Regret Came Too Late

Grace was slightly shocked. Usually, Ed spent most of his time alone in that rundown villa in the suburbs when he wasn't working as a bartender at the Obsidian. How did he know so much?

"How do you know? Who told you?" Grace questioned.

"I know things, for I care about what happens to you."

His voice was low, and his words intense.

Grace didn't feel like getting into it, so she said, "Yeah, I had a little drama with someone, but it wasn't my boss. Also, Ethan's my ex-boss now. I don't work at Henderson Group anymore. He wouldn't even see someone like me, and I definitely wouldn't ask him for anything."

The bathroom light clicked off, and Ed came out, still dripping a bit.

"What makes you think he doesn't notice you?"

Grace chuckled and sighed. "The food's on the table. Go eat. There are still people out there. I'll go hang with them for a bit."

She turned to leave, but he grabbed her wrist.

His tone was hesitant and very careful as he asked, "Grace, you really don't like Ethan, don't you?"

Grace frowned. She blamed Ethan for today-his coddling had made Jodie the way she was.

That whipping and all the stuff before - he'd always been there to bail Jodie out.

"Whether I like him or not is no big deal to him. Come on, let's not talk about him. Aren't you hungry? Why do you keep bringing up someone who doesn't matter?" The grip on her wrist tightened slightly. "Does he really not matter to you?" "What else? Ed, you're acting strange today."

go, looking down. "I can't eat much. Will

up a little. She smiled.

close the door behind her when she

been inside for about five minutes, and the two

the bedroom, hoping the man inside would come out on

time they had finished their supper, Grace's boyfriend

them

asked, "Hey, Grace, have you considered getting

thought about it for a few seconds. "Probably not next year. Work's going to be crazy. As for later, who knows? At least things are pretty good between us

at Yancey, a little smile playing on her lips. "Alright, if

elevator together as Grace saw them off at

closed, she turned back

fist against the wall, the loud bang

the pain as he remained

Grace. You did some bad things, after all. Now she's over you, but you

and he didn't bother to pretend

not

completely unbothered. "I just think it's a shame. Grace used to look at you with

me?

was the point of talking with Joanne about this

he got out.

easy. Just wreck her job, trash her friends, make her totally alone, and she'll have to depend on a guy. Women being

stopped dead in his tracks