Finding Grace

Chapter Two ~ Ten Years Prior

* Flash back to 10 years prior *

Amara Davis was a normal 17-year-old girl when Grant Williamson walked into The Den, a family-owned restaurant she was working at. Grant Williamson was no doubt tall, tan, and handsome. He stood 6 foot 2 with blonde hair, dark eyes, and a smile a dentist would be jealous of.

As soon as he and his friend walked in, all the heads turned to them.

"Hello, I'm Amara, and I'll be serving you today," she greeted them cheerfully. "Would you like a booth or table?"

"Hello Amara, I'm Jackson. This is my roommate Grant, and we'd love a booth, please."" Jackson smiled back.

"Of course, right this way, gentlemen." Amara instructed as she led them to a nearby booth.

As they sat at the booth, Amara handed them their menus and got out her notepad.

"What can I start you guys off with to drink?" She asked getting out her notepad and pen.

"I'll have a coffee." Grant said, not looking up from the menu.

"Me as well," Jackson added, staring at her with a big grin.

"Alrighty, I'll be right back." She smiled before turned and walking away.

Amar returned moments later with two cups of coffee and some creamer.

""Thank you, miss. I'll go ahead and order now. I'll just have the club sandwich with fries and a side of ranch."" Jackson told her.

"Got it, and you?" She asked when she turned to Grant.

"I'll have the same with ketchup instead of ranch, thank you." She took the menus and headed to the kitchen.

A little while later, Jackson noticed that Grant couldn't keep his eyes off their young waitress.

"So you have no interest in the sexy coeds on campus, but you have a thing for the jailbait?" Jackson teased.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He told his friend as he took a sip of his coffee.

"Say that again without staring at her ass, and I maybe, just maybe, might believe you." Jackson laughed.

""Alright, fine, I think she's cute. Something about her is sweet and genuine. Not like the self-absorbed women we see back home and at school.""

"Awe, so you mean innocent and easily manipulated?" Jackson laughs and punches Grant in the arm.

"Well, it looks like you may have some competition." Jackson pointed out the two guys in the corner trying to get Amara's attention.

Both men had strong athletic builds. On the left was a guy with sandy blonde hair that kept falling into his green eyes, and the other one on the right had short brown hair with blue eyes.

"The guy on the left hasn't looked away from her once, and she keeps looking up at him."

Grant looked over and just smiled and watched as Amara came up with their to-go boxes and receipt. Her ponytail swayed as she walked.

"Is there anything else I can get you guys?" She asked when she got to the table.

"Hmmm, I think all we need now is your number, and we'll be all set." Jackson said in his milky tone.

"I'm sorry, I don't fraternize with customers," she said with a coy smile, "Have a great rest of your day, gentlemen." she walked off before they could see the red in her cheeks.

She wasn't very used to male attention. She thought it was because she was ugly, but standing at 5 foot 4 inches, she was one of the prettiest girls in town.

Long auburn hair that went to the middle of her back and jade green eyes. She was a certified knockout, but no one dared even look at little Amara Davis since her two big brothers, Leo and Justin, were known for their very rowdy reputation.

There's nothing they wouldn't do for their little sis. Even when a guy got the courage to ask her out, she'd turn them down every time. Her heart belonged to L.T. Although she was too embarrassed to ever tell him.

He was the star quarterback at their high school and even had a scholarship that fall to play for their college football team.

Of course, he was seeing a cheerleader named Tiffany, so Amara never thought she could stand a chance. She was a book nerd who did a little kickboxing, not the girly girl that Tiffany is. He was completely out of her league.

Once Amara got into the kitchen, she sat against the cold wall and sank down to the floor. Enjoying the cool feeling through the back of her shirt.

"What's the matter, child?" Kathrine asked her daughter.

"Nothing, Mama." she said, putting her head in her hands.

"Well, Warren and L.T. are wondering where you are."

"OK, Mama." she said as she finally started moving again.

"There she is." Warren called out when she came out of the kitchen.

She looked to see that Grant and Jackson were still there and were watching her and Warren. She runs over before Warren could yell anything embarrassing.

"What?" she snapped at him quietly.

"Jeesh, can't I visit my best friend while she's working?" He asked her.

"I take it Tiffany and Taylor are busy, so you both thought you'd come down and get free food?" She huffed, crossing her arms across her chest.

"It sounds terrible when you put it like that." Warren said, rolling his eyes.

Warren and Amara were destined to be in each other's lives. It started way back with their grandfathers.

Warren Senior and Charles met in school while they were young and have been best friends ever since. They were the original owners of The Lion's Den, back before, when it was just a diner.

When they married and both had sons, they had never expected that they had started a best friend tradition. When Charles had Mitch, it wasn't long after that, that Warren Senior introduced Benny to the world. The two young boys had become best friends since they met as newborns.

They had both been working at the diner for their fathers as teenagers when Margret started as their new waitress. A young and beautiful teen with long blonde hair and eyes so blue it reminded Benny of beautiful sunny days.

It was love at first sight for Benny. However, it was a while before Benny could get up the courage to ask Margret out, but with the help of Kathrine, Mitch's long-time girlfriend. They were together in no time.

When Benny married Margret, and they started to try for a baby, Mitch decided to take over the Den, making it a bar and grill. They were the first bar to open in their sleepy mountain town, and it was still the only one.

It took Mitch a year to propose to Kat, and a few months after their wedding, both Kat and Marg were expecting. Kat was having a boy in May that they would name Justin and Marg was having a girl in December she would name Elizabeth.

They would often joke about them being madly in love one day. As the children grew, they became the best of friends themselves.

Then, after a broken heart or two, they fell head over heels for each other and became high school sweethearts. They both currently reside at Hamelton College. Justin plans on purposing when they come back on Christmas vacation.

A year after Mitch and Kat had Justin, they had Leo. Marg and Benny tried for another baby for three years after baby Leo was born, and once they gave up hope, they found out they were going to have Warren. A few months after Warren was born, Mitch and Kat announced that they would finally get the little girl that Kat had wanted so desperately.

Once again, Kat and Marg joked about them falling in love. Just as they joked about Justin and Beth before them. However, Warren and Amara were always just friends and would be for the rest of their life, which is exactly how they wanted it. Amara was like his baby sister, and he was another of her brothers.

Amara was quiet and loved to read and draw, Warren was loud and a jock all the way. They were polar opposites, but they were the best of friends.

He played on the football team with L.T., whose father, Sam, worked at the Den also. L.T. had grown up being a part of their family. Amara had a crush on him since the day they moved to town.

Everyone knew about it except for L.T. Everyone just sat and waited for them to finally get together. Secretly keeping their fingers crossed. Even placing bets on when they would finally admit their feelings to each other.

"It's terrible because it's true!" she exclaimed, still glaring at Warren.

"You don't want to believe we came all this way just to see you?" L.T. asked.

His deep, milky tone had Amara feeling hot under her skin, and she knew she had to be visibly blushing.

"No." She said dryly. "Now tell me what you want?" She asked, getting out her notepad and pen.

Warren held up his hands in mock defense. "We're honestly just here to see you, but if you wanted to get a few Root Beer floats and some fries, I definitely wouldn't be complaining."

""Well, you, not complaining. That would be something new."" She teased him and both her and L.T. laughed a little.

Warren was always complaining about one thing or another.

"Actually, Amara, we came here so that I could talk to you." L.T. told her.

She finally stopped glaring at them and looked at them with a c****d head and inquisitive expression.

"What do you need to talk to me about?" Amara asked, putting her hand on her hip.

""On that que, I'm going to go talk to my dad, in the back, maybe go make those floats. I'll be in the back when you guys are done."" Warren almost skips as he walks off.

Once in the kitchen, he rushes to peek through the pick-up window, trying to spy on them.

"Will you sit with me for a second?" L.T. nervously asked Amara.

"Yeah." She says as she comes to the other side of the bar to sit next to him.

She had never seen him behave this way before.

It didnt help that she could feel their proximity, and it was giving her happy, nervous butterflies.

"So?" Amara asked as she got comfortable.

L.T. was silent for a long moment before speaking.

"You have some admirers over there." L.T. Points out the two college guys.

He tried to sound teasing, but it came out kind of worried.

""Yeah, one of them even asked for my number. Can you believe that?"" She laughed, shaking her head.

"Did you give it him?" he asked, his tone uneven.

"No, of course not." She said as her smile faded.

"Why not?" He asked.

He was relieved she hadn't, but also sad to see her suddenly sad.

"Once he gets to know me, he'll realize I'm nothing special and move on." She said, not making eye contact.

""That's not true, Amara, and you know it. You're beautiful inside and out.""

"You're only saying that to make me feel better." She told him, pushing him in the shoulder, but he grabs her hand with his and puts it over his heart.

"No, I'm not," L.T. tells her as he uses his free hand to run IT through his sandy blonde hair, closing his eyes for a second before saying.

"Look, Amara, we've been friends for a very long time. Your practical part of my family. I've always thought you were amazing and sweet and perfect." He went silent for a moment before continuing.

"There's something I need to tell you," he said, going silent again to collect his words before telling her what was in his heart.

"What do you want to tell me?" She nervously asked, but before he could get out what he wanted to say, Tiffany burst through the doors of the restaurant and raced right up to them.

"Hey baby." She greeted him, throwing her arms around him and kissing him.

"What are you doing here, Tiffany?" He asked, burrowing his brows in confusion, he still had Amara's hand in his over his heart.

"Can't I visit my boyfriend?" She asked, trying to kiss him again, but he moved away, causing her to stumble a little in her, too high for her, stilettos.

"I'm kind of in the middle of something here." He said, gesturing to Amara. Using their joined hands to make the gesture.

"It's OK, L.T. I have to get back to work anyway." she said with a half-hearted smile as she slipped her hand out of his while getting off of the stool.

Tiffany takes the chance to take her spot when Amara begins to walk away.

Obviously, upset by having to watch the ordeal.

"Wait, Amara!" he exclaimed, but she didn't turn around.

"It's ok. I'll see you later."" Amara said, not even turning around.

"Don't worry about that loser, I'm here now." Tiffany said, trying to kiss him again, but he turned away. He watched as Dani went around the tables to re-fill glasses. Before Warren could ask him what happened, he stormed off with Tiffany following him on his heels.

Kat, who had been watching along with Warren, gave Amara a big hug and let her go home early. As she got ready to leave, Grant walked up to her and greeted her.

"Scuse' me miss?" He asked.

"Yes?" She greeted him.

"I'd like to see you again, if that's alright?"

"We'll, as I said before, I don't fraternize with the customers."

"Well, I'm just passing through, so I'm not really a customer if I'm not going to be returning, right?"

"Even more reason to stay away." She giggled.

"Fine, do you work tomorrow?"

"Every day but Sunday." She told him.

"Good, I'll have 5 days to convince you to let me take you out."

"What?" She asked, a little taken aback.

"I'm going to come in every day to sample your menu, and I'm going to wear you down." He smiled. He reached down and kissed her hand gently. "Have a good day, miss."

"You have a good day as well." She said as he walked off.

Holding the hand he kissed, she watched as he got into his car with his friend and drove off.

"Who was that?" Warren asked, with Kat right behind him.

"That's Grant." She smiled and went into the office where her dad was.

She often confided in him about her boy's problems. Warren and Kat tried to eavesdrop through the door, but Mitch made sure his office was soundproof.