She looked up at the wall. One fear conquered. Did she have the courage to overcome any of her others?
ChapterSixteen
Brigid stormed into the house ahead of Grady, still riding high on adrenaline. She wanted to rub Caroline’s face in her success before her legs gave out on her and she collapsed in a moaning heap of pain. She stalked up to Caroline in the kitchen and slapped the photo from the rock wall on the kitchen island.
“Boo-yah. Bet you thought I wouldn’t do it.”
Caroline arched an eyebrow, but her lips twitched. “You climbed the wall and let Grady belay you?”
“You doubt me?” She gestured to Grady, who obligingly showed his phone. “A picture of me climbing and Grady holding the rope.”
Caroline broke out in a big grin. “Finally.”
Before she could clarify her words, the front door opened and the rest of the teams came in, curiously subdued. They went into the dining room, and Caroline tallied the game results. As Brigid predicted, even with the points from the wall, Anna and Delaney tied for first, which, of course, resulted in an argument between the women.
Grady leaned over. “Are they always this competitive?”
“That’s not competitiveness. That’s anger.”
“You okay with us not winning?”
Brigid shrugged. “They’re so focused on each other that they probably forget anyone else is even here. I’ll survive.”
Caroline called it a tie and announced a last event the next evening, and everyone groaned. They filed outside to the fire pit, everyone splitting off. Brigid was tired and curled up in a chaise lounge, mesmerized by the dancing flames in the pit. Delaney sat in the chair next to her, and the two women stared into the fire, lost in their own thoughts.
Brigid’s mind wandered back to the night and the fun she and Grady had, the most fun she had experienced in longer than she could remember. When had she given up fun?
Fun had never been a vital part of her family’s life. They spent school breaks doing schoolwork and being tutored to do better the next school year. All vacations were educational and often focused on museums and special camps for education. Her father never quite believed in vacations for kids. He used to say, “What do children need a vacation from?”
In two days, she had enjoyed more fun than in twenty-seven years with her family. How pathetic was that? And integral to that fun was Grady. Thinking back on the past few years, she had had fun with Grady, not just sex but enjoyable times. He had been someone to relax with, to talk to, to be herself. She never had to put on airs or worry if he was out to one-up her. Why hadn’t she realized they were more than just sex?
Delaney made a noise, and Brigid glanced over in time to see her blush and avoid Ethan’s gaze. Brigid laughed, just like old times.
“Are you two back together?”
Delaney shook her head, then stopped. “No, I don’t know.” She sighed. “No.”
Brigid raised her eyebrows. “Doesn’t look like it’s over from here. I don’t even need the fire to feel the warmth out here.”
Where Caroline and Matthew had been the solid couple of the group, the glue that held them all together, Delaney and Ethan had been the golden couple, shining stars slightly above the rest of them. While Brigid knew Caroline and Matthew would make it, she never thought Delaney and Ethan would split. After that horrible fall when Delaney’s father had been arrested and then died, the split was probably inevitable, but Brigid had hoped they were strong enough to survive. Now she wondered what really went wrong.
“You and Grady seem to be an item. How long has that been going on?” Delaney arched a brow at Brigid, deftly changing the subject.
Brigid closed her eyes. Damn, she had tried to remain subtle and not add fuel to the fire, but they hadn’t succeeded. So much for hiding their relationship, not that they had really had one before now, or one that Brigid had acknowledged. Now she had to admit, they were in one, though she had thrown a grenade in it before the week began.
After a moment, she snorted. “It’s just the situation. You know Caroline. I just can’t get involved with her machinations.”
Delaney laughed. “You can use all the big words you want, but that’s not the look of a man going along with a plan.”
Brigid glanced at Grady under her eyelashes. He stared at her, hungry like a man who hadn’t eaten in a long time and was looking at a buffet, but not sure he would be allowed inside.
Delaney swung her legs around and sat up. “Brigid, for what’s it’s worth, can I give you a little advice?”
“Can I stop you?”
“No, not really. He likes you. A lot. Who else do you have in your life besides your work? For once, skip the plan and go with the flow. It’s only for one week. Enjoy yourself. You deserve it.”
“Is that what you’re doing?” Brigid countered, a bite in her tone.