Page 79 of Falling for Grace

“I’m going to be right here with you, every step of the way. You're not alone.”

I pull back and give her a watery smile. “It’s taken me a long time to realise that. And for what it’s worth, I’m sorry.”

“Sorry?” she asks, looking genuinely confused.

“For never letting you in. You were so desperate to get to know me but I always pushed you away.”

“You’re so incredibly brave, Grace. What you have been through, where you are now—you should remember that. You should remember everything you have accomplished and hold your head high. You’re amazing.”

“Wow! This was a serious conversation before eight on a Friday morning.” I lean in and hug her again.

“So you’re going to call Ben, huh?” she says, changing the subject.

“You know, I think I am. I mean, we kinda hit it off, and he was cute.”

“I’ve been seeing Rob. We can totally double date,” she squeals.

I laugh, then look at the clock. “Shit, I’ve gotta run. You get the beers, I’ll call you on my lunch, okay?”

“Love ya.”

I smile and grab my keys, closing the door to my best friend, and I hold my head high.

But even as I walk to my car, taking a bite of my toast, that little evil bitch of a voice is sayingWhat about Brandon?

Chapter 29

Iam bored. Like, horrifically bored. I have a ton of work to do, but I can't focus. I have a zillion emails to read, but I can’t be bothered. I pull my phone out my pocket, and I’m surprised to see I have two messages. One is from T, asking me if I’ve got hold of Ben yet.

The second is from Ben—hah!

Are you home now? B x

I flinch, hating that he has signed off as B, just like Brandon does.

Hi, Ben, Got back three weeks ago, sorry I didn’t get in touch. Want to go for a drink? X

Now?

I look at the clock. It’s 2 p.m., but it is a Friday and I’m sitting in my office attempting to work my way through my emails, my desk full of scraps of paper with my scribbles peppering them, messages and notes that only make sense in the moment. Glancing back down at them now I can barely remember which pay enquiry they related too.

I glance out the window and watch as one of the Trailers full of tourists drive past, on their way to the Rocket Park to see the rockets of past space missions. As a child I remember sitting on the very same golf buggy trailers, the rockets used to be outside. But years of sitting outside in the blistering heat and sun of Houston, they finally decided to cover them.

At work?

What time do you finish?

5

Meet me at 5.30 at Sullys

I wasn’t expecting this to happen so quickly, so I hesitate. Taking a moment to think of excuse to get out of this. But you know what? There isn’t one really.

Fuck it.

Life is too short.

Sure. C u later x

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