Chapter 34

"How long do you think it'll take dad to find you? It only took me a couple of hours and a full tank. Though I had to ask around for a Jane. I wasn't sure you'd changed your name but thank God for small favors. Does the round woman downstairs know who you are? Because she sure seemed eager to help me find my sister."

Obviously. She should've figured it out. Mrs. Rose hadn't known to keep her stay here a secret. Thank God it had been Grace and not their father. She was going to have to fix that the minute she went downstairs.

"Listen," She drew nearer to Grace, grabbing her hand. "I have a job and I need to leave in about thirty minutes. I want you to go home and act like you haven't seen me."

"You have a job? Doing what?"

"A lifeguard?"

"Say what now?"

Jane didn't have time for this. If it had been anybody else, she would've bundled them and sent them back home as fast as she could. But not Grace. No, Grace was the most relentless and persuasive person she knew. Grace would never do as she was told if it didn't please her.

"Grace, please."

"I'm not leaving without you, Jane. You can't stay here forever."

"I'm not trying to. At least not until everything settles down."

"And what if it doesn't?"

"Then I'll figure something out." She almost yelled.

"Just please, listen to me. Dad can't find me. For all we know, he probably followed you here."

Grace stared at her for a few moments. Jane could see the gears running and churning in her head.

"Fine. I'll leave. But not now. I'll wait till you get back from work or whatever it is you're doing."

Jane sighed. "Fine. That's fair."

She stood from the bed and made for the bathroom. "And please, don't leave the room for any reason. I'll send some breakfast up when I get downstairs."

Grace gave her a mocking salute. "Yes, boss."

***

A private investigator? Was he that desperate?

"Oh, good morning sweetie," Mrs. Rose said when she entered the diner. "Did you get your package?"

Jane paused. Sebastian was sitting at the table right next to her. What did she mean by package, anyway?

When Mrs. Rose winked at her, it suddenly clicked.

"Uhm, yes. I did. Thank you."

"Don't mention it. Have a seat."

She wondered how she was going to tell Mrs. Rose about sending her sister breakfast without Sebastian finding out. The less he knew about her, the better for the both of them.

"Thank you," She murmured, keeping her eyes on the table.

"Here," Mrs. Rose said. "I brought you your favorite."

The plate of pancakes dipped in honey syrup with a side of bacon made her stomach growl and her mouth water. This woman was the mother she'd always wanted. It was still so early in the morning and she doubted Grace had had anything to eat before leaving the house. She would have had to have left early when the entire house was still asleep. Her gaze caught Mrs. Rose, sending her a silent plea.

The woman seemed to understand because she smiled, squeezed her hand and gave her a comforting nod.

"Everything alright?" Sebastian asked, looking at her with slightly narrowed eyes.

She nodded, smiling. "Everything's fine. Good morning."

"Good morning," He smiled back, his eyes warming. "I hope you slept well. Mrs. Rose said there's a wine tasting today at the park. Do you have plans?"

"Wine tasting? What, no work? What about the beach?"

"I love the beach but I think I'll love this more."

He did appear a bit too excited about it. His eyes lit up like a young teenager touching his first breasts. She thought of last night and what had happened. Were they really going to act as though he hadn't offered her a relationship and she'd turned him down?

"Sebastian, about last night…" She drew out, not sure what to say or how to say it.

"I'd prefer we not talk about that, if you please."

Though she nodded, she recognized the emotion she was feeling as hurt. It hurt her that she'd hurt him. It hurt her that he was being so curt with her, not like the Sebastian that she knew. Nevertheless, what had happened had happened. There was nowhere else to go but forward.

"Sure, I'll go to the wine tasting with you. Why the hell not?"

He laughed. "Sweet. Wear something sexy."