Saving Grace

Chapter 31: Grace

I walked further down the driveway; the gravel crunched beneath my feet echoing the unsteadiness I felt inside of me. I desperately needed to talk to Colt. I owed him an explanation, and I really hoped he would listen.

I approached the white wooden barn that matched the color and charm of the house. Black iron crisscrossed the barn doors, and one was pulled all the way open. I stopped just before the entrance, twisting my hands together in a nervous habit, and took a deep breath in. I heard the sound of horses nickering and peered around the door, taking my first step inside.

There Colt stood next to a stall, his hands on either side of a horse's neck rubbing gently, and his forehead pressed against its' own head. I stayed rooted in spot watching the interaction. It seemed so raw. The horse's breathing soon became the only sound as the nickering died down. It was as if the other horses sensed the need for solitude in their intimate moment.

The air was entirely too heavy, and I felt I would choke on the emotion I had abruptly stepped into. I started to back out but hit the barn door, causing the private moment to break and Colt's eyes to jump to mine.

He backed up away from the stall and took one step toward me, then stopped. He slid his hands into his pockets and roamed his eyes across my body as if trying to decipher what had happened when he left. I'm not sure what he felt he found, but he kept his gaze locked on mine and stayed silent.

I felt as though I would implode under his unwavering stare. When I couldn't take his silence any longer, I spoke.

"Colt, I'm so sorry about this morning. I had no idea Mark was going to show up. It completely caught me off guard."

He nodded and looked to the stalls before returning his gaze back to me.

"So, he does have a ballsy bone in his body. I never would have guessed it."

I took a few steps forward until I was only a couple of feet away. His eyes held up the wall that was once there; the wall I had reveled in tearing down.

"Colt, I'm sorry I hurt you this morning, but--"

"Grace, quit apologizing. Look, you gotta do what you gotta do, right? Hell, it may be the most stupid fucking decision you'll ever make, but who I am to stop you from doing what you think is best? I just want you to promise me one thing, Grace?"

I had to blink back the tears that I hadn't even realized were threatening to escape. I swallowed back the pain his broken voice inflicted.

"What's that?"

"Don't forget to dance." He took two quick steps forward so that he was towering over me. He lifted his hand and wiped the tear that spilled down my cheek. "Be that Grace that is so damn moved by living, that she dances in a field of flowers without a second thought. And if he won't dance with you, promise me that you won't stop?"

I closed my eyes and leaned into his touch. Another tear trailed down my cheek and I opened my eyes to see the Colt I had left in those mountains.

"Promise me." He sternly repeated.

"I promise."

He nodded as his eyes scoured mine, determining the truth in them.

"Colt--do you think I chose him? Do you think this morning means that I'm going back to him?"

"Are you, Grace?"

"Colt, if I asked you what my favorite color is, what would you say?"

He didn't even hesitate. "Red."

"How did you--"

"You love rainy days because it gives you an excuse to stay in bed, drinking tea and reading or writing those poems you think no one will ever understand. You love 'I love Lucy' re-runs and secretly wish your life was a black and white sitcom. You cover your mouth when you laugh, but I don't know why because your smile and laugh are absolutely everything. You quietly moan every so often when you eat, and I fucking swear its the sexiest thing." Multiple tears were now silently falling down my face, and I had no way of stopping them. He placed his other hand on the side of my cheek so he was now cupping my face, and his thumbs wiped the tears.