shared. She whispered his name, but heard it only in her heart.

  He finally ended the kiss, pulling his lips from hers. She clung to him, uncertain of her footing.

  “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t—”

  She rose on tiptoe and kissed away his apology. Then she whispered, “Don’t say you’re sorry, Jack. I wanted you to kiss me.”

  “Why didn’t you say so? I’ve wanted to kiss you again for days—”

  This made her laugh. “Jack! I know you think I’m your mind reader, but I’m not.”

  He didn’t reply, only tucked her closer to him. “I’ve thought about what Tom said about you over and over.”

  “What did Tom say?” Gracie asked, her words trembling in her throat.

  “Don’t you remember?” he said evasively.

  “Tom said a lot of things,” she stalled. You have to say it, Jack! I can’t do this for you! “Tom is a talker. Which particular words of wisdom?”

  “He said I ought to propose to you because what would I do without you,” Jack mumbled, sounding uncertain.

  Gracie went still, barely breathing. “Propose?”

  “He’s right. I would be lost without you. Without you, life doesn’t make sense. Does that make sense?”

  Now that he’d said it, she chuckled, her tension lifting. “Knowing you as I do, yes, that makes sense.”

  He squeezed her tighter. “Very funny. But would you— Can I…”

  “Can I what?” She lifted an eyebrow.

  “Would you consider going out with me? I mean, on a date.”

  “What a novel idea.” Gracie couldn’t help but see the humor in the situation, no matter how intense her reaction. She suppressed a smile. Jack’s first attempt at love talk had come out in pure Jack style. But would this be wise? Could it work out between Jack and her? I’m afraid, Lord. “You and me on a date? Are you sure? We work so closely together. Maybe—”

  “Don’t say that. I’ve been blind to how much I needed you and just how important you are to me. I don’t know how to put it into words, and if I try, I’ll probably end up saying it all wrong. But what I want to know— Will you give us a chance?”

  The sound of paddles swishing through the water broke the silence—someone out in a small boat enjoying the moonlight. Too soon this special time away would end.

  Gracie pondered Jack’s words. As a declaration of love, it left a lot to be desired. But then, this was Jack and he was right. If he attempted to put his feelings into words, he would probably not do a very eloquent job. And he was also right about needing her—but would that substitute for loving her?

  I should say no. But what if… “Okay, Jack, I’ll give us a chance.”

  His mouth claimed hers again. She closed her eyes and kissed him as she had longed to for years. Is this actually happening? It feels too good to be true.

  “Gracie!” A voice called her from behind. “Mr. Computer! Hey!”

  Gracie turned and saw Mrs. Groshky waving a slip of paper. She and Jack pulled apart.

  Mrs. Groshky huffed toward them. “Sorry to interrupt.” She gave them an appraising look and then winked at Gracie. “But Mr. Computer got a telegram.”

  “A telegram?” Jack said as he stepped forward to accept the paper.

  “Yeah, they called it in to the office just now and I wrote it down just like the Western Union guy read it off. I can’t remember anybody getting a telegram here in years!”

  “Why would someone telegraph?” Grace asked. “Why not call on the cell phone?”

  Jack grimaced. “I turned it off this morning. Nobody had called and our vacation was nearly over.” He handed the paper back to Mrs. Groshky. “You’ll have to read this to me. I can’t read your writing.”

  “Well, I was kind of flustered, you know, and scrambling around to get something to write on.” Mrs. Groshky lifted her reading glasses, which were suspended on a chain around her neck, and began, “Okay, he said— ‘New security breached. STOP. Hope Medicare and Medicaid accounts tampered with. STOP. Need you back stat. Signed, Cliff Lassater.”’

  “Oh no.” Gracie’s heart sank to her toes.

  On Monday morning after his week’s vacation, in the Hope central financial office, Jack scanned the faces of the Board members as they sat, clustered around desks. “I’ve looked at the files and I’ve found traces of the hacker, but no solid clues.”

  The Board members stared back at him. No one said one word in reply.

  “Where do we go from here, Jack?” his father finally asked.

  Jack was aware that he didn’t feel the same tug of resentment toward his dad as he usually did. “But you need to come up with some more names. I have to have some new suspects or I can do nothing.” He didn’t dare add—with Dr. Collins staring at him—that he didn’t have enough evidence to make any charges against Collins or Witte. There has to be someone else with a grudge against Hope.

  “You mean, this might happen again?” Dunn asked, sitting by a computer behind Cliff.

  “It will keep on happening until I can catch the hacker, and I’ll be able to do that only when I get some more names from you.” Jack wondered why he felt so differently in his dad’s presence today. Had it been the vacation? What he’d learned about his mom, Mike, his new feelings toward Gracie? Had that made a difference?

  “We’re not psychics,” Dunn sneered. “What are you going to do if we can’t come up with any new names?”

  “Then, I’ll have to…” Jack fell silent. How could he get them on board once and for all?

  “What?” his dad asked. “What will you have to do?”

  Jack shook his head. “We’re in a public place. I can’t know that we’re not being overhead or observed or listened to electronically.”

  “And I’m here,” Dr. Collins sai
d with a sarcastic smile.

  Board members looked around the room.

  “Aren’t you exaggerating?” Cliff asked.

  “No, and I’m not taking any chances, Dad.” Jack surprised himself. He hadn’t called his father “Dad” in public for years.

  Cliff must have noticed this, too, because he looked up suddenly, his gaze fixed on Jack.

  “Where do we go from here?” Dr. Brown leaned forward in her chair. “What can you do to protect our system while still investigating?”

  “I’ll have to move your software up to the next level of security.” Jack scanned their faces again. Did one of them know something they weren’t telling or weren’t aware of? “I’ll go in and bring your security up to the level that a national defense contractor would have to maintain.”

  “Will that do it?” Cliff asked, obviously dubious.

  Jack shook his head. “It’s only a stopgap…until one of you comes up with a suspect who pans out.”

  His dad had asked a favor of him just before this meeting started. What should he do? Agree or decline? I’d better ask Gracie. She’ll know. She always knows.

  “Why didn’t you tell me Dad was interested in your boss’s mother?” Annie, in jeans and a navy-blue T-shirt, sat across from Gracie in the Polska Café for late lunch on the Monday after vacation. The café had taken on that relaxed-after-the-rush atmosphere. Mama Kalanovski was in the kitchen with her husband, sharing a late lunch. The two sisters had the place to themselves.

  Early this morning, Gracie had called to invite her sister to lunch to find out if things were any better between Annie and Troy. Lord, I want them back together again, before they hurt Austin and Andy, before they hurt each other too much to forgive.

  Gracie stirred her iced tea again, trying to keep her restless mind on Annie and Troy and Dad and Sandy, not on her and Jack.

  “I didn’t know. I mean, I should have guessed but you know…”

  “Know what?” Annie pressed her.

  “Dad hasn’t shown any interest in anyone since Mom passed away. I just figured he wasn’t going to look for someone else.” Gracie glanced over her shoulder, watching for Jack to walk by the window, returning from his meeting with the Hope Board.

  “You remember Mom so much better than I do,” Annie said wistfully. “I was only twelve when she died and she’d been sick so long then.”

  “She was a wonderful woman, a very special person.” Gracie’s spirits were sinking. Everything that had happened in the past week—Dad and Sandy, Jack and her—had stirred up the past, the sad past.

  “I do remember she was always singing…and baking something delicious. And the house was always full of our friends, especially Connie! I wanted to be just like Mom.”

  “You are like her. I never was.” Gracie ran her forefinger around the rim of her iced tea glass. A grilled Reuben sat on the plate untouched. She had no appetite.

  Annie eyed her. “I don’t know what you mean.”

  “She was popular like you.” Gracie felt the tug of inferiority she always did when she compared herself to her sister and mother. I try not to be jealous, Lord, but it’s hard. “Dad told me how popular Mom was when she was young and dating. He said everyone wanted to marry her.”

  “Well, then, I’m not like her,” Annie objected, as she lifted her glass. “Troy was the only one—”

  “You know that’s not true! You could have dated anyone in high school, but you chose Troy.” Don’t try to make me feel better, Annie.

  “I don’t know about the dating anyone I wanted, but you’re right. I chose Troy. What about you and the Brain?” Annie nibbled her poppy seed roll.

  Annie’s question shocked her. “You mean me and Jack?” Gracie’s pulse spiked.

  “Yes.” Annie wiggled a finger at her. “I notice he’s around more and more, and I saw how he pitched right in to help you. And then he goes on vacation with you! I know you’ve had feelings for him—”

  “How did you know that?” Gracie stared at her smug-looking sister.

  “I know you.” Annie gave her an insouciant grin. “I saw how you looked when you talked about him. Well, has he finally woken up and noticed you? Has he?”

  Gracie sighed. He’s noticed that he needs me. Does he love me? Needing isn’t the same as loving. “He asked if we could start dating.”

  “Wow—good for him. There’s hope for all of us, then,” Annie kidded her with a broad smile.

  “Don’t tease.” Gracie blushed warmly. “What about you and Troy?”

  Annie’s expression sobered and she put down her roll. “I chose Troy and I still choose Troy.”

  “What went on between you two while we were all gone?” Gracie tried to keep her voice light.

  “When I came over to help him pack the twins for the lake, we declared a truce. And he asked me if I would go with him to the pastor to talk things over.” Annie pursed her lips.

  “Did you go?”

  Annie nodded, staring down.

  Grace’s tension eased. She took a deep breath. “I’m glad. What caused him to—”

  “To behave so responsibly?” Annie asked, the usual repartee back in her tone.

  “Annie,” Gracie scolded.

  “I’m sorry, Sis, but Troy hasn’t been acting like himself. He’s usually so easygoing. He’s been so mad at me.”

  “You’ve been angry, too,” Gracie pointed out.

  Annie nodded. “I know. I’ve been angry with him ever since Christmas. I finally got the courage to confront him with it.”

  “With what?” Gracie sat up straighter.

  “Gracie!” Connie hurried in and headed right for them. “Come quick. A client is on the phone for you.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Very late that afternoon, Jack stalked into their office next to the Polska, his shoulders hunched.

  Gracie had been watching, waiting for him all afternoon. She rose from her desk, trying to control her face that insisted on smiling. I have news for you, Jack.

  “Hi, how did the Hope meeting go?” she said instead, controlling her voice, keeping it composed.

  He lifted his shoulders and then let them drop. “Hard to tell. I told them they have to get busy and get me some leads about who might be doing this.”

  She studied his disgruntled face. She repressed the urge to hurry to him and put her arms around him. “Had they frozen the corrupted files?” she asked, already guessing the answer.

  “Of course not.” Jack shoved his hands into his pockets. “Someone who thought they knew how to track the accessing of files decided to take a look—”

  “Oh no.” She sank back into her chair.

  “Yes, a red alert via memo wasn’t enough of a deterrent to this helpful person,” Jack growled. “I still had some untouched files to look through, but they proved inconclusive.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  Connie breezed in from the break room in the back. “Greetings. I’m heading out. What do you think of our big news, boss?”

  “Big news?” Jack looked at her and then Gracie.

  “I didn’t have a chance to tell him yet.” Gracie shook her head at Connie, having trouble breathing evenly. Would Jack pull her into his arms and—

  “Well, tell him!” Connie almost danced with her excitement.

  Gracie’s stomach fluttered dangerously. She cleared her throat. “Jack, I negotiated my first solo contract. It’s not much—”

  “Not much!” he scoffed, taking a step closer. “Who?”

  Gracie’s spirits soared at his instant interest and appreciative expression. “It’s a new group of doctors in Oak Park. It’s not big like the Hope—”

  “Isn’t that great?” Connie cut in.

  Jack beamed. “Sounds like a good time to celebrate. How about steak at Sharkey’s?”

  “Oh, Jack…” Gracie tried to keep things in perspective in spite of her mounting elation. “It’s not that big—”

  “Grab your purse. I’m hungry.” He turne
d to Connie. “Coming with us?”

  “No, I’ve got to get home,” Connie said primly, her gaze on Gracie.

  “Will you close up shop for us, then?” Jack asked over his shoulder as he led Gracie toward the door.

  “Sure!” Connie winked at Gracie.

  Gracie felt her face warm, but she allowed Jack to lead her out to the alley where his car was parked.

  A new client. I did it!

  By the candlelight at Sharkey’s, Jack gazed across the booth toward Gracie. Whenever he looked at her tonight, he remembered those moments by the lake just two days ago. Two days ago. How had it all come about? Had he really kissed Gracie and asked if they could start a dating relationship? Do I have feelings for Gracie? Yes, I do!

  The waiter delivered their salads and ground spicy fresh pepper onto their lettuce. Jack gazed at Gracie as she thanked the waiter. Her gray eyes were open wide in the low light of the restaurant and her golden skin glowed with a hint of pink on her cheeks. How long had he merely ignored how lovely Gracie was? I’ve been walking around blind. I never thought about love and marriage…

  “I’m very happy with the ways things are turning out,” he said, breaking the silence after the waiter’s departure. His voice dragged along the bottom of his throat. Marriage—where had that thought come from? I’m feeling so much, Gracie! But how do I get it out into words? How do I let you know, how do I say it?

  “It’s just a small account, Jack—”

  “No. I’m not talking about business.” He stopped to sort out his emotions, what he wanted to say to her.

  He watched her gaze back at him, her fork poised over her salad. Her slim wrist reminded him of how slight, how fragile she had felt in his arms. A contradiction. So delicate, but so strong. So necessary to him.

  “It’s this, Gracie…I like the fact that we’re working together.” He folded his hands and stared at them, afraid to look at her. “I like the storefront in your neighborhood. I like it that you are more than my executive assistant.” He paused. “I don’t know how to say what I’m…feeling.”

  “I think I understand.” Her small, light hand covered his.

  He looked up, urging her silently to put his thoughts into words, one of things he most valued in Gracie.