Author’s Note:  Another excerpt from the story of James and Katherine. Completely out of context, it might not make much sense.  In this scene, Brad McNear has offered to provide assistance to Katherine’s daughter, Chloe.

 

“I want to pay you, you know,” Katherine said.

“Of course you do.”

“And you’re not going to let me.”

“Of course I’m not.”

“We’re all helping each other,” Katherine said.

“That’s right.”

“You’re helping Chloe and in the process, you’re helping me. But how am I helping you?”

“That’s not how it works,” he said. “It’s kind of like grace.”

“Meaning?”

“If I help you and you turn around and help me in equal measure, then it’s just a business deal. But if I help you just because I want to, not because you’ve earned it or I expect you to pay me back in some way, well, that’s helping out of love.”

“Are you saying you love me, Brad McNear?”  She smiled when she said it.

“I do love you. Not in the way that sells records, but in the same way that I love Chloe.”

“You don’t even know me.”

“Maybe I’ll love you even more when I do.”  This time McNear was smiling.

“Grace,” Katherine said.

“Amazing, isn’t it?”