Chapter 57

**G R A C E**

I had no idea I could land a punch that good. Honestly, I didn’t even know I had it in me. But I guess desperate times call for desperate measures. When Alex’s hand gripped the back of my neck and pulled me so close I could feel his breath ghosting over my lips, instinct took over. That was too close—too dangerous, too much. Too close to a line I couldn’t cross. And before I could even think, my fist flew straight into his perfectly sculpted, god-like face.

Next thing I knew, he was out of my room. Out of my house. Gone.

The memory makes me laugh, a light, almost delirious giggle escaping as I slather sunscreen over my arms. I can still see his expression when I landed that punch. The way his jaw tightened, the flicker of shock in his eyes before he stormed out like a wounded predator. I can only imagine what he looks like this morning with a swollen lip. That beautiful, maddeningly flawless face of his finally has a touch of imperfection—courtesy of me. You’re welcome, world.

My phone beeps, yanking me from my thoughts. I glance at the screen and see a message from Sophia: **Come down. We’re having tacos on horseback.**

Tacos on horseback? That’s…peculiar. But then again, peculiar seems to be the theme of my life lately. Shrugging, I toss my phone on the bed, pull my hair into a ponytail, and slip on my favorite cotton sundress with polka dots. It’s breezy, cute, and perfect for an Italian morning by the beach.

When I step outside, the salty air hits me, fresh and invigorating. For some reason, I feel lighter today—maybe it’s the satisfaction of imagining Alex’s bruised ego, or maybe it’s just the sea breeze. Sophia is waiting for me by the path, her arm linked with Carl’s. The moment she spots me, she beams and pulls me into a hug so tight I think she’s trying to squeeze the air out of me.

“You look adorable,” she says, holding me at arm’s length before hooking her arm with mine.

“And you look like someone who’s about to make me regret agreeing to this,” I reply, shooting her a playful glare.

We head toward the beach, and when we reach the horses, my stomach flips. These are not the small, friendly ponies I was imagining. These are massive, majestic creatures, their heads towering over me by at least a foot. My bravado evaporates instantly.

“You didn’t say they’d be this big,” I mutter to Sophia, my voice edging toward panic.

She laughs. “Oh, come on. It’s fun. You’ll love it. Trust me.”

Trust her. Right. Because that’s always gone so well.

Before I can protest further, Sophia snaps her fingers, and a man walks toward us. And not just any man—a ridiculously handsome man with warm, honey-brown skin, a dazzling smile, and eyes that seem to radiate kindness. He’s leading a stunning white horse, the animal’s silvery mane shimmering in the sunlight.

“This one’s for you,” he says, his voice rich and smooth as he pats the horse’s flank.

I freeze. “Oh, no, no, no. I… I think there’s been a mistake. I’m not… I don’t…”

“You’ll be fine,” he assures me, his smile widening. “Do you need help?”

I can feel my cheeks heating. “Oh, no. Not at all. I… I do this all the time,” I lie, trying to sound confident.

“Good to know,” he says with a chuckle. “In that case, I’ll help that gentleman over there before he ends up in the ocean.”

As he walks away, I let out a shaky breath, my relief short-lived as the horse starts to paw the ground impatiently. It’s as if it’s just as eager to get this over with as I am. Deciding to delay the inevitable, I focus on the tacos Sophia handed me earlier. My stomach growls as I raise one to my lips, ready to take a bite.

But just as I’m about to taste the glorious, tortilla-wrapped goodness, a hand darts out of nowhere and snatches the taco from my hand.

“What the—” I whip around, only to come face-to-face with Matt.

Matt, with his infuriatingly perfect smirk and that damn scar on his jaw that only makes him look more dangerous and, annoyingly, more attractive. He’s holding my taco like it’s some kind of trophy, his eyes gleaming with mischief.

“That’s not how this is supposed to work,” he says, his voice low and teasing as he gestures toward the horse. “You’re supposed to eat it on horseback.”

“Oh, I’m good,” I reply, shaking my head as I take a step back. “I’ll just… find another taco somewhere.”

Before I can take another step, Matt moves in front of me, blocking my path. His expression is playful, but there’s a determination in his eyes that tells me I’m not getting away so easily.

“Come on, I’ll help you get on top,” he says, his voice smooth and annoyingly confident.

“Like I said, I’m not interested,” I reply, shaking my head without even looking at him. My eyes scan the beach desperately, hoping to locate another taco stand or some escape route. A few meters away, I spot Sophia now perched gracefully on a horse, with Carl on another horse beside her, holding her tacos like some devoted squire. They look adorable. The horses? Not so much.

“Come on, Grace,” Matt persists, his tone teasing. “You don’t seem like the kind of girl who likes to miss out on fun.”

I glare at him, thoroughly annoyed. “You don’t know what kind of girl I am. And for your information, I miss out on fun all the time.”

Matt smirks, handing me my stolen taco. “Of course you do. Because you’re scared all the time.”

Before I can process his words, he bends down, grabs one of my legs, and locks my foot into the horse’s stirrup. The next second, his hands are on my waist, lifting me into the air like I weigh nothing. My yelp echoes across the beach before I can slap a hand over my mouth, but by then it’s too late—I’m already on the horse, clutching its reins for dear life.