Page 43 of Deceiving Grier

Alistair grinned back at him. “If you’re going to do something, do it right.”

“I’lltryto do the voices,” Finn said, carrying his son up the stairs.

Once they were gone, Alistair turned his attention to me. “What’s going on?

I told him everything, starting with me and Sawyer first getting together and finishing with Sawyer’s confession about moving in and the article he’d planned on writing.

“Holy shit,” Alistair said when I finished telling him everything. “Are you okay?”

I wasn’t. I was a wreck. I was on the brink of coming apart, and I knew the first minute I was alone, I would. “I’m all right,” I lied.

Small-footed footsteps hurrying back down the stairs cut our conversation short. Then Will was launching himself into Alistair’s arms.

“I wanted to stay up with you guys, but Daddy said I had to go to bed ‘cause it’s already late.”

“Your Dad’s right,” Alistair said, settling the boy on his lap. “But it’s okay because Grier is staying over. You’ll see him in the morning.”

“I am?” I asked.

“Yep. You are. We purposely bought a house that has a guest room for just such an occasion.”

“You bought a house with a guest room in case one of your friends dated his roommate then found out said roommate lied about pretty much everything and was trying to write some kind of exposé feature where he thought your friend might have burned down his own house?”

“Isn’t that why anyone has a guest room? Finn and I had almost that exact conversation when we were looking at this house.” He grinned and stood, adjusting Will on his hip. “I’m going to tuck him in, then I’ll be right back.” Then to Will, “Say good night.”

“Good night, Grier,” Will chirped. “See you in the morning.”

I couldn’t help but smile. The kid was adorable. “Good night, Will.”

Alistair carried him up, leaving me alone in the living room. I looked at what Alistair had, the home and family he and Finn were building together, and I was genuinely happy for my friend, but I knew I wanted those things too.

I didn’t want to have to go back to Wisconsin, didn’t want to go back to feeling ashamed of who I was, of having to hide a part of myself because I made other people uncomfortable. I wanted to stay here with the people who loved me and whom I loved in return. But it was too late. I felt as if I was trapped on some kind of conveyor that was dragging me closer to a future I didn’t want to face, and it was too late for me to get off now. Hell, it has been too late for me since I was born, my father’s only son.

Finn came back downstairs first but hesitated before sitting down. “I can go hang out upstairs,” he said, “if you just want to talk to Alistair tonight.”

I shook my head. “No, you should probably know all this too. It affects you guys as well.”

He frowned and lowered himself to the couch beside me. “Do you need me to go kick somebody’s ass?”

I snorted out a laugh before I could help myself. “I don’t think so, but thanks.” I appreciated the offer, but even as angry as I was at Sawyer, I didn’t want him hurt. “I’m sorry I was so mean to you when you and Alistair first started seeing each other.”

“Don’t be,” Finn said. “You have nothing to be sorry for. You were right. Alistair deserved better, and I’m doing everything I can to make sure he gets it. You do too, for the record. You deserve good things.”

My throat squeezed tight. “Thanks,” I croaked.

When Alistair came back downstairs, he told Finn everything I had told him.

“What a dick,” Finn said, when Alistair finished.

Finn wasn’t wrong. It was just that Sawyer could also be weirdly sweet and considerate, and I hated him for making me feel this way.

“He did give me a weird vibe when we were at your place the last time,” Alistair added.

I wished my instincts had been as attuned. “I explained to Sawyer that there was nothing underhanded going on and that the reason Greyson was letting us stay in the house was a favor to you, for Alistair.”

“Do you think he’ll still try to write a story about all this, but make something up if he can’t find any real evidence?” Finn asked.

I shook my head. “No,” I told him, honestly. “I don’t think he’d risk his career on a lie.”

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