Page 16 of Escape to Lighthouse Cove

She was being ridiculous, Grace knew. She couldn’t believe she’dcried, but it had all felt so overwhelming suddenly—their time out on that rock, the way Noah had taken command of the situation, the memories that had surprised her by reaching up and grabbing her by the throat. And now she and Noah had to sleep in the same room, and there was nothing she could do about it.

Except act like an adult, Grace told herself sternly. Noah Lawrence was going out of his way to be kind, and she should simply be grateful,end of.

Tomorrow, God willing, she’d be back to normal—and back home at the lodge, away from all these unwelcome feelings and memories she hadn’t expected to have to deal with so suddenly. She and Jacob could focus on their new life, as well as healing from their old one. And she probably wouldn’t even see Noah Lawrence again, since he seemed to be something of a recluse.

“Here we are.” Noah opened the door to a bedroom a few doors down from the study where they’d had dinner. He’d already spoken to Isaiah and Grace had haltingly told him where to find pajamas for both her and Jacob, as well as toiletries. Her son, surprisingly, was taking this whole adventure in his stride, seemingly happy to stay at Grayhaven for the night, as was Noah, although he certainly seemed like a man who valued his privacy.

Clearly Grace was the one who needed to get with the program.

Holding Jacob by the hand, she stepped into the room, which was well appointed, if a little gloomy, just like the rest of the house, with twin beds of dark mahogany, a matching dresser, armoire, and cheval mirror, and dark green velvet drapes framing a view of the ocean, a glimmer of moonlight silvering the water.

She turned to Noah, who was standing in the doorway, one shoulder braced against the frame, his deep blue eyes glinting in the dim light, his hands tucked into the pockets of his jeans. He really was inconveniently good-looking, Grace thought, with the slightly shaggy hair, the peaked eyebrows, those cheekbones now fuzzed with five o’clock shadow. Good-looking andsexy, which seemed like a strange thought to have right now.

“Where are you going to sleep?” she asked.

He shrugged. “On the floor.”

“But that’s not?—”

“I don’t sleep much, anyway, these days,” he told her, his tone light although there was a seriousness to his expression. “Please don’t worry about me.” He pushed himself off the frame, both hands still shoved into the pockets of his jeans. “I’ll leave you to it for now,” he told her. “Unless you need something? A glass of water, a couple of painkillers…?”

Her head was throbbing, but Grace didn’t want to put him to any more trouble. “I’m okay,” she said. “Thank you.”

“All right, then. Isaiah should be back shortly with your things. If there’s anything else you need, just let me know.”

She nodded, and then he was gone, and Grace felt as disappointed as she did relieved. She turned to Jacob, who was looking like he was halfway to falling asleep after the events of the day, and Grace realized she was exhausted, as well. It had been a very long and tumultuous few hours.

“You okay, buddy?” she asked softly. She perched on the edge of the bed and pulled him onto her lap, grateful when he curled into her the way he so often did. He’d been through so much these last few months—leaving his home, his school, hisfather, and then coming to an entirely new place. She regretted that she’d put him through even more, by foolishly forgetting the tide, but she was very grateful they’d survived. And theywouldget stronger and better, living on this island, just as she’d hoped they would. This slightly surreal episode at Grayhaven was just a blip. She had to believe that.

A tap sounded on the door, and Isaiah stepped in, smiling faintly and carrying a duffel bag. “Your things,” he said. “I hope I got everything you wanted.”

“I’m sure you did.” Grace stood up, setting Jacob down. “Thank you?—”

“Noah Lawrence is a good man,” Isaiah stated quietly. “You can trust him.”

Startled, Grace stammered, “I—I’m sure I can.” Even if she was finding it hard. She knew that was up to her, not Noah, and she appreciated Isaiah’s words, because she trustedhim.

Isaiah nodded once and then slipped out of the room. Grace reached for the bag, handing Jacob his pajamas before taking her own. She really hoped a good night’s sleep would put everything into perspective.

A few minutes later, their pajamas on and their teeth brushed, she and Jacob were both tucked up in bed and Noah was nowhere to be seen. Grace supposed he was giving them some space to get ready, but she found herself anxiously anticipating when he came into the bedroom—what he would do, how she would react, if it could possibly seem normal.

He’d been a perfect gentleman so far, and yet she still felt nervous. That faintly mocking way he’d had of talking had unnerved her, made her feel a little stupid, but she supposed that was far too easily done. And really, she couldn’t fault his behavior… just her own.

She turned off the light as Jacob snuggled under his blankets, and within a few minutes Grace heard her son’s breathing even out in sleep while she simply stared up at the ceiling in the darkness, her head aching, her eyes gritty, her ears straining for the sound of a footstep, or the creak of a stair. She heard nothing, and as she continued to lie there she felt her eyelids grow heavy as the events of the day overwhelmed her and sleep, like a tide of its own, drew sweetly over her.

She woke suddenly, with a gasp, her eyes straining in the darkness, her hands clutching her throat.She was choking, choking, and she couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe…

Except she could. It had just been a nightmare, the usual one, and with a wavery sigh of relief Grace relaxed back against the pillow, willing her head and heart both to stop pounding as she took several deep, even breaths, her fingers massaging her throat. She hadn’t been choking. She’d just been reliving when she had been.

Briefly she closed her eyes against the memories. Brad’s hands around her neck. The look of fury on her husband’s face. The world shrinking to a pinpoint, her vision swimming…

What time was it? She looked around for a clock, but there wasn’t one in the room, although she did see Noah had thoughtfully left a glass of water and a couple of painkillers by her bedside table. And then she saw Noah himself, asleep on the stretch of floor between her and Jacob, covered only by a couple of blankets.

As she stared down at him, she realized with a ripple of shock that his eyes were clenched shut and sweat beaded his forehead. And as he let out a moan, Grace realized she wasn’t the only one who had been having a nightmare.

“No…” He uttered the word in a low, anguished voice, his jaw clenched tight and his teeth gritted, his head tipped back. “Jem,no!” Sharper now, and he twisted among the blankets, his head whipping back and forth as if he were in the throes of agony, and maybe he was. Grace knew all too well the fearsome grip a nightmare could have on a person, how trapped one could make you feel, reliving the same awful moment again and again.

She hesitated, having no idea what to do. Should she wake him? Leave him to wake on his own? It felt bizarrely invasive and even intimate to simply watch him struggle against his invisible demons. The thought of him seeing her like that would be enough to make her curl up in mortification, and so as Noah moaned again, Grace slipped from her bed to kneel at his side.