Page 120 of Broken Dreams
We approach the headstone where Davis is written in big block letters with a football etched in the top corner. “Hi, baby,” I say as I sink down to my knees, brushing away the dirt off the bottom. “It’s been a while and I brought a friend I wanted you to meet. He met the guys already—and survived, so that’s something. I...well, he’s here as my date for Jenna’s wedding. So, you know, awkward me talking out loud about this. Anyway.” I adjust a few of the items that are here from the town, making it a little more organized as I ramble. “Elodie is getting so big. She’s got a best friend, his name is Jett and he’s Grady’s son. The two of them are so cute together and I’m sure you’d love watching them.”
Grady moves closer behind me, his hand resting on my shoulder. That gesture, that little support makes my chest tighten. I haven’t had this. For three years I’ve been battling this world alone, and he reminded me what it’s like to have a pillar behind you, there to lean on when you feel like falling.
I lift my hand, tangling our fingers together. “I told you I thought I was ready to date again, and I kind of am.” I look up at Grady and he smiles down at me. “I hope you’ll be happy for me if you’re listening. I...well, I’m happier than I’ve been since I lost you.” I kiss the tips of my fingers and press them to the cold granite. “Until I see you again.”
Slowly I rise and Grady wraps his arm around my shoulder, pulling me to his chest. “Are you okay?”
“I am.” And that’s the truth. I’m alive and happy and working on building the future I want. There are a million possibilities and since meeting Grady, I feel that they’re all in reach.
I wrap my arms around his middle as we start to walk back to the car.
“Thank you for letting me be here with you.”
“I’m surprised you wanted to come,” I admit.
“While I didn’t talk aloud, I had some things I wanted to say to him too. As the guy who is in your life.”
I stare up at him through my lashes, wondering what he could possibly say to Isaac. We’re nearing the end of this relationship. When we get back home, we start the falling apart, but then I wonder if he wasn’t explaining that?
Still, it’s not my business, even if I’m dying to know.
“I’m sure he would’ve appreciated it. He was a guy who always did the right thing. He was giving to a fault and selfless. More than anything, he was just honest. Isaac would tell someone the truth no matter what and accept the consequences of his words.”
“That is admirable.”
I laugh once. “It was annoying too, but you never had to guess with him. He told it like it was and you always knew you’d get the truth.”
We reach the car and Grady turns me so my back is against the car and brushes my hair back. “He would’ve hated our arrangement.”
“Yes, but probably for more reasons than the deceit part,” I say with a grin.
“Like the fact that we’re sleeping together.”
“That would definitely not weigh in your favor.”
Grady lets out a heavy breath and his warm hand cups my neck. “What would he think if we weren’t pretending? Do you think he would’ve been happy for us?”
I close my eyes, hating that the image of that reality is all I want. “I think...if this was real...Isaac would be rooting for us because you make me smile and you’re good to Elodie.”
He rests his forehead to mine. “You deserve to smile, Addy.”
“And so do you.”
He presses his lips to mine, just briefly. “I wish just the thought of you didn’t make my whole day brighter, it would make us walking away so much easier.”
I got news today that will take me much farther away than he realizes.
twenty-seven
GRADY
We’re lying in bed, her head resting on my chest, and I really wish I could find something about her that I dislike.
But I can’t.
She’s sweet. She’s intelligent. She makes me laugh and she lets me boss her around in the bedroom. Everything I want in a woman is wrapped around my body right now and yet...I am going to give it all up when I get my investment.
I’ll have to find a way to see her and not want to pin her to the wall and make us both forget the world.
