Page 66 of The Surprise Play
So, yeah. Grady and his girl are over. That’s gotta be it.
I just don’t get why he’s not telling us about it. When things were going great with Teah, you couldn’t shut the guy up. He was so in love with that girl, it’s all he could talk about.
And now they’re just over?
I really want to know what went down between them, but Grady’s obviously still not ready to talk.
Shit. Do we have to give him space?
Can’t we just pin him to the floor and force him to tell us?
I hate secrets. I’m an open book around these guys. They’re my family. We live together. We share shit. It’s what makes us tight.
Can’t believe Grady’s icing us out. It’s so not helping him.
I have one more silent conversation with Zander, asking him if space is really what our buddy needs.
He bulges his eyes at me, and I sit back with a small frown before putting on a bright smile for Zoey, who’s starting to look worried.
With a soft snicker, I touch the side of my mouth and point at Zoey. “You’ve got a little something on your face, kiddo.”
Sienna turns to look at her daughter, then bursts out laughing.
A little something?
Zoey is covered.
That girl has pasta sauce from her chin to her ears. Her cheeks are rosy with it, and the curls around her face have an orange tinge.
Zoey giggles and that sets Zander off, and soon we’re all laughing at our little girl. Even Grady cracks a smile before rising from the table and clearing his plate.
I watch him go, wondering if I should follow him, corner him in the kitchen, and try to getsomethingout of him.
But my phone rings before I can.
Pulling it from my pocket, I check the screen and murmur, “Better take this,” before standing up and putting on my brightest voice. “Hey, Pops. How’s it hanging?”
Dad laughs the way he always does, like I’m his pride and joy. “Hey, son. Have I caught you at a good time?”
“Yeah, just finished dinner.” I wander into the living room and perch my butt against the back of the couch, gazing out the window at the street traffic.
There isn’t much, just a man walking his golden retriever under the streetlights. I watch them amble past as Dad tells me about his plans for the big game ahead.
“The final, Wily. Your mom and I are so proud. We’ve invited your grandparents, and Uncle Tomas and Aunt June will be there too. The neighbors talked me into giving them four tickets, and they’ll be bringing their kids along, plus your cousins from Arizona are coming over for it. That leaves two spare seats. Is there anyone else you want me to invite?”
Satch pops into my head immediately, but I shut that thought down before it can fully form.
I doubt she’d want to come anyway.
And why would I even want her there? She’s my tutor, not…
Your friend?
Why not. You like hanging out with her.
The thought spins through my brain as I try to answer my father. “You’ve saved a seat for Sienna?”
“Yep. Just one, right?”
