Page 53 of Lie for a Lie

“I’m sorry about dinner,” she says with a sadness that breaks a little more of my heart.

I try to smile, but I feel so much for her.

“There is nothing to apologize for, Paige,” I say sincerely.

There is so much more lingering in the air between us. I can tell she is struggling with how to proceed with this conversation. She closes her eyes for a moment before she speaks again.

“I think about you most nights,” she says, and I can tell it is the first time she has admitted it out loud.

“I think of you every night,” I say, unashamed, as she focuses on my words and smiles softly.

She adjusts her pillow and partially pulls her Stephen King blanket up to her chin.

“Stay on with me until I fall asleep?” she asks with heavy eyelids.

I can’t help but smile and want to reach through the phone and pull her into my arms.

“For as long as you need.”

That’s the last thing I say before we drift asleep.

Chapter 26

Paige

“So let me get this straight. Over the past few weeks, you have been talking to not just one but two of your sister’s boyfriend’s stupidly hot friends?”

Noting David’s irritated envy, I can’t help but laugh and try to focus on our task at hand. We are taking the time to stock our unit top to bottom before the end of our shift in a few hours. Feeling chattier than usual, I make the mistake of telling David about Graham.

“It’s not a big deal,” I say, trying to play down the possible karmic shit show that can be heading my way. I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket and can’t help but smile, knowing it’s probably Graham returning my last text.

“So hot Army surgeon isn’t a big deal? Let me see a picture,” David demands, practically ripping my phone out of my hand when I pull it from my pocket.

Laughing, I look over his shoulder and see the picture of Chris and Graham in scrubs at their promotion ceremony. David’s reaction is priceless as he zooms in to Graham and Chris, smiling like the idiots they are. David is dramatically fanning himself with his glittery lime green gel manicure on full display.

“Which one?” His tone says it all as he clears his throat.

“Scrub cap.”

David rolls his eyes, and we both linger on the photo, taking in the devastatingly handsome men.

“Social media?” David asks, and I reach over to open up Graham’s Instagram.

While scrolling through, David is uncharacteristically silent. He examines the past few years of Graham’s life.

“Is this the redheaded bitch?” he asks, and I look at an older picture of a younger Katherine and Graham. They’re kissing and holding keys in front of some house.

It’s proof that they were once happy and in love.

“They don’t act like that now,” I say, almost like I am convincing myself Graham’s available.

“What about Seth?” David asks without taking his eyes off Graham.

I shake my head and pull up Seth’s page. Simple. Straight forward. Seth is just as handsome with his smile, but he isn’t Graham Beckett.

The men are very different people. Graham’s page was full of his travels and twisted sense of humor. Seth’s is a few selfies and tons of computer pictures. David seems to be over Seth rather quickly before handing me my phone. Letting a deafening silence fill the space.

“You seem to have picked a team,” I say playfully.

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