Joshua's Grace

Chapter 3 (2)

Joshua watched them come closer. He banked his anger. It was obvious what the two of them had in mind, and he was not going to allow it. He'd been rescued once by Grace, he did not need to be rescued a second time, no matter what his brother and Grace thought. Any interference was going to be dealt with swiftly. Before he could say anything caustic, Mariah bounded up to them. She launched into speech heedless of the formidable tension that was emanating from Grace and Joshua.

"Grace, great to see you." Mariah's enthusiasm was genuine, "Hey, you look terrific, as always. Like the hair." She hugged Grace briefly as if they were longtime friends, before guilelessly adding "Doesn't she look great Josh?"

Joshua looked straight at Grace, he didn't say anything verbally, but his eyes eloquently conveyed his response. The remaining streaks of confidence ebbed, but her veneer remained intact. Grace was ready to leave. Message received loud and clear. Mariah was momentarily distracted when someone called her name, so she missed her brother's reaction to her question. Zac hadn't.

"Plates please Josh." Demanded Zac, before the silence became noticeable, and before people realized that Joshua hadn't verbally answered Mariah's question. He wanted to thump his older brother. If it wasn't for his birthday and the fact that half a dozen people were within earshot he would have given him a mouthful. 

Joshua thrust the plate at Grace, releasing it almost immediately, clumsily she held on to it. She felt gauche. Her stomach was somersaulting again and her palms were clammy. She glanced at the plate she held, and waited for the floor to open up. It didn't, but Zac gave her an out.

"Let's get some salad first." Zac threw his brother a speaking look and quickly steered her away from Joshua. Grace followed him blindly.

"You want to tell me what's going on?" She rushed into whispered speech a soon as they were out of earshot. "He didn't invite me did he?" She wrapped her arms around her waist. "I thought you said he wasn't interested in Lysette. He isn't pleased to see me." She picked up several celery sticks.

Zac shrugged. What could he say? He was as surprised as Grace. He'd expected Joshua to be thrown, but he wasn't expecting hostility. "I don't know what's eating him, but he seems mad about something." Zac heaped some Waldorf salad on to her plate. Then ushered her along the length of the table.

"Tell me about it." She picked up some baby corn and several asparagus tips.

Zac smiled in apology, " I don't know why he's being rude. I mean you're doing him a favour." He glanced over his shoulder before turning back to say, "By the way, Lysette is over by the trellis."

Grace picked up a celery stick and munched on it as she nonchalantly scanned the direction Zac indicated. "So?" She asked, wanting to leave the scene as soon as possible, knowing for certain that this had been a foolish idea. She was planning on leaving within a few minutes. This food stacking exercise was simply a ploy to pull herself together before she left. She didn't want it to look like she ran away. Even though she was going to.

"Just convey the notion that Joshua is out of bounds." Zac stated matter of factly. 

"He is to me." Grace retorted, amazed that Zac still thought they had a plan.

"Come on Grace, you can do it, just let her think there is something going on between the two of you, you managed it at the wedding."

"Yes, that was easy, he helped." She replied sarcastically. "If I stood at the opposite end of Auckland Harbour he'd probably think it was too close." She walked toward the far end of the table, not really listening to Zac. She was desperately wishing that she had never agreed to any of this. Desperately wishing that she had gone with the voice in her head, not her heart. Her shoulders slumped dejectedly. What a fiasco.