Page 115 of Choosing Forever
“You make me one hell of a lucky grandmother to have a granddaughter like you.”
My throat clogs as I toss my bag over my shoulder and leave the table. Maybe I hit the shoulder of the rude guy from earlier on purpose, or maybe . . . yeah, it was on purpose.
“Are Mom and Dad okay? Grayson?”
She scoffs. “Yes, they’re fine. I was serious when I said everything was okay.”
“Just triple-checking.”
“You know, I saw Poppy the other day. She stopped me and told me about the studio she’s wanting to open. You’ll never believe it,” she says, segueing into another topic I’d rather avoid.
It’s spring, but it feels like summer already. Unfortunately for me, the heat doesn’t stand a chance against the cold rush coming that follows the sound of Poppy’s name.
“Let me guess,” I mutter, hurrying down the main path through campus. “A pole studio.”
“She told you about it, then? You’ve started speaking again?”
“No. That was just her plan for a while now. I figured it was only a matter of time before she went for it.”
“This is ridiculous. A boy should not get between you, even if it is Darren,” Grandma says with a huff.
“He was always going to get between us. They’re siblings. I’m just the ex-girlfriend. I knew she wouldn’t stay in contact.”
“That doesn’t sound any less ridiculous.”
“Let it go, Grandma.”
There isn’t anything to do now but hope that when I finally do come back home, I get not only my best girl friend back but her brother too. That was always the plan, even if things have gotten more complicated than expected.
“Fine. But we’re talking about it again once you get home.”
“In that case, I’m actually busy for the foreseeable future.”
Grandma laughs. “We both know you’d miss me too much to stay away much longer.”
She’s right. I miss Cherry Peak more than I’ll ever admit.
DARREN
“Get the fuck up, Darren. You’re lying on my sweater.”
I drape an arm over my eyes and ignore the hand slapping at my back. Exhaustion barks at me, reminding me that it’s probably still the middle of the night.
“Get. Up. It’s under your stomach.”
Rolling onto my side, I expect to fall onto a cool mattress. The immediate jolt of pain in my shoulder as it rolls over hardwood is the opposite of that.
“The hell?” I grunt, my voice sounding like it belongs to someone else.
The backs of my eyes burn when I open them completely and get blinded with the sun. I close them again and manage to lift a numb arm behind me to shove the person bugging me away.
“You look like shit.”
“Thanks.”
“I mean it. And you stink. Shower and get some breakfast before your sister comes to get you.”
“Poppy?”
