Page 31 of Grumpy Darling

“We interfere with Paige’s attempts to kiss Damien.” Parker said it so simply. Like messing with Paige’s dating life was an obvious and easy choice.

“I’m not going to purposely sabotage her,” I replied. Especially not when she’d asked me to play nice. “If she wants to go after Damien, I have to respect that.”

“What about what you want?” Owen asked.

“Don’t just give up,” Matt added. “We can help.”

A part of me wished they could, but I didn’t need to look again at their whiteboard plan to “help” to know they were in way over their heads. I was alone in my feelings, and their list wasn’t going to change that. Getting a haircut or trying to be “less Grayson” wasn’t going to make Paige suddenly see me differently.

“Thanks for the intervention, guys. But you’ve got it all wrong. I really don’t need this.” I pulled my bag onto my shoulder and headed for the exit, cursing myself for not doing so earlier. The door had just closed behind me when it swung open again and my twin brother followed me into the hallway.

“I think I’ve heard enough for one night, Reed.”

He lifted his hands as though to signal he came in peace. “I know we caught you off guard.”

“That’s an understatement.”

“But we’ve been watching the two of you for years, and I know you feel more for her than you’re letting on. It’s time you did something.”

“Maybe I like things how they are,” I said. “Maybe I don’t want things to change.”

Reed released a heavy sigh, as if dealing with me made the very act of breathing an arduous task. “You said yourself, Paige is looking for another guy to be her first kiss, right? Who knows where that might lead. And I know you’re going to Ryker next year, but Paige hasn’t made any plans. She could end up anywhere. You need to make a move now, before it’s too late.”

I didn’t want to panic, but when Reed put it that way, it felt like there was a ticking clock hanging over me. It was highly likely that Paige and I would be forced to go our separate ways next year. And if she kissed Damien, I might never get her back.

“She deserves so much better than me.” I sighed.

“You’re the only person who believes that,” Reed said. “Youaregood enough for her. She’d be the first one to tell you.”

I hated that Reed’s words were getting to me. Tempting me in a way I’d never let myself be tempted.

“She doesn’t want me,” I argued.

“Maybe, or maybe she’s just never entertained the thought of you.”

“And what if I go after her and I lose her forever?” I sounded so pathetic. This was exactly why I didn’t talk much. You couldn’t say anything stupid if you simply kept your mouth shut.

“I guess that’s a risk you’ve got to take,” Reed replied. “But you also need to realize that doing nothing is risky too. You could lose her either way.”

I stared at my brother, absorbing his words. Maybe I wouldn’t lose her instantly, but if Paige was with some other guy, then, day by day, I’d begin to lose the parts of our relationship that were so special. At first it might be something simple, like the texts she sent me every night. But then it could be the subtle smile she only shared with me. Or worse, the way she laughed when we teased each other, and the sparkle in her eye when she coaxed a reaction out of me.

If I revealed my true feelings for Paige, I could easily crash and burn. But if I did nothing, there was just as much risk I would lose her. If that was going to happen, it had to be better to go down fighting.

“She’s staying with us for two weeks,” Reed continued. “This might be the best chance you have to show her how great you’d be together.”

Or I might drive her away for good. My heart desperately wanted to hope, but I’d been stuck in the friend zone with her for such a long time, I didn’t know how to contemplate escape.

“Just say you’ll think about it,” Reed said. “And know you’ve got backup if you decide you want to do something.”

“Okay,” I grumbled. “I’ll think about it.”

In truth, I was already thinking about it far more than I wanted. I should be dismissing the whole thing. Paige would never see me as anything other than her friend. But what if this was my one and only chance, and I was throwing it away? What if there was a way for her to see me in another light?

I guess I had to decide if I was finally ready to take control of my own fate. And, more importantly, whether I was selfish enough to try to make Paige mine.

Chapter 8

Paige

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