Page 32 of Holding Grace

Chapter 11

Grace

“I’m headed out, Grace.”

I looked up at Mercy as she stopped next to my desk.

“I’m showing the office space up off of Brookfield and after that I’m meeting Alan Teller for happy hour at the Green Room. Then I’m calling it a week.”

“Okay.” I pushed back from my desk a little, searching my brain for the name Mercy had mentioned. “Alan Teller is a big developer, right?”

“Yep, got it in one.” Mercy perched her hip on the edge of the desk. “Current senior vice president and future CEO of Teller Development, the second biggest development firm in the area on a mission to become number one.”

Satisfaction swirled through me that I’d made the right connection. I’d learned so much in the weeks I’d worked with Mercy. It was nice to see that some of it was sinking in.

“Feel free to shut things down a little early here if you want to. It’s a gorgeous Friday afternoon. No reason to spend it cooped up in an office if you don’t absolutely have to. Especially this time of year.”

I glanced out the big windows that lined the front of our space to the blue sky beyond. It was a beautiful early fall day, as Mercy had said. Who knew how many more we’d have before the dreary gray of winter set in?

“I think I’ll take you up on that, thanks.” Not that I had anything to do or anywhere to go, but I’d think of something.

It was as if Mercy could read my mind.

“Have you got any plans this weekend?”

I considered how to answer her without sounding pathetic. I settled on a shrug and noncommittal, “Not really.”

“You should come hang out with us at Levi’s this Sunday. Michael’s off so all of us will be there.” My stomach jumped at the mention of Michael though I tried not to show it. “Levi and I do all the cooking except for dessert, which Michael usually brings, and we let Ace and Ry off with bringing the drinks. It would be fun to have you there.”

“I don’t know.” It didn’t feel like a pity invite but still... “It sounds like a family thing.”

“Not necessarily.” It was Mercy’s turn to shrug. “Other people pop in from time to time. Ace brought his former girlfriend a few times, though thank God that’s over. She was a joy.” Mercy’s expression made it clear that was anything but true. “As it is, though, there’s a lot of testosterone clogging up the air. I could use some female company to help even things out a little.”

I was tempted. I liked Mercy and it was a chance to see Michael. I probably shouldn’t accept the invitation, but I was going to.

“If you’re sure, I’m in. It sounds like fun.”

“I’m sure.” Mercy stood and looped her bag over her shoulder. “I’ll text you the details.”

After Mercy left, I turned back to my computer, determined to get my last few tasks done and get out into the sunshine.

I’d worked hard for weeks on reorganizing the files for the property management side of the business and I’d made great progress. I knew nothing about either property management or real estate, but I had good organizational skills, and I was putting them to use.

Mercy’s previous assistant had a system, but it was ineffective and cumbersome. He’d alphabetized everything by client, which made some sense, but also often caused wasted time sorting through old files not related to the current information Mercy needed.

I was reorganizing everything first by property, then by client, then date, so Mercy could quickly put her hands on exactly what she needed. She loved the new system, and I felt a huge sense of relief and accomplishment that I was able to help make things easier for her.

I finished up quickly, gathered my things together, locked up behind me, and crossed the street to my apartment building. Once inside my apartment, I changed into shorts and a t-shirt and headed back out.

I planned to get an early dinner from the deli and take it back to my apartment, but it was so nice out that I changed direction and ended up in the park with my dinner instead. I sat on a bench and ate my sandwich while I watched the activity around me.

I loved the neighborhood. There were enough people and businesses to make it feel vibrant and lively, but not so many that it felt cramped or overcrowded. There was foot traffic and vehicle traffic, but not too much of either. In the words of Goldilocks and the bears, it was just right.

I had everything I needed within a few block radius, so much so that I’d only driven the car Jamey and Meg were lending me once, for a trip to a major grocery store for items not offered by the small market three blocks away.

There were days I had to pinch myself to be sure it was real. It felt too good to be true, and I found myself wondering when the cracks would start to show, when the illusion would shatter. Then I’d hope against hope that it never would because it wasn’t an illusion at all. Even though there was simply no way this could be my life – to be safe and happy with an apartment and job that I loved – somehow, impossibly, it was.