Saving Grace #Wattys2016

Chapter Seventeen

Alyssa Diaz as Elanor "Isabella" Romano

He wasn't there in the morning, which mildly scared me.

The pants he dropped on the chair weren't there and so was the shirt.

"He went to get coffee." I assured myself, getting up to do the same, being quiet because it was still early. "Yes," I sighed because he already made some.

He left some cabinets open, of course in his rush for fuel. I closed them back except one. It had bullet rounds and several rifles but one was missing.

Forget the coffee; I'm up.

"Hardison?" I asked cautiously. "Hardy, where are you?" The side door that lead outside was open. My head slowly popped out to see Hardy sitting in a chair, feet up, and drinking coffee all while holding a gun. He heard my snickers and looked back, breaking into a sunrise grin.

"Good morning, darlin'."

"Good morning, Mr. Guard; found anything interesting?"

"Just some birds-oh, no, I can't concentrate with you there."

"That's the point." I smiled and continued to snuggle on his lap. "You need to relax a little."

"Grace," He moaned. I could already feel his body tensing up. "The gun's 'bout to go off."

"Well, if you'd stop holding it,-"

"Not that gun." Oh? Oh! Oh.

"You need a break anyways." I turned around to kiss him lovingly.

"Grace," His voice sounded unnaturally deep like the one he used last night. "My Saving Grace; you always know how to find my heart."

"That's my purpose. There's no one here, please come inside." He looked around once more then decided if anything was gonna happen, it'd be when he was around and about.

"I guess we could make some breakfast. Did you get any?" I nodded no. "I could make you some apple cinnamon pancakes."

"Sounds good." I put my hand in his outstretched one and followed him back inside. "Never tried them." Hardy froze and looked down at me in shock.

"You've never had apple cinnamon pancakes? You don't know what you've been missing, darlin'." Little did we realize someone was in the woods watching us.

The person, the angry person, had seen enough they decided, going to their car.

It was time to call a meeting.

In a matter of minutes, the person walked out of the car and into the spacious house where six men waited.

"How bad is it?" Donald West looked up from the drink he was nursing.

"That little rat has her whole family staying there." Maria dropped into the chair next to him. "Even the old hag likes her. I bet they're gonna be spending more time over there due to idiot and his friends way of 'handling things'." She looked at the accused.

"Hey, Dad said to spook them." Hayden shot back. "And we did, didn't we?" He looked at his smiling friends, Joe, Duncan, Jacob, and Matt. The guys that have been there for him through everything and believe what he does. His true friends. The ones that would help him get that bitch and so called 'friend'. He always knew Hardy would turn his back on him. And that Grace chick. No woman has ever turned him down and a black girl does it? A black girl? All while stealing his sister's boyfriend.

Hell no, this wasn't gonna fly.

He was glad his father thought of this.

"My children," Donald started. "Our relatives before us would be outraged at this town, the only sane one around, he a problem of wanting to be 'interracial'. It's our job to stop it."

"To the White Knights." Duncan Ellis raised his glass and rest followed.

"To the White Knights."

When we got back home, Brenda was sitting on the porch swing, her head

popped up when she heard the car.

"Hey, you." Danny's face lit up when he saw his fiancée coming towards him and hugged her up tight.

"So he does have a soft side." Hardy smiled at the scene. "I would never thought." I smacked his stomach and pulled him over. Once Brenda saw me, she released my brother and gave me a strong hug.

"I'm here for you, Grace." She whispered. "Every step of the way."

"Thanks, B. Actually, I want you to meet the person this is all about. Hardy, this is Brenda Williams soon to be Stewart."

"Hey, I've seen you in Maybelle's. With a blonde." Her eyebrow rose up.

"That was my sister." Hardy said quickly and gave her that dazzling smile that could diplomatically end anything.

"Oh, God, sorry; gotta protect my sister. Nice to finally meet you." She look at him in a daze then sighed.

"Brenda, you're drooling." I whispered.

"Okay, since you're gonna steal my wife with one glance, let's get you inside." Danny pulled her. We got in the house, Brenda pulled me up the stairs and into my room.

"Oh, the Blonde." She stopped. Emma was in there putting back my clothes. "Well, you're a girl so.... He is by far, the best looking white man I've ever seen. My God," Brenda started to fan herself.

"So you meet my brother." Emma smiled. "I'm Emma."

"Nice to meet you. Wow, Grace, I never thought you would have pulled it off but you did." She looked at the picture Hardy gave me of him smiling with his golden retriever, Spock.

"When you're that in love, it makes it easier."