Praying for Grace (The Grace Series Book 5) by M. Lauryl Lewis Read Free Book Online Page A

unwrapped an arm from around Gretchen, and reached out to help me transfer to the bigger boat. Ivar and Fred were busing tying a tow line to the row boat. Not daring to risk me or the baby falling into the water, I decided to hand Emmett to Gus. He took him gently and began to hold him out to Gretchen.
    “No,” I said harshly.
    “It’s ok. Gretchen won’t hurt him. You can trust her.”
    “It’s ok, Gus,” said Gretchen in a soothing voice. “You hang onto him and I’ll help your friend.”
    I ignored the blonde and clambered from one vessel to the other on my own. I hit my left shin on the side of the motorboat, but refused to show that I was in pain.
    “You have to be more careful,” cautioned Gus.
    I reached for Emmett, and was relieved when he was nestled back in my arms.
    “We need to go,” said Fred. His face was creased with lines that made him look weathered.      He had a gruff voice and reminded me of a lonely old hound dog. “No sense in going ashore after dark. Too dangerous with the dead around.”
    “How far is it?” I asked.         
    “Not far,” answered Gretchen.
    “Less than a mile,” Gus said quietly. “Sit up front with the baby. You’ll be better protected from the wind there.”
    I didn’t respond, but rather just walked with the baby to the empty passenger seat behind the windshield. After I sat, I glanced up just in time to see Gus and Gretchen slowly letting go of each other’s hand. They had an obvious connection of some sort and my feelings were very hurt. I needed him to hold my hand. Not hers. 
    The ride back to Neah Bay took longer than I had hoped. The motion of the speed boat and the waves had made my stomach grow sour. Fred slowed the boat and eventually killed the motor. Ivar began lowering an anchor.   
    “We need to row to shore,” explained the Englishman when I looked at him in confusion. “Or else the dead might swamp the motorboat.”
    I looked at Gus questioningly.     
    “They’ve been coming out of the water. Sometimes just a few, sometimes a whole fucking horde. Most of them are like the dead assholes we came across on the first of the San Juan Islands. Freaky fuckers. They climbed into the boat when it was docked and the boat nearly sank, so now they anchor offshore and take the rowboat in instead,” he said quietly. “It won’t take long, but we need to hurry so we can get there before dark.”
    Emmett was beginning to wake in my arms, so I moved him over my shoulder and patted his back to soothe him. Gus was keeping something from me and I wished desperately that I was able to hear him within my mind again. I wondered what had changed within him to block me out.
    Gus helped me and the baby back into the row boat for our trip ashore. After he got us seated near the bow, he hoisted Gretchen down, lifting her at the waist. Irritated, I looked away. I focused my attention onto baby Emmett. I used my free hand to dig through my backpack, eventually producing a clean diaper and receiving blanket. Supplies for the little one were already dwindling. As if sensing my thought, Gus sat next to me and placed a hand on my back.
    “We’ll have more things for him soon, darlin’. The place we’re going is well stocked with all kinds of stuff.”
    I looked at him only briefly, not answering. I focused on the baby, doing my best to change his soiled diaper while holding him in my lap.
    “Let me help?” asked Gus.
    “No. I’m fine”
    I heard him sigh beside me. He was clearly frustrated. I bundled the dirty diaper, fastening it closed with its own Velcro tabs, and tucked it behind my feet. I draped the receiving blanket over my shoulder and helped Emmett latch on, quickly covering myself. Modesty wasn’t something I had worried about in a long time, but with strangers surrounding me I wasn’t ready to share such a private moment.
    The Englishman, Ivar, began rowing us to shore. Fog still wrapped itself around us in a heavy blanket.