An Echo in the Mafia (Echo Reid, Reid Family Book #1)

Part 65

"Where the HELL have you been?" Nadia asked with a frown as Grace walked into her apartment.

"Trust me, you don't want to know." Grace said, stopping just a few feet into the living room and looking around with confusion. "Did... when did you get new sofas?"

"Christmas." Nadia said, "which you would know if you had been around. Jesus, Nadia- I haven't seen or spoke to you in weeks. Had I known the last time I saw you that I wasn't going to see you until the next year, I would have given you your Christmas present."

"There's been a lot going on." Grace said with a deep sigh as she walked by the sofa, her hands grazing it admiringly. "These are nice."

"Thanks." Nadia muttered, moving into her kitchen. She usually resisted getting new furniture, trading in her car or even just getting new things in general because it always seemed to cause some awkwardness with Grace. Nadia knew that Grace didn't have much of her own and it made her feel guilty when she had always had so much. "So what's been going on?"

"How about coffee and presents first?" Grace said, turning to her with a chipper smile. Nadia nodded, letting a soft smile form on her lips.

"I'll get the coffee, your present is under the tree." Nadia said, prompting Grace to clap her hands together excitedly and run towards the tree. Nadia always gave her the best presents- she knew her so well that she never got it wrong.

"You know, you should consider taking your tree down." Grace said, "it's already the 5th."

"I like Christmas. I'll take it down whenever I'm ready... maybe after the superbowl." Nadia said bringing the coffee mugs to the coffee table. Grace always teased her about it, especially since Nadia did usually wait until mid to late February before taking the thing down.

"Of course." Grace said, taking a seat and unwrapping the present. "Oh these are so nice."

They were a pair of expensive... very expensive vegan leather gloves that Grace had admired outside of a department store in the city. Grace had extremely expensive taste, which meant she rarely got what she wanted.

"Thank you." Grace said as she slipped one on and flexed her fingers in them. "I love them."

"I'm so glad." Nadia said, only half honest. The real truth was that with Grace as absent as she had been for the last several weeks, Nadia had found herself a lot less stressed and a lot more light hearted... except for the whole thing with Luke and Echo. She really had to make it a point to go see her and apologize for that entire mess.

"Whats wrong?" Grace asked, making Nadia realize she had been frowning.

"Nothing, just thinking about some work stuff." Nadia lied. "Speaking of... do you realize they took you off the schedule?"

"Oh?" Grace asked seeming extremely disinterested as she continued to fiddle around with the gloves.

"Grace, that's serious. I wouldn't be surprised if they're fired you. They already hired a replacement, I can't think they're still giving you leave." Nadia said and Grace sighed.

"Well of course they're not, I wasn't there very long, was I?" Grace asked, seeming a little frustrated. "They called me to let me know before Christmas."

Nadia stared at Grace as she continued to play with the gloves. How could she be so nonchalant about all this? She'd gotten fired, how was she going to pay her bills? She'd always known Grace to be a little impulsive and irresponsible but this was an entire different level.

"So now what?" Nadia asked, raising her brow and growing frustrated.

"What do you mean?" Grace asked without looking at her.