Page 102 of Bona Fide

“Are you finally growing up or something?”

He chuckles. “Hell no. I’m still an idiot, Rea. Don’t give me too much credit.”

“Oh, I’m not—not yet anyway. You’ll have to show me more than that.” I down the rest of my drink and welcome the burn down my chest.

Grant takes my glass. “I’d love to show you more, Vixen, but our time has passed.” He stands and walks back over to the small table where the brandy is patiently sitting.

Studying the room, it's modest with gray walls and older furniture. The three black bookshelves are filled with old books with spines that are fading and worn. A vase of flowers sits on Jed’s small desk with barely anything on it but a laptop and some pens.

Pushing from the couch, I notice pictures on two of the shelves behind his quaint desk. Only two small picture frames, a baseball in a clear display case, and his diplomas are propped on it, but when I see the first photo, my heart drops.

It's a picture of Grant, Jed, and I—before everything happened.

We were babies; Grant was in college already, and Jed and I had just started dating. I don't remember what we were doing or where we were, but it was a park. And the fact that he kept it…

“Funny how shit changes so drastically,” Grant states behind me. I pivot in his direction to find my glass filled closer to the brim this time. “We both lost you for different reasons.”

I take the glass that he has reached out for me. “I wasn’t good for either of you anyway.”

Grant lifts a shoulder. “Who the fuck knows. I think being in our settings made us who we are. Whether we wanted it to turn out that way or not.” He pulls back on his brandy and glances over my shoulder at the picture before averting his gaze. “How did the fittings go today?”

“Jed’s friends are idiots.”

He chuckles. “College buddies who think they are still in college." He takes a step away from me, and lets himself hit Jed's desk to lean against it. "Decent guys, though. Even though Belle can't stand them."

“She sounds...very proper.”

“She’s boring as fuck. At least I got lucky for a while and had someone with a mouth. Belle nags like a mother figure. I’d take someone like you over her any day.”

I furrow my brows. “Thanks.”

“At least you have the hot thing going on. Belle acts like she’s about to enter the nunnery.”

I roll my eyes. “Just because her fashion style isn’t running around with her tits out doesn’t make her a prude.”

“They haven’t slept together, Rea. Call me a pig but...c’mon. Don’t deny that you’d want to try it out before purchasing it.”

“I’m not going to argue with you there.”

“She has Jed wrapped around her finger and—” he sighs. “—he lost his balls.”

“Is that your only problem with her? I think it’s safe to say she’s not your type.”

Grant smiles for the first time tonight. “Nah, she’s definitely not my type. I like a woman who knows what she wants and is not afraid to take it.”

"So, like that one receptionist, Kylee, that you slept with that one time."

“I never slept with her.” He perks a brow. “I was faithful the whole time I was with you.”

“I know you were.”

“Then why ask me?” I smirk, not bothering to hide it behind my glass.

“Because I just wanted to make sure.”

“Trust me, Vixen, no one compared to you.” His eyes trail down my chest. “Not even now.”

I take a step forward and eye him. “Why aren’t you with anyone now?”

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