Saving Grace by Katie Graykowski Read Free Book Online Page B

some thick light brown custard. She held it out for Devon to taste. “See how that pinch of cinnamon enhances the coconut flavor?”
    Chord stared at her for a full ten seconds. “You did what?”
    “Yeah, it’s coconutier, but I don’t taste the cinnamon.” Devon nodded. “Good call.”
    “I cancelled your day. You need to rest.” Grace handed the spoon to Devon and walked over to Chord. She put her hand on his forehead. “You still have a fever. Go back to bed. I’ll bring you something to eat in a minute.”
    “You cancelled my day.” Chord waited for the punch line, but one didn’t come. “Why?”
    “Because you’re sick. As Chief Family Officer, I bequeathed unto myself the power to make decisions regarding your welfare and that of the public at large. As long as you have a fever, you’re contagious. Go to bed, before we all get sick.” Grace pointed in the direction of the stairs. “Move. Now.”
    A coach’s whistle blew in his backyard. Chord walked to the window. CoCo, wearing Lone Stars sweats and pink high-heeled shoes had a whistle in her mouth and was pointing to Pete Masterson and Davy Stubbins. Chord looked closer. The entire starting defensive line was running plays in his backyard, and CoCo appeared to be coaching. “Why is the defensive line here?”
    “When your boss called the house to find out why you hadn’t answered your cell, I told him you were sick. He was kind enough to have his assistant, Candy, cancel your day. You were supposed to meet the defensive linemen on the field. Since they were waiting for you, they came to check on you. Bobby somebody—the defensive line coach—just left because his wife’s water broke, and they needed to get to the hospital.” Grace licked coconut pie filling off her index finger. “By the way, you sent a lovely Edible Arrangement that will be delivered to St. David’s tomorrow.”
    Devon nodded. “It’s really nice. Lots of chocolate covered strawberries.”
    “And Coco. Why is Coco coaching?” Maybe Chord was dreaming. Grace had taken over his life, and she and Devon were standing in his kitchen talking about chocolate covered strawberries?
    “She and Coach Bobby Whats-his-face were discussing your notes about some sloppy foot placement or drill thingy? I really wasn’t paying attention. Anyway, CoCo noticed incorrect hip roll placement or striking distance or something. Coach Bobby gave her the whistle and set her loose.” Grace made it sound like it was perfectly normal that his fourteen-year-old daughter was coaching the Super Bowl defending champion’s defensive line.
    “She’s kicking their asses, coach. Anyone who doesn’t run a perfect trap drill has to swim a mile…in the lake. This time of year, that water’s cold.” Devon’s voice held respect.
    Chord couldn’t help his smile. CoCo had always loved football as much as he did. “And the heels?”
    She knelt down and fixed Rich Denby’s foot placement.
    “Bobby said she was too short for them to take seriously so I lent her my highest heels.” Grace sounded like it was a perfectly logical solution to the problem.
    There was nothing he could say to that. He glanced outside again. Keshan Dawkins had his feet too far apart. CoCo rammed her high-heel into his ankle until he moved his foot to the correct spot. Good girl. CoCo didn’t take shit and didn’t back down—he loved that about her.
    “Back to bed. Now.” Grace grabbed his arm and tugged, but he didn’t move. “Don’t make me call in the defensive line to carry you back to bed.” Her eyes turned hard. “Because I will.”
    “Coach, you’d better go. Grace has a temper.” Devon nodded. “You should have seen what she did when,” he glanced wearily at her, “one of the guys brought up the…” He mouthed ‘nipple episode’. “She smacked him on the ear with a wooden spoon and took away his loaf of banana bread. Want to see a grown man cry, take away his banana bread.”
    “Banana bread?”