Page 114 of Between Us

Adrian stands, placing his hand firmly on my neck. “I’ll drive.”

Chapter Fifty-Six

Blake

I’mstandinginlinefor Stacks waffle food truck, tucked under Adrian’s arm and quietly making conversation. My brother and his girlfriend are standing behind us. It’s a little more comfortable after the car ride and getting out of the house.

As we were walking down the porch steps, Arielle admitted that this would be her first time doing something without Stella. To his credit, she added that it’s the first time for Grady too—not counting grocery runs and errands. ‘It’s exhausting,’ she vented, but I could see the look in her eyes, like something was telling her from deep in her soul to turn around and go back to her daughter.

I’m a weird mix of envy, and relief that it isn’t mine and Adrian’s reality. Maybe someday, sure.

“The usual?” Adrian pulls away from me as we get nearer. I nod, knowing he has my favorite order memorized as do most of the food trucks here. “Will you grab us a table?”

“Yeah, I’ll try to snag us a heater.” Some of the owners of the food trucks pitched in to purchase a few propane heaters, but from what my mom said, it was the older of the Davies twins, Asher, who suggested forming some sort of donation box to help with the price of the tanks. His brother Hudson built and installed the small collection box at the entrances into The Loop.

Adrian’s never made a big deal about it, but I know he drops a five-dollar bill in there every time we come to grab a bite, which is at least twice a week, even if we don’t use one. For a self-proclaimed city boy, he’s falling into this small-town life pretty easily.

I’m sure being only forty minutes or so from the heart of San Diego helps though.

I plop down at a table and start messing with the knob on the heater. When I turn back around, I almost jump out of my skin.

“Oh my God,” I mutter. “Are you a spy or something?” Arielle’s silently sitting across from me. I hadn’t noticed or heard her follow me.

“Nope, just a former actress,” she says, a little bitterly. My hackles rise on instinct, wanting to defend my brother, except she hasn’t said anything about him. It might not even be abouthim, not really. She gave up the potential of being on Broadway to keep her new family together.

She gave up herdream.

I think she can love her daughter unconditionallyandbe bitter about the future she gave up to be there for Stella.

Grady’s athletic career was kind of taken from him too. He could’ve gone to a more intensive physical therapy, though it wouldn’t have been the same trajectory he’d always imagined. And I don’t know if being a pitcher in the MLB was his dream anymore. It’s not the same.

Plus, my brother can be a teacher from anywhere. Unfortunately for Arielle, there’s only one New York City. And he’d never movethere.

Running the small cloud charm along the silver chain, I watch Arielle shift and avoid eye contact. Maybe we aren’t past this weirdn—

Before the thought can finish forming, her head whips toward me and she asks, “Who was that girl?”

Vivi.Grady’s first best friend. And maybe first love?

“Uhh. Who?” I play dumb, like the good sister I am.

She rolls her eyes, and I momentarily squint mine in response.That’s a loss of a brownie point.“The little red-headed girl ineveryphoto. I’m not dumb, but your brother is stubborn.”

I bite the inside of my lip. She’s not wrong. I was hoping she was a little dumber honestly. “No one.”

“She was obviouslysomeone. All I’m really asking is if shestillis someone.”

“No,” I say quickly. It feels like a lie and Arielle can tell. Those mom powers are kicking in quickly with this one.

I’mnotlying though. Vivi isn’t in Grady’s life anymore. I know that for a fact. I might’ve eavesdropped during that conversation between them at the vow renewal last spring. I didn’t tell my mom that, but to put it lightly, it didn’t go well. At all.And either way, she’s still up in LA while he’s staying in Phoenix withArielle and Stella.

Choices have been made, and paths have been paved. That’s all you can say about it.

But she’s still staring at me like I hold the prophecy to her family’s future.

Quickly, without thinking through my words, I spit out, “She’sno one.I promise. She was a grade below Grady and lived behind us. Our moms are friends, and sure, she had a crush on him. That doesn’t mean he cared about her.” Her shoulders slacken an inch as my stomach instantly knots. “I mean,” I stumble over my words, “they were friends but nothing more.” That also feels like a big fat lie even if it technically isn’t.

“And she lives in the housebehindyou? The one with the gate that connects your backyards?” she questions with a tilt of her head. Her straight brown hair falls over her shoulder, and her perfectly arched eyebrows furrow.

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