Stinger, стр. 60

"Oh," I said, leaning against the wall behind me and biting my lip.

"Okay, well, can I leave you my phone number so you can give it to Carson if you get ahold of him?"

He paused, looking like he was considering something. Finally he said, "This something that you have to tell him, will he be happy to hear it?"

I laughed slightly, holding back the tears that threatened. "I think so," I whispered. "I hope so."

He studied me again for a few seconds before saying, "Well, Grace, if you're up for a six hour drive, I can tell you where he is. I don't think he'd mind that." He smiled.

I straightened up. "Really?" I said, my heart picking up speed again.

He laughed. "Yeah, if I know my friend… yeah. What kind of car do you have?"

I frowned, surprised by the question.

"Um, a Honda Accord."

He shook his head. "Switch with me. I have four-wheel drive. Just take care of her."

He started walking back toward the casino and gestured for me to follow him.

I ran to catch up, asking, "Where is he exactly, Dylan?"

He looked over at me as we walked toward the elevators to the garage. "He rented a cabin in Snowbird, Utah. Wait until you see that boy snowboard." He grinned and held the garage door open for me.

"He rented a cabin to go snowboarding by himself?" I frowned.

He nodded. "That's Carson for you. We're all working so none of us could go with him. He hasn't been in the snow since he was discharged. He was itching for it."

"We?" I asked, referring to his comment, 'we're all working.'

He nodded as he stopped next to a large black SUV. But he ignored my question and instead handed me his keys. I took them and then dug around in my purse for my own.

I pointed up the row of cars and hit my electronic door lock, making my car lights flash. Dylan looked at me and nodded, taking my keys.

"Hand me your phone," he said. I took it out of my purse and gave it to him, and then he took a few minutes and programmed something in, looking between his own phone and mine.

"I put the address of the cabin he's staying in into your phone. You can plug it into my GPS when you get on the road. I put my phone number in there too, just in case you need to reach me."

I blinked at him as I took my phone back. I was beyond grateful for his help and his kindness, but I was confused. This was the first time I'd ever met this man. And if he knew my name, surely he knew that I was the prosecutor on Carson's, and possibly his, friend's case. "Why are you doing this, Dylan?" I asked.

He seemed thoughtful for a minute before he answered, "I'm not sure, Grace. But it feels right." With that, he smiled and walked off, calling behind him, "Drive safely."

Carson

I threw another log on the fire, making it jump and crackle. I sat back down on the leather couch, lacing my fingers behind my head and leaning back. It was early morning, still dark out, and the temperature was near freezing.

I had always been an early riser, but after being in the military, it was a habit that was even more ingrained.

I had been snowboarding all day yesterday and my muscles were still slightly sore. God, I had missed it. And apparently it was just like riding a bike because after an hour or two, I felt all my skills return.

I felt a little bit guilty about enjoying something so much with everything Josh was going through, but Leland was right, there was nothing we could do right now except pace the floor. At least this was a stress outlet for me. And in the end, it would help Josh if we all were on our best mental game.

I looked over to the window and the first light of day was coming up over the horizon. I watched it for a few minutes as the glow increased, lighting the sky around it.

My mind went to Grace for the tenth time since I had gotten out of bed. I knew the ball was in her court, but it didn't stop me from thinking about her all the damn time. I didn't know what I'd do if she didn't contact me when I got back. What could I do, other than become a damn stalker?

I heard a light scraping sound coming from the front door and was immediately on guard. I stood up quickly and grabbed the gun I had brought out of the drawer in the table to the left of the couch. I didn't expect trouble, but it was always good to be prepared, especially with everything going on in Vegas.

I started walking quietly toward the front door when a knock came and a female voice called out weakly, "Carson?"

I froze. Was that… Grace? My body was suddenly on hyper-alert. There was no way. I had just been thinking about her–my mind must have conjured her up somehow. My heart started beating triple time, adrenalin shooting through my veins. I stuck the gun in the back of my jeans and walked quietly to the door.

"Carson?" I heard called again, louder this time. That was most definitely Grace.

I flung the door open, the sunrise blaring in at me, almost blinding. And there she was, standing in front of me, cheeks flushed bright red, her long, blonde hair wet and covered by snow, shivering violently, with one boot on.

What the…? I grabbed her in my arms, worry flooding my system. "Grace, what…? How?" I didn't even know what to ask first. My mind was going everywhere, questions firing rapidly through my brain.

She grabbed my face in her freezing cold hands and looked into my face, her eyes moving over my features. "I never let go, Carson."

"What, Grace?" I asked, confused and filled with worry.

She shook her head, trying again, "Never let go, baby," she said. "I never did. I never let go." Tears started sliding down her cheeks and she laughed out a half laugh/half sob through her chattering teeth as understanding lit my heart, making a lump form in my throat and hope blossom in my chest.

"I never let go," she repeated.

I scooped her up in my arms and carried her inside, kicking the door shut behind us.

CHAPTER 29

Grace

Carson sat me down in front of the fire and took my drenched jacket off. He grabbed a blanket from the couch and wrapped it around my shoulders. My teeth were chattering so loudly, I could barely hear my own thoughts.

"Grace, baby," he said softly, "what happened? How are you here?"

"I called it off," I said.

His eyes moved to mine and he stopped in the middle of peeling off my wet socks, waiting for me to continue.

"I was flying home for Christmas when I realized," I chattered out. I shook my head slightly. "I knew it all along, but… I just… I realized in the middle of the airport and I told Alex, and then I flew home, and I went to Trilogy to find you, to tell you." I was crying again.

He was rubbing my freezing feet between his hands now as he gazed at me, watching me as I talked, a gentle expression on his face.

"Your friend Dylan told me where you were and he gave me his car."

A look of surprise came over his face and then he grinned and shook his head slightly but still didn't say anything.

He stood up again and walked out of the room, and when he returned a couple seconds later, he had a towel in his hand. He walked back to me and began tenderly drying my hair.

"Then what?" he asked gently.

My shivering had mostly stopped now and warmth was flowing to my extremities, the heat from the fire seeping into my cold flesh. I sighed and wrapped the blanket around me more tightly.