Page 85 of Heartbreak Hill

“I can take anything you have to say, unless you’re telling me it’s over—then I refuse to listen.”

Reid batted his hand away. “It’s not over, but I do have something to say,” she told him. “I know it’s been two weeks since I told you I needed some space away from the situation. Every day I’ve thought about us, the past year, the past month. How you’ve expressed your feelings on the matter, how I have. I can never tell you I know what you’re going through or how you feel, because I don’t.”

“Knock on wood.” Grayson leaned over as far as he could and rapped his knuckles on the side table.

“Right, but that doesn’t mean I don’t feel, or I’m not affected by all of this. It took me two weeks to figure out what it is I’m feeling. Needless to say, I’m ashamed and have honestly never felt this way before.”

Reid adjusted herself so she could see Grayson better. “My hesitation in accepting that you want a relationship with the girls is fear. Fear you’ll want to be with them and not me. That you’ll push me away or keep things from me if I don’t learn to love this side of you. Fear I won’t fit in your life anymore,” she said with a shuddering breath.

“You fit right here.” He took her hand and placed it over his heart. “This beats for you,” he told her. “And those girls, but not in a way you think. This thing keeping me alive beats for them because it’s tied to their father. But you own it. They’re not taking me away from you. As for Nadia, I’m not interested in her. Not even remotely. I can’t imagine the pain I’d be in if I left you. I’m not sure the ticker would survive. You’re the only one I think about being with, day and night. I love you, Reid. I plan to be your husband in less than a year. We’re going to have babies and grow old together.”

“I hate to break it to you, but I’m going to be twenty-nine forever.”

Grayson laughed and kissed her. “I love you.”

“I love you,” she replied.

“Are we good?”

Without hesitation, she nodded. “We are, but I reserve the right to question everything.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

After dinner, they lay on the couch together, with Grayson’s long form positioned behind Reid. Some reality show was on, but she was focused on his fingers circling lazily on her hip, and slowly making their way under the waistband of her shorts. She yawned and snuggled closer to him, loving the way his body kept her warm.

“Do you want to go to bed?” His lips were near her ear when he asked.

“I do, but I’m not tired.”

“Me neither.” He rose and held his hand out for her, only to have his phone ring.

Reid saw Nadia’s name before Grayson could pick his phone up. Not that he’d hide anything from her. He sat down on the couch.“Don’t lose any of those not-tired thoughts,” he told Reid and then put his arm around her, pulling her into his side.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Grayson.” Lynnea’s voice fluttered through the receiver.

“Hey, what’s up?”

“Nuffin’,” she said. “When do you come here?”

“I don’t know. Why?”

“Can you take me to the father-daughter dance?”

Reid’s heart sank. The romantic in her wanted him to go, while the logical part wanted Nadia to control what her daughter was up to.

“Where’s your uncle Reuben, isn’t he taking you?”

“Yes, but he’s taking Gemma, and I will go wif you.”

Reid saw Grayson’s Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed. He struggled to hold back emotions that didn’t belong to him. It wasn’t his heart making him feel this way; it was the donor’s. Reid could see this.

“Where’s your mom? Does she know you’re calling me?”

“No,” Lynnea said quietly. “I pressed your name.”

“It’s okay to call me, Lynnea. But you have to ask your mom first.”

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