Page 22 of Holding Grace
“Wait until it’s your turn,” I warned him as we started toward Mercy and Grace. “I’ll give you every bit of shit you’re giving me back with interest.”
Ry laughed again. “You’re not gonna want to hold your breath on that one,” he warned me in return. “I’d hate to watch you suffocate.”
Ry didn’t date much – only slightly more than Levi, who pulled up next to Mercy’s car as we got closer, his truck covered in a light layer of construction dust as it almost always was. Levi didn’t date at all, while Ace, the third of their three musketeers trio, dated more than all of us, including Mercy, combined, and always had.
Still, I had to believe that someday, Ry would meet his match and I wouldn’t hesitate to rub it in.
I ignored Ry and smiled at Grace and Mercy as we drew even.
“Good morning, ladies. Everything check out with the apartment?”
Grace’s eyes met mine and I felt a little jolt as always. “It did. It’s gorgeous.”
Like you then? I wanted to say but resisted the urge as Grace went on.
“I told Mercy I feel a little guilty staying there...” she trailed off as she looked at Mercy standing next to her.
Mercy looped an arm around Grace’s shoulders and gave her a light squeeze. “And I told Grace that she’s doing us a favor by staying there.”
“You really are,” Levi agreed as he joined us, holding out his hand to Grace. “I’m Levi, by the way. I know we met briefly in the kitchen at the diner, but we weren’t introduced.”
My face heated at the reminder of the way I’d cornered Grace in the diner’s kitchen weeks earlier, but I ignored it.
As Levi and Grace shook hands, I pointed to Ry. “And this is Ry.”
He held out his hand to Grace like Levi had. “Jason Rycker. Most people call me Rycker or Ry. It’s good to meet you, Grace.”
Grace gave Ry the same small smile she’d given Levi. She seemed a little nervous, but I couldn’t blame her.
“It’s good to meet both of you, too.”
“Where’s Ace?” Mercy asked Levi. “I thought he was riding with you.”
“He was.” Levi let out a long breath as he pushed a hand through his hair, something he often did when frustrated. “He had to deal with a problem at the job site. One of the subs is half-assing things and needs to get back out there and redo some work.” He shrugged it off. “Nothing new. He’ll catch up with us if he can.”
With that we headed into the warehouse to the walled-off section where Mercy kept the furniture and other items she often used for staging residential and commercial spaces when they were up for leasing. Over the years, she’d amassed quite the collection. When she’d learned that Grace had no furniture, Mercy had suggested that we raid her stash.
“Holy cow,” Grace said as she stepped through the door into the space, and as I followed her, I had to agree.
It looked like a small furniture store, with everything you could possibly need to outfit almost any type of space.
“I’m never sure exactly what I’m going to need, or what style I’m going to want to go with.” Mercy looked over the collection, assessing. “I try to only purchase things I’ll use again and again and rent anything else, but it still adds up to a lot.”
“So, this is where all the profit goes,” Levi joked.
“Whatever.” Mercy waved him away, unconcerned. “You know very well that staging reduces downtime on our leasing significantly.”
She wandered over to a couch and chair combo. “What do you think of these for the main space, Grace?”
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TWO HOURS LATER, THE couch, chair, coffee table, queen-size bedframe, two nightstands, a small desk and matching chair, four bar stools, several area rugs, and various lamps were loaded in the delivery truck Ry and I had driven, along with the items Grace had brought from her last apartment.
As we walked out to the vehicles, Levi waved Mercy and Ry his way.
“Why don’t you two ride with me and I’ll fill you in on the info Ace texted me.” Levi’s phone had buzzed with texts repeatedly throughout the time we’d been at the warehouse. “Mercy, I’ll bring you back to get your car when we’re done.”
Ry and Mercy veered his way as Levi looked over at Grace. “You okay to ride with Michael, Grace?”