Grace was usually all fun and games, but when it came to Jo, she definitely didn't mess around. She'd grumbled about leaving Colorado several times in the past few days, but the truth was, there was no way in hell she would've left without finding her best friend. She would've gotten Kale to help her if all else failed, and she would've searched every damn inch of this state to get to this moment right here, hugging the life out of Jo and thanking God that she was alive.
She watched as Jo stepped back and went into her usual defensive stance, and for the hundredth time felt guilty about how long it'd taken her to figure out what was going on with Ian. She'd had suspicions, of course, when Jo had shown up on webcam with a lot more foundation on than usual, but it hadn't clicked until her family had confirmed the abuse about a week before. She still couldn't believe her poor friend had gone through that, and she wished more than anything she could take it away from her. Well, that and that she could kick Ian in the nuts with her hardest boots. That wish was definitely high up there.
"It's okay, Jo, I promise," she reassured her, putting her hands on Jo's shoulders and rubbing them to soothe her. She was very affectionate with her best friend, especially when she was this distressed. "I'm just glad I found you and you're safe. And I actually tortured the information out of your brother," she added with a laugh. "Nobody wanted to tell me where you were, but I know David's weaknesses." She smiled a little, trying to brighten the mood. "Once I found that out, your mom told me why and... I'm so sorry, sweetie. I really am." She pulled her in for a hug, knowing she'd need it and wanting to let her know that she didn't judge her for any of it. No one was to blame but that douchebag who had the nerve to call himself a human being.