The Family Legacy

Chapter 9

The digital clock in the room did not tick, but her foot did. Grace was waiting in her hotel room, sitting on the beige armchair by the window, fully dressed in an elegant little black dress and heels. James should be there soon, and Grace couldn't hold her excitement. Seeing him really was the best part of her days, now. Yes, it was dangerous, and yes, she knew once she eventually returned to London it would hurt like nothing had before. But right now, in beautiful chilly Edinburgh, all she cared about was his kiss, his smile, his embrace. She could live in her little own fantasy, take inspiration for her next book, maybe.

"That's a shitty thing to think, Grace" She mumbled to herself.

Tears prickled her eyes again at the thought of leaving Scotland. She had found something there, not just in James but in the land. Edinburgh was amazingly beautiful, yes, but the countryside... the hills and the fields, the trees and the lakes. Everything made her feel relaxed and lighter. She felt more like herself than anywhere else before. Yes, Faith was her home, she firmly believed in that, however, more and more she understood she would eventually need to follow her own path.

When her phone pinged with a message from James saying he was waiting in the lobby, her stomach twisted and her heart pounded. Grace ran to get her black clutch and her coat to drape over her naked shoulders. She checked her soft makeup and took a deep breath. Doing an overall final look in the full-length mirror of the closet, she audibly winced. She really should think of going on a diet. Her ass was huge, her legs round and her lower belly a pouch that she could barely control with tummy-control underwear.

"This dress was a bad idea." She whispered "You look fat..."

It was too late to change, and she didn't have anything else to wear to a restaurant for a date anyway. Grace decided to keep the clutch in front of her lower belly to try and hide it. There, that could work, right?

Taking one last breath, she grabbed her room key card and left.

***

James was absolutely terrified of tonight. His foot drummed on the marble floor as he waited for her. He had wanted to take Grace out for literal weeks now, and the day had finally come. He was into her, she was into him, and all should be fine and dandy, but in his head, there was still concern about his mum.

"Fuck her" He grunted at himself, shoving his hands in his pockets and pacing in front of the elevator like a caged lion.

His mum could literally take her opinion and shove it somewhere else. Grace was the woman he wanted to date, and no one would be getting in the middle of it. He had had enough, he had fought the attraction - that was easy. He had, then, fought the interest of a pretty and intelligent woman - that had been a little bit harder, particularly as they were living in the same house for weeks. Finally, he had fought the tenderness he had felt for her, the need to touch her and to have her touch him. That's the battle he had lost. And now, he was firm in his mind that... there was no going back. It was scary, more for Grace's sake than anything else, but still, he was absolutely terrified.

In James' mind, Grace deserved the whole world, all the good things, success, friendship and love.

"Ah, fuck me..." He whispered to himself, stopping the pace as he stared at the steel elevator doors.

Shit, he thought. He was in love with her.

As his brain slowly reached that conclusion, the elevator doors finally opened. James' breath caught in his chest and he let out a massive defeated sigh. Beautiful Grace and her black dress, beautiful hazel eyes and loving smile, met him as the doors opened. She seemed to float towards him as she left the doors, grabbed his hand and kissed him tenderly.