Page 21 of Grumpy Darling

“Damn,” Grayson cursed. “I forgot the ketchup.”

“I’ll go,” I said, jumping up from my seat. I was only too eager for the excuse to leave. Bonnie’s lips tightened. She knew exactly what I was doing. But I was up and away from the table before she could stop me.

I took my time grabbing the sauce, happy to delay my return as long as possible. Was it too much to hope the end-of-lunch bell might ring?

When I got back to the table, I expected to find Bonnie and Grayson sitting in uncomfortable silence. It’s not that they didn’t get along, but they didn’t exactly have a lot in common either. Unfortunately, as I walked up, it sounded like they were arguing about something.

“What about Levi?” Bonnie said.

“He’s too selfish,” Gray replied without hesitation.

“Tyler?”

“He’s mean to his mom.”

“Elliot? I know he’s in the year below us, but he’s hot and he’s on the team with you.”

“Definitely not. He never owns up to his mistakes.”

Oh no. I should have known Bonnie couldn’t be trusted. The idea of her dragging Grayson into this made me want to hide under the table and never come out. Already, he was surveying every guy in the room as though he were a border-patrol officer searching for contraband.

Looking at him now, I wondered how I hadn’t seen it earlier. How I hadn’t realized he was the reason guys avoided me like the plague. I felt like I was in a Jane Austen novel, and he was my overly protective father trying to find me the ideal suitor.

Bonnie sighed, exasperated.

“Okay, you come up with a name then.”

Grayson shrugged. I was beginning to think I should interrupt them. At the very least, let them know I was here. But I was both horrified and intrigued by their conversation, and I couldn’t bring myself to intervene.

Bonnie continued, “Well, if no one else is good enough for her, perhaps her best friend should step up to the plate...” She leaned back in her seat, a satisfied smile on her face as she waited for Grayson to reply.

I knew I should have returned to the table when I had the chance. What was Bonnie thinking? I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear Gray’s answer, and I instinctively started to back away. But he spoke before I could escape.

“We’re friends. I’m the last person Paige should kiss.”

I expected to feel relief. He was only repeating what we’d both said to people countless times before. It was something I’d already said myself at least once today. But a small part of me flickered with disappointment. Did Grayson really find me so unappealing?

“I’m back,” I said as brightly as I could, placing the ketchup packets on Grayson’s tray.

“Thanks,” he murmured, keeping his eyes on his food. He was probably still grossed out by Bonnie’s suggestion and trying his best not to shudder at the mental image of kissing his best friend.

“Finally,” Bonnie said. “I’ve had some time to think while you were gone.”

Alarm bells were already ringing as I lowered myself into my seat. “Okay...”

“Since Grayson joined our table, I swear zero guys have walked by it.” She shot him an accusatory look, but he remained focused on his food.

“So . . .” he muttered.

“So, a freshly sharpened blade would be less cutting than your stare. People literally take a detour to avoid you.”

“I’m just sitting here, eating lunch,” he grumbled.

“Exactly,” Bonnie replied. “The ‘Grayson effect’ is clearly even worse than I realized. I think you need to give us a list of all the guys you haven’t scared the hell out of already...”

Gray’s eyes snapped up from his tray and he glanced between Bonnie and me. He was clearly surprised I’d told her about the so-called “Grayson effect,” and I felt a little guilty.

“How am I supposed to know who’s scared of me and who isn’t?” Gray protested. “I didn’t do the scaring intentionally.”

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