Discovery Read Online Free Page B

placed each of the Three Amigos in what she assumed to be their proper places: Ben was the good-looking, funny one, Annie was the gorgeous one who got all the guys, and she was, well, she was just Grace. While Ben occasionally dropped hints that he thought she was just as much a beauty as Annie, Grace knew he was only being nice because he felt guilty after denying her affections in high school.
    â€œOkay. Now let’s talk theme.” Annie interrupted Grace’s silent memories. “I’m thinking Senior Prom.”
    â€œWhat?” said Grace and Ben in unison. They both looked at Annie with eyebrows raised and jaws wide open.
    â€œOh, come on. Think about it. There will be all age groups there and think how fun it will be to get dressed up in our prom clothes again. People will have a blast pulling that stuff out of their closets.” Annie’s decision appeared to be final.
    â€œWhatever.” Ben rolled his eyes. He caught Grace’s glance and winked at her.
    Ben’s wink eased her sick stomach. He always seemed to know what she needed and when she needed it. “I give up.” Grace threw her hands in the air. “I guess there’s no reeling Annie in now.”
    â€œYeah!” squealed Annie clapping her hands like a little girl. “Then it’s all settled. Just leave the rest to me.”
    â€œAre we done here? I need to go meet Tom.” Ben stood up to leave. “Annie, it’s your turn to get the check.”
    â€œGrace is going to have to cover me.” Annie did not look up as she gathered together the guest list and her notes on the party. She then leaned over to Ben and batted her eyelashes. “Oh, and tell that hot older brother of yours ‘hello’ for me,” she said in a singsong voice.
    â€œGood gosh, Annie. Give it a rest.” Ben pushed her away with his elbow. “Grace, you got this?” he asked as he ceremonially waved the check in Annie’s face.
    â€œYeah. I’ll just add it to the rent she still owes me.” Grace grinned as she shook her head and looked up to see Ben give her a knowing look and an eye roll. “At this rate, I’ll never make it to college. Annie spends my tuition faster than I can save it.”
    â€¢ • •
    All three were laughing as they stood up to cross the street in front of the restaurant, however what happened next was not the least bit funny to Ben.
    Because to say Grace did not see the truck coming would be an understatement.
    She had stayed to pay the check and was several feet behind Ben and Annie in the crosswalk when an old pickup truck screeched around the corner and barreled straight for her. Its speed caused the white paint of the truck to appear like a flash lighting the middle of the street, but that one flash was all Ben needed to see out of the corner of his well-trained eye. With his undetectable speed, Ben spun around, scooped up Grace and whisked her back to the sidewalk from which she had just stepped, all at the exact same moment the truck raced past, barely missing Ben and its intended victim. As the white pickup sped past Ben, he could see the driver was an older man with long gray hair and wire-rimmed glasses.
    While all this excitement was happening, Annie remained safely on the sidewalk on the opposite side of the street. She was browsing a downtown store window, twirling her fingers in her long, blonde hair, and seemingly oblivious to the action behind her.
    â€œWhat the … ?” breathed Grace as she looked up into Ben’s eyes.
    His arms cradled her like a shielding blanket and he could feel her heart pounding through her chest. With his speed facilitating the imperceptible rescue, Ben knew Grace had no idea how she got back on the sidewalk or how she ended up in his arms. He also knew being this close to him, cradled in his arms, probably made her feel a little weird. And as unsettling as that was to him, deep down Ben hoped her