Chapter 7
With all the guests gone, Grace felt a chill down to her bones. Though she’d kept her emotions on ice for a while, the pain was still there.
Tears welled up, but Grace quickly wiped them away. She went back inside for her purse and left.
At home, packing was quick–she didn’t have many belongings. She left behind everything Antonio had ever bought for her.
With Nicole out of reach, Grace wandered through the cold night, with her small backpack.
She spotted a young couple sharing churros on the street, and memories of Antonio from years ago flooded back.
Back when they first started dating, Antonio wasn’t much of a talker, but he always looked out for her. One snowy night, she had a craving for churros. Despite hating the cold, he joined her in the search. By the time they found a churro vendor,
their hands and feet were numb from the cold.
The vendor told her, “Hold on to him. He’s a keeper!”
Only later did Grace realize that his love was like a passing breeze–once gone, it never came back.
Suddenly, Nicole’s call snapped Grace out of her trance.
“Hey, Nicole,” she said, her voice tinged with hesitation, “can I crash at your place for a few nights?”
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Chapter 7
Nicole was surprised but quickly agreed.
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Soon, she picked Grace up and took her to a fancy apartment.
Grace wasn’t sure, thinking, “How do headhunters rake in so much money these days?”
Once the door opened, her jaw hit the floor. The place was spotless, decked out in sleek gray and black–not what she’d expect from Nicole’s colorful vibe.
Grace eyed Nicole with suspicion. Nicole cleared her throat. “Ms. Parrish. This apartment has been empty for a while. Stay as long as you need.”
Then she handed Grace the key and headed out.
Grace settled into the guest room and noticed a watch in the bathroom.
Watches weren’t really her thing, but she could tell this one was expensive. The minimalistic style and brand name gave it
away.
But why would Nicole have a men’s watch here?
Grace had known Nicole for years and never heard of her dating anyone. Nicole was always the workaholic type.
Grace’s phone buzzed, breaking her train of thought. She checked Instagram and saw a message request from a
stranger.
She opened it–a photo of a photo of Antonio bending over, washing a woman’s feet.
Seconds later, another message popped up: “Ready to give
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Chapter 7
up now?”
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Grace couldn’t figure out how Janelle found her on Instagram, and she found it pretty funny.
Fighting with Janelle over Antonio had never crossed her mind. They weren’t playing a game, betting on feelings and love like bargaining chips.
Grace put her phone away and decided to ignore her.
