Page 60 of Barefoot Dreams
And I’m ecstatic for him and Grace. Truly. They’ve had one hell of a ride that started two years ago all the way in New York and crossed the finish line here, in Loverly Cave, when Gracie drove into town wearing a wedding dress.
Yeah…it was a shit show for a second there but I’m not one to talk, as Luke kindly likes to remind me. And as much as I hate to admit it, he isn’t wrong.
My life is a twisted fuckery while everyone around me is living out their happily ever afters.
Everyone around me has seemed to settle down in a matter of weeks. Everyone’s life is progressing while my google search history is loaded with: best cat breeds, cool cat names, lavender watering schedule, and more along the same lines.
It’s getting more and more depressing as the days go on.
I cast another glance toward the cottage. Where did she go? I only came out here today because Luke hinted that girls like to watch them surf. The asshole knew what he was doing with throwing that comment my way and I took the bait like the desperate fool I was.
But fuck! What else was I supposed to do?
I couldn’t have her. Not when things got that serious with her and Owen three months ago.
God, I could only imagine how much closer they might be getting toward engagement, wedding and babies and a dark, painful shiver runs down my spine.
Yeah, glimpses are as good as it gets and I hate it.
“There’s a good one,” Luke yells out but by the time I turn back around, the wave he left for me to take, was no more than a soft curve.
Julie has the best soft curves…
“God, this is getting pathetic. Why don’t you just ask her out finally?” Luke offers.
“Don’t you have something better to do?”
“Griffin, brother, you either have to go after her or let it all go. This isn’t normal. You can keep stalking her like a creep in a cheesy horror film.”
“I already tried the ham way. It didn’t work. And I don’t like eggs either. So, kindly fuck off with your helpful advice.”
Luke stares at me, his lips puckered and after a beat he says, “Yeah, no. I don’t want to know what all of that means becauseI can only assume it came from opossum one and two.” He gestures toward his brother, Alec, and Jacob.
Ishouldask Jacob if there’s a third option? Something between ham and eggs?
Because I tried to forget her. I tried to avoid Julie at all costs but she’s everywhere. And most of all in my thoughts. I can’t get her smile, her scent, her song-like voice out of my mind. I can’t look at any other women and not see her with that fiery hair, plush lips, freckles over the bridge of her nose and the sunshine that radiates off her like the brightest light.
She’s in my heart. She’s in there too deep. So no there’s no walking away.
And there’s no future. I’ve known it since the second Owen mentioned dinner with his parents.
My dreams crashed and burned right there on the spot when she confirmed it. Just like that, before it even started, the game was over.
“You know she’s dating someone else,” I tell Luke bitterly.
“Oh my God, we are back to that. I told you, I haven’t seen her with anyone and even if she is, you fight. You never stop fighting, damn it! If I had the chance to go back to two years ago, to the day Grace walked into my bar with that prick, I’d piss all over her if I had to. I’d do whatever the fuck it took to avoid the misery that was the next two years without her.”
“It’s not that easy.”
Luke lets out a sardonic half laugh. “It never is, Griff.”
“I won’t be the reason she breaks up with him. It might never even work between us, and she’ll blame me for losing Owen! Not to mention Cal, he’ll plain simple kill me for this shit.”
“Do you see Callum anywhere here?”
“That’s not the point!”
“No, you’re right, it’s not.” Luke shakes his head. “Chickenshit. There, I finally found the perfect nickname for your sorry ass.”
