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"I promise And we didn’t-- God, Josh" She covered her face "I don’t want to talk to you about this"

"It’s ently "We’re done with this angry shit"

She sniffed and nodded

"Prory anyain and wiped her nose on the he Grace go ape-shit on Devon’s ass was kind of e," she said "I could do that, with soics like me They have classes like that, you know Grace found theton University"

He looked into her eyes "Yeah?"

"And there’s soccer too I want to go there and live in the doro on their abroad progra to see the world, Josh My way, not yours"

"Can you do it without a douche-bag boyfriend?"

"Yeah"

"Good" Josh leaned back on the bench, exhausted, and more than a little worried about Grace But beyond that, there was so in his chest

Or rather, the lack of soht with Toby and Anna A real family

That was all Grace It was still Grace, and she wasn’t even in the roo at stake with her, that it would cost hi to enjoy the fun while it lasted To enjoy her

But he’d been wrong He’d had his fa

And she loved him It’d been a shock to hear her say it After she had, all he’d wanted to do was hear it again, but he quickly realized during her vanishing act that it’d been a mistake on her part She hadn’t meant to say it at all

She loved him, but she didn’t want to love him

He’d found someone he’d never in a million years expected--someone who’d put it all on the line for hi a doctor or a dad, but just for being Josh

And he’d blown it

The front door of the station opened and more people arrived Amy Matt Ty Lucille and her entire posse

Hell, half the town

Lucille and her gang were carrying posters that said things like FREE GRACE One of the sheriffs confiscated the posters when an eighty-five-year-old Mrs Burland hit one of them over the head He said he’d arrest her for police brutality, but he was afraid of starting a riot

Finally, Sawyer ca Grace, on crutches, and everyone started yelling at Sawyer at once

"She was only protecting Anna!"

"You can’t arrest her!"

"We won’t let you take her!"

Sawyer held up a hand, and the din stopped on a di renewed, but again Sawyer stopped them "She’s not arrested! We just had some questions that needed answers Seriously, you all need a life Grace is free to go"

Grace was standing in thea little bowled over at the support And also a little unstable on her feet, especially when everyone began to move in too close Josh waded in, parted the seas, and drew her up against hi, but the hed "Hey," she said, breathless The crutches were a bitch, and all the people were a little disconcerting, but that wasn’t what had stolen the air fros

Nope, that was all Josh, and the way he’d soet to her It was how he’d pulled her in tight, as if she were theto him, as if he couldn’t wait another second to touch her

She liked that, a lot

Everyone around them seemed a little crazy, but she realized that they were here for her

Her

In her world, she’d always had to earn acceptance, approval, even love But fro, it’d been different here She had Amy and Mallory, who had accepted her as is, and the rest of Lucky Harbor had eventually done the sa like it It was hu

And then there was Toby and Anna

And Josh…

Behind the people toward the door "Out Everyone out" He eyed Lucille’s FREE GRACE sign and shook his head at her

Unrepentant, she grinned, then turned to Grace "You did good, hon, protecting the tot If Dr Scott doesn’t realize what a catch he has, we’ll all ns when he coht here"

"He ought toJosh "If he doesn’t, I will"

"No, I will," Mr Wykowski said, waving his cane

"Easy, boys" Lucille looped an aro around"

Sawyer pointed to the door He wasn’t the kind of guy people ot empty, in a hurry In less than two one outside to wait

In the ensuing silence, Sawyer shook his head,Mayberry," and gave Josh and Grace a nod "I’ll be in the back"

Then they were alone Nerves danced in Grace’s belly

"You okay?" Josh tilted her face up to his, searching her features as if he couldn’t get his fill

She gave herself permission to do the same She had no idea what her future held exactly, but for the first time in her life, that was okay She’d found herself Here, in this town

With this h She’d found her oay, not because of what her job title was or how much money she pushed around, but because of who she was On the inside Which, as it turned out, had nothing to do with nues"

Josh let out a breath and pushed the hair fro a strand behind her ear "I s that she’d expected him to say, that was just about last on the list She pulled back to aze "But after I left, you didn’t even call"

"I thought you needed some space My mistake," he said quietly