Page 58 of Stars and Scars

“No, not really. I went a couple of times with the girl scouts, when I was in third or fourth grade.”

“You never went with your family?”

I look over at Grayson. The dancing flames in the fireplace create amber highlights and areas of deep shadow over his features. His eyes are full of interest. For once, Grayson doesn’t seem like so much of an enigma.

“No, we never had a chance. I asked if we could go a few times, but my parents were always busy.”

“You guys never had a chance to go on any vacations? No time spent laying in a swimsuit on the sand somewhere nice?”

I shake my head. “No, most of the time they didn’t have jobs with vacation time, or much of any benefits.”

Grayson frowns.

“That sucks. Sorry you didn’t get to spend more time with them.”

“You know, my parents had to miss my high school graduation ceremony.”

Grayson’s mouth falls open.

“You’re kidding.”

“I wish I was. I’m not mad at them, though. It’s just how it is, you know?”

He shakes his head, a scowl deepening the lines on his face.

“That’s just wrong. People should be allowed to see their own kid graduate.”

I sigh. “Yes. Yes they should.”

Grayson crosses his legs and turns his knees toward me, clearing his throat.

“Your parents did a damn good job, Charlotte. The best they possibly could.”

“Oh? How do you know?”

Grayson’s silver eyes are unwavering. “I can only judge their results. In other words, you. You’re a good person, Charlotte. You’re decent and kind. So yeah, your parents did a damn good job of raising you, in my humble opinion.”

My heart skips a beat, and a tingly feeling comes over my skin. Hearing Grayson give me sincere compliments means a lot more to me than I would have expected. God, I think I’m even more attracted to him now, if that were possible.

“You remind me of my sister.”

And there goes any arousal I might have felt. I smile at the absurdity of it all.

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” I say at last.

“It was meant as one.”

Grayson’s eyes widen, and his jaw falls open.

“Not that I think of you as a sister, or anything like that! I mean, that would be weird.”

I turn toward him and grin.

“Why would that be weird?”

“I…”

Grayson is at a loss for words. I feel like I’ve achieved some sort of victory.

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