Dead Silence (Stillwater Trilogy #1)(41)
Author: Brenda Novak

Kennedy laughed as they drove off, but sighed in relief once they were gone. The last thing he needed was for Joe to find out that he and Grace were spending the weekend together and start running his big mouth.

Waiting for Kennedy and his boys, Grace twirled her rings around and around her fingers. Madeline had called wanting to come by last night, but Grace had complained of a headache and said she was going to bed. She didn’t want to see her stepsister and pretend she didn’t find anything at Jed’s when she couldn’t say with certainty whether or not that Bible would reappear and reveal her for the liar she was. She didn’t want to talk to her mother, either. Feeling the way she did, she couldn’t pretend she wasn’t worried about the future, and knew she’d only upset Irene. With all that, and the whole town speculating as to why Madeline had broken into Jed’s shop, Grace was actually glad she’d be out of town for the next few days.

Even if it was with Kennedy Archer.

She rubbed her forehead, wondering what the two of them would talk about. Back in high school, she’d stared longingly after him as he’d walked down the halls, or watched from the corner of the room as he’d slung an arm around Raelynn’s shoulders, wishing, dreaming, that it could be her. But he’d barely acknowledged her existence. And since she’d returned to town, he’d caught her throwing up in the bathroom of the pizza parlor and fleeing the scene of a crime. Not impressive—and not much on which to build a friendship.

Teddy would be there, though. That boy had captured her heart. Maybe it was how sweet he was and how bright for someone so young. She’d never met a more loving child. As far as Grace was concerned, Kennedy didn’t deserve Teddy any more than he’d deserved Raelynn. But life was never fair. She’d learned that long ago.

Hearing a car in the drive, she grabbed the cookies she’d baked and the small bag in which she’d packed a few toiletries, two pairs of shorts, some T-shirts, tennis shoes, suntan oil and a bathing suit. She’d told everyone in her family except Clay that she was going to Jackson for the weekend to see George—even though he hadn’t returned her call—so she needed to slip away before someone spotted her getting into Kennedy’s Explorer.

With that in mind, she opened the front door before Kennedy could knock.

“Hi,” he said, disarming her with a smile so genuine she almost forgot she didn’t like him.

“Wow,” she muttered. “No wonder I was such an idiot.”

He blinked in surprise. “What did you say?”

“Never mind.” She let him take her bag while she locked the door, but he didn’t walk off right away. He frowned at the flip-flops on her feet.

“You brought some proper shoes, didn’t you?”

She nodded and moved toward the SUV, then stopped. “This is crazy,” she said. “I shouldn’t be going.”

“Why?”

“I don’t understand the point of it.”

“Most people go camping to get away, have a good time.”

She could relate to that; she definitely wanted to get away. But…“I know. It’s just that we—”

“Will be fine,” he finished. “You’re not really going to disappoint them, are you?” He motioned to the car, where Teddy was hanging halfway out the window, waving at her. Another boy sat beside him, leaning up on his knees to get a better look at her.

She sighed. “I guess not.”

“Good.” Skirting her, he went to the back of the Explorer, where he loaded her bags. Then he brought the cookies around front.

“Hi, Grace!” Teddy said as she climbed in.

She smiled broadly at him. “Hi, Teddy.”

“This is Heath.” Kennedy indicated his other son as he slid behind the wheel. “He’s ten.”

“Another handsome boy,” she said, and was rewarded with a shy smile.

They were all handsome, Grace realized. Especially Kennedy. If the boys grew up to resemble their father, they’d probably break more hearts than they could count.

With a sudden frown, she turned to stare out her window.

Kennedy must have sensed her change in mood because he squeezed her elbow. “Relax, okay?”

When she glanced over at him, the smile he gave her was impossible to resist.

Smiling in return, she buckled her seat belt and he handed her a coffee cup that had been in one of his cup holders. “It’s hot. Be careful.”

“Thanks.”

“There’s cream and sugar in that bag by your feet.”

“We got doughnuts, too,” Teddy announced, brandishing a large white bag.

“Sounds good,” she said.

“We all guessed which kind would be your favorite,” Teddy explained.

She could tell he thought he’d won. “So what made it into the bag?”

“For you? One of each,” Kennedy said. “A chocolate doughnut with sprinkles, an apple fritter and a maple bar.”

Teddy leaned forward. “Which is your favorite?”

“Who chose the sprinkles?” She expected Teddy or his brother to pipe up. She couldn’t imagine Kennedy picking sprinkles, but he was the one who grinned at her.

“I did.”

She arched her eyebrows. “Oh. You like sprinkles?”

“No, I was picking for you. That’s your favorite, right?”

Clearing her throat, she turned her face away. “Actually, that’s the only kind I don’t like.”

“Liar,” he muttered and she couldn’t help laughing.

“You’d better be careful lying to Dad,” Teddy said. “Or it’ll be torture time.”

“What’s torture time?” she asked.

“That’s where he holds you down and tickles you till you beg for mercy,” Heath said.

“Or he rubs his whiskers on your neck until you say ‘uncle,’” Teddy added.

“I’d never say uncle,” she said. “Not to your father.”

Kennedy turned right on Mulberry Street and headed toward the Tennessee state line. To the boys, Grace knew he seemed as calm as ever, but she could see the devilish glint in his eye. “Then I suggest you never lie to me,” he said softly. “Otherwise, I might have to prove you wrong.”

“He can make you say it,” Teddy agreed, nodding with absolute conviction.

Grace studied Kennedy for several long seconds. “No, he can’t. He’ll never get the best of me.”