Complicated

Chapter Twenty Eight: History

Hope you let your intuition
Proceed my reputation
Cause I have one
Well I am what you see
I am not what they say
But if I turned out to be
Could you love me anyway

Tyler Hilton – You'll Ask For Me

The beach was beautiful at this time of day. It was coming into the evening and the two of them were sitting upon a blanket laid out upon the sand as they looked out to sea. The waves were crashing against the shore and Grace found that she enjoyed the sound profusely. Don was sitting beside her wearing his black aviator shades with a yellow T-shirt and dark jeans, Grace was clad a black wife-beater and denim shorts due to the warm climate, her long toned legs stretched out in front of her.

"I forgot how much I love the beach." Grace said, tilting her head back so the sun reflected off her Jackie-O style sunglasses as she leaned on her hands.

"We used to come here all the time as kids." Don told her, his elbows resting on his knees. "My dad used to bring me and Sam down here and teach us how to make these giant sandcastles."

"You seen Sam lately?" Grace asked, lifting up her sunglasses so they held the hair back away from her face.

"She was at my parent's place on Sunday, she looks good. The job in the hotel seems to be working out for her." Don said with his boyish smile.

Grace knew the effects that smile had on other women, every time she saw it herself it lit up her entire world. That was the reason she was finding it so hard to look at him right now, to mention what her friend Eva had seen him doing back in the bar a few months ago.

Things had been so good between the two of them over the past few weeks, Don had been intuitive to her needs predicting them before she even knew what her desires were. He was patient and conscientious. They'd shared a few dates and he had been caring and attentive, he hadn't rushed her back into bed and she appreciated that.

"She's been sober almost two years right?" Grace responded, staring at the ravaging sea.

"Yea." Don said, rubbing his hands together. "They're having a dinner thing next week in the city to celebrate. Your invited."

"Where are they thinking so I can figure out whether to dress smart or casual?" Grace questioned feeling the burden of this situation already weighting on her chest.

She liked Don's family, they made her feel like she was one of them. No matter what happened they were happy to see her with or without Don. She had been Sam's sounding board for a while after she attended the AA meetings. Grace's brother Jared, had struggled with his own dabbles in drink and drugs in the past. She had been there as he had taken each of the steps, she knew how hard it was to live through that. She was glad the other woman had kept herself out of trouble.

"Dino's," Don answered knowingly. "My dad's wearing a suit, which means mom and Sam are gonna be wearing dresses."

The Flack Family always went to Dino's to celebrate their special occasions. It was classy and elegant and catered a wonderful Italian meal.

"I shall follow their lead then, get something new for the occasion." Grace said distractedly, playing with the beaded bracelet on her wrist that Adam had given her.

"Something new?" Don said, turning his head towards her and taking in the profile of her face as she focused on the bracelet. "I was thinking that sexy little blue number you know I like."

"That is sleepwear." Grace pointed out.

"Doll whenever you wear that thing, the two of us do anything but sleep." Don reminded her, raising his eyebrows suggestively.