Page 49 of Sticking Around

“Fine, what things do you have to do?”

He walks up to me, and taps my nose. “Not everything is your business, either.”

“You’re infuriating.”

He goes back to eating his sandwich, unfazed. “That’s one of the nicer things people have called me.”

Now it’s my turn to roll my eyes. “Fine, if you insist on driving, let’s head in after you eat. I wouldn’t mind hitting up the campus community room and doing a few stretches and breathing exercises.”

He gobbles up his sandwich, and nods. “Great idea.” He pours a glass of water to wash down his sandwich. “Are you going in your pajamas or are you going to get dressed?”

“Right.” I hurry to my room, pull on my most comfortable yoga pants and a T-shirt and shove a sweater into my bookbag. The air conditioning on campus is on full blast, and the rooms are freezing. Once I’m ready, I find Brady opening the door to greet Brighton and Camryn.

“What are you two doing here?” I ask. “I thought you’d be on your way to your summer home by now.” They usually like to leave before lunch to beat the traffic.

Brighton rubs her protruding belly. “We weren’t going to leave without wishing you good luck.”

“Good luck, Ms. Melanie,” Camryn says and wraps her arms around my waist.

“Thank you, Jellybean. Are you guys heading out now?” I ask Brighton, and her gaze cuts to Brady and they exchange a look I don’t understand.

“Brady,” I warn. “What is going on?”

“Nothing.” He holds his hands up innocently.

“I have some errands to run,” Brighton explains, and because she’s not a very good liar, a good quality in my books, I know whatever it is Brady is up to, she’s in on it. While I might be pretending to be mad about it all—I’m certainly not used to people doing things for me—it is rather sweet. Warmth spreads through my chest and it’s kind of crazy because it weirdly feels like we’re all just a big happy family.

Although that will end when my apartment becomes available. But I can’t think about that right now, I have an exam to focus on.

“We’re going to see Grandma and Grandpa,” Camryn tells me.

“Oh, how lovely. Give them a big hug for me.”

I cast Brighton a fast glance, and lower my voice when I ask, “Is everything okay?” Her mother-in-law has dementia and they have been trying to spend a lot of time with her.

“Camryn has some new artwork in her backpack and wants to share it.”

Camryn holds her bag up. “Look, I have a backpack just like you, Ms. Melanie.”

I tap her nose. “Yes, you do.”

“Okay, go break a leg, Mel,” Brighton says and leans in and gives me a hug. “Text me when you’re done to let me know how it went.”

“Will do.”

They head down the stairs and Brady runs back to the kitchen to grab his thermos of coffee. A few minutes later I’m sitting beside him in his vehicle staring at the gorgeous ocean as he drives me into the city.

“I can see why you like living at the resort,” I say with a sigh. “That view never grows old.” He goes quiet, almost pensive, and I cock my head. “What, are you telling me you are growing tired of it?” He scrubs his chin and makes a snorting sound and my chest tightens. Okay, maybe it’s not the view he’s tired of and maybe he did lie to me a while ago when he said I wouldn’t be a bother. Is he tired of having me around?

We’ve been having fun, haven’t we? Sure, I’ve seen another side of him, a kind, compassionate caring side that he hides from the world, and I like that side. But maybe the loud obnoxious guy is who he really is and something about me stifles that. No, that can’t be right. After learning about his past and his demons, I’m pretty sure I know who the real Brady Fisher is. God, I think I might have been confused for a moment there because I’ve been studying too long and now I’m projecting. And, of course, I can’t forget that I still have a few of my own demons haunting me.

But if he is tired of me, I can’t think about that right now. Again, all my focus needs to be on my exam and I’m going to clear my head and not delve into any kind of conversation that will set my brain off in a direction I can’t have it going.

I go quiet and focus on my breathing as we drive and Brady falls quiet too, distracted by his own thoughts. Soon enough, he pulls up in front of my campus and I reach for my door. He touches my arm and leans in to give me a kiss.

“You got this.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence.” He opens his mouth like he’s going to say more, when someone calls my name and I look out the window to see Tania, a girl from my small study group, waving at me.

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