Saving Grace #Wattys2016

Chapter Ten

AMY ADAMS AS MRS. OLIVIA HALE

"Hardy!" I screamed almost dropped at the sight of him. My feet automatically moved to jump into his arms as they wrapped right and tight around me. "I thought you were coming back tomorrow."

"Me too but Grandma wanted to come back with me.....Grace?" I kept staring at his chest which was bare. He was practically naked minus the white boxers he wore that I felt every curve through. "Grace," His voice was deeper now. And more dangerous.

"I missed you." My head snuggled between the valley of his chest.

"Darlin', not as much as I missed you." His head laid on top of mine. "How was Ella's wedding?"

"Wonderful. I caught the bouquet." Hardy lifted his head to look at me.

"That, I like." I laughed and pushed him back towards the closet to get dressed.

"Who knew Hardison Hale had such a well rounded bottom?" He looked back at me while I was looking at him. He used that devilish smile and walked to pull me towards him. "No, go get clothes. You need to get dressed."

"I thought you liked me and my bottom." Hardy moved my hands to his lower back and waited for me to do the rest. He was a heartbreaker. A quick, sneaky troublemaker. My secret agent man. "Go on" He murmured. The kiss planted on the corner of my mouth was all I needed. My hands slid down for a quick grab then backed away.

"Thank you, darlin'." Hardy retuned the butt squeeze before heading back to the closet.

Oh, he definitely was a heartbreaker.

He kicked me out the room while he got dressed so I went downstairs and ran into Emma with another beautiful girl next to her.

"Hey, Grace, I want you to meet Hayden's sister, Maria." Maria West had sultry beauty with her brown hair and blue eyes that belonged to underwear models.

"This is Grace Stewart."

"Right," She smiled serenely at me. "My mother and brother were talking 'bout the dinner y'all had last week." She may have looked like a model but she sounded like a farm girl in a nice way. "Nice to meet you, Grace."

"You too." I smiled.

"Hayden tells me your Hardy's friend?" How much did Hayden tell his sister?

"More like a family friend." Emma saved me. "She's gonna meet Grandma; we'll be right back."

"I'll be here." Maria stared back at me with an expression that was less than friendly.

"Hey, Emma? What's up with her?" I asked as we walked out to the backyard.

"She's Hardy's ex of three months."

"Yikes." And here I come on Hardy. "I bet she doesn't like anyone near him."

"Like a Mama bear protecting the cub except the cub doesn't need protecting anymore. She says she's over him yet, she's all over him. Still, she's a family friend so..... Maria's jealous of you actually."

"Me?" I turned back to the girl that James was playing with. "How could she be jealous of me?"

"The whole family adores you. The boys didn't really like her for Hardy and neither did I; she was too uptight. You fit him perfectly. And she didn't get my grandmother's approval. She's like the head of the family."

"Crap. Is she like....you know...." It was hard to say this, even to her.

"Racist?" Emma said with no problem. "Not really, but I'd like to see how she reacts to you."

"Thanks." Was my sarcastic reply. Hardy stood at the door in a snug navy polo and rolled up khakis waiting for us. "You clean up nicely."

"Only for you." He planted a kiss on my head before taking my hand and walking me outside. "You'll like my grandmother. She was raised here so she thinks like these people but she's more open. Once she gets to know you, she'll love you like I do."

"So you do love me?" I joked with him.

"Like I love my own mother. Grams, I want you to meet someone." The woman Hardy was talking to looked to be seventy five but kept in shape, her brown hair weaved with grey was in a neat bun. "This is Grace Stewart. Grace, this is Susan."

"So you're the Grace my son has been talking about. Hmm." Susan Hale circled around me like an animal would do its prey.

"Nice to meet you, ma'am."

"You know, I would've never thought of any of my grandchildren bringing home a black but Hardy had a good head on his shoulder, so you must be right. What your pops think of Hardy?" She eyed me.

"He died some years back but I think, after some getting used to, he would've liked Hardy; they're just alike." Susan nodded and smiled.

"I like you. Nice head on those shoulders too. Come sit over here while I tell you 'bout my trip to San Fran. Ever been?"

"No, ma'am. Never out of the town besides Houston."

"Susan. Ma'am is for old people. My first time over there, I was.." As Susan was telling her story, I could see Maria's glare through the glass.

After meeting Susan, Hardy pulled me away. He said he had a surprise for me.

"I wanted to take you horseback riding." He gestured to more of the Hale's property where a neat horse stable sat.

"Oh!" I loved horses but my parents couldn't afford to put me in classes so I learned on the side. I wasn't top standards but I could handle my own. "I love them! Can I take this one out?"

"This is Speed Racer. He's a bit fast but just a sweetheart." Hardison guided Speed out the stables and get him set up for me. "There's some pants, boots and shirts in the back unless you wanna ride in that." He looked down at my dress and grinned, probably thinking of the winding rising it up. As much as I wanted to see him look at me that way, I wouldn't give him the upper hand.

"I'll change, thanks." I walked by, patting his shoulders as he laughed. No offense but white girls didn't have as much in the back as black girls so I hope the pants would be presentable. The black boots were perfect and someone had a grey v neck wrap shirt left behind that cover and showed off my body. Hardison changed too into some worn in Wranglers and a t shirt with some cowboy boots. He even his the nerve to have a cowboy hat on; every girls freaking dream. White and black. Cowboy and suburban girl. Somehow we matched and set off forests.

"Ready?" He maneuvered Priestly in the same direction as Speed Racer. "Let's ride, darlin'." He pulled the reins on his horse and dashed off. I stayed behind just to look at this amazing man. Half business college student in the world of professionals. Half sexy cowboy with his melting accent, worn in Wranglers and boots. I chased after him and kept up with him with was nice since I haven't been out in a while. I left wondering how I felt about Hardison but when I came back knowing that I was completely and shamelessly in love with him.