Saving Grace (#1 in the Red Valley Series)

Chapter 11

Grace just couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched. She looked out the window of the shop for at least the hundredth time, but like every other time, she saw nothing out of the ordinary, only the town that she was beginning to think of as home.

"Grace, why don't you go on home? We only have a few more minutes before closing." Sara said with concern on her face. "You look really tired today. Are you feeling ok?"

Sighing heavily, Grace looked at her friend. Her back was killing her, and it was only a few minutes early. "Ok Sara, but I'm taking this with me and I will finish it tonight."

Grace had been sitting with her back to the window giving Cole an unobstructed view of her slender back and neck. It was just by chance that he saw her this morning walking into the shop. He was walking down the opposite side of the street wondering where to begin his search for her, when he looked up and saw her.

She had looked tired and a little sad. She'd been carrying something in her arms that he now knew was a dress. It looked like she had been working on it all day and damn if she wasn't carrying the same dress, home with her. Why in the hell was she working so hard? Could her boss not see how tired she looked? In fact, why was she working at all? She didn't need the money. He had given her five thousand dollars!

God, it had killed him to look her in the eye and tell her that she might marry someone one day and need that money. Now, hundreds of miles from home, he wasn't so sure that pushing her away was the best thing to do. Someone was looking for her just like there were people looking for him. She'd been here for months now, by herself, with no one to protect her. What if those men had found her instead of going to Red Valley? What if they were here right now looking for her too?

Cole looked up as Grace walked out the door of the shop. He stood up, ready to follow her, but before he could take three steps, she turned the corner and started up the stairs at the side of the building, then opened the door and disappeared inside. Well hell, Cole muttered to himself then walked back to where he had been standing and waited. After an hour he figured that she must be renting a room up there. When he had seen her this morning she was coming around the corner and he just thought she was taking a short cut. At least she was in town, around people if she needed anything.

He decided to go back to his room and clean up before he went to see her. Cole told himself that he wasn't procrastinating; he just really wanted to look his best. The feeling in his stomach must be something he ate earlier, not nerves. He walked into the hotel lobby and ordered a hot bath be sent up to his room. He gave the clerk his name and room number then turned to leave.

"Weston?" The clerk said.

"That's right. You got something against my name?" Cole asked, his eyes turning cold and hard.

The clerk smiled warmly. "Oh no sir, not at all. It's just a name I had never heard until a few months ago and now there are two Weston's in town."

Cole's eyebrows shot up. "Oh really. Who's the other Weston in town? I myself, have never run into anyone with my last name. Maybe it's a relative I didn't know I had."

"Miss Grace moved here about five months ago. It would be a hoot if she did turn out to be a relative." The clerk chuckled.

"Grace Weston huh? I may have to look her up before I leave. Thank you again. I'll be waiting on the bath." Cole turned and took the stairs two at a time to his room.

Grace Weston. Why in the hell would she be using his last name? Oh shit! She was using his last name! The men that were looking for her thought she was married to him. If they hadn't already found her it would be easy to do so. Weston was just not a common name at all. He had told the truth when he said he had never come across another person with his last name.