Minding Grace

16: Are we friends or are we more

It had been a few of weeks since Harry had been at the lake with Grace and the girls and ever since then, Grace had been polite and pleasant to him, but he knew she was holding herself back.

She seemed to have withdrawn into herself and she never let herself be in a room alone with him.

The times when they were together, and they'd accidentally touched, it was like a spark had shot through them, both feeling it and both trying their hardest to ignore it.

When Rosie had quizzed him, what had happened that day when they returned, and Harry had repeated what Grace had said to him, he saw her visibly pale and immediately go off in search of Grace.

He'd debated whether to approach Grace again and try and speak with her, but eventually he decided that he thought he'd make things worse for her somehow, so he kept quiet and concentrated on doing the job he'd been paid to do.

~~~~~~

Later that evening, after the girls had gone to bed, Harry made his way into the kitchen to grab a snack when he found Grace and Rosie in the kitchen, notes spread out on the bench as they talked animatedly.

Harry hoped that he could slink in unnoticed and out again, without bothering Grace.

"Harry," she called his name and at the sound of her, his heart skipped a beat because it sounded like she actually wanted to talk to him.

He turned around, trying not to look too hopeful.

"We're having a soirée this Saturday evening at the house," she told him.

Oh.

"So, you want me to be watching the girls for the night?" he replied, "of course."

"No," she smiled gently at him, "I'd like you to attend the evening, only if you want to," she added.

"But the girls..." he asked.

"Rosie has generously agreed to look after them if you'd like to attend," she replied.

"I...uh...yeah sure, I'd like that," he stammered, "what do I wear?"

"Don't worry about it," Grace replied, "my stylist is dropping my dress over tomorrow, I'll have her bring some suits for you to try on."

"Um...thanks," he said, "thanks for inviting me," he grabbed his plate and a bottle of water and began to walk back to his room before stopping, "um, Grace?" he asked.

Both Grace and Rosie looked up at him.

"Will Lucy be there?" he asked.

Rosie snorted while Grace tried unsuccessfully to hide a smile.

"She will unfortunately," Grace replied, "but I'll introduce you to some friends of mine that will help keep you safe."

Harry blushed, feeling a bit of a fool that he needed protecting from a woman.

"I get it Harry," Grace nodded her head, "she's scary as fuck."

Rosie snorted again and let out a full-blown laugh.

"Night Grace, night Rosie," he said, an amused smile on his face as he left the two women in the kitchen, buoyed by the fact that he and Grace might have finally gotten over this hurdle.

~~~~~~

It was a loud thump that had Harry sit up quickly in bed.

Was he dreaming?

He heard it again and this time he definitely knew he wasn't.

The girls.

Immediately he was out like a shot, his hand on the door handle, opening the door slowly but ready to run to their room.