Page 36 of Losing Sleep
I shifted away from Grey, grateful for the distraction while also missing his warmth.
“Or, if you get too cold, you can go inside. No one’s making you stargaze,” Tory pointed out as she settled on my other side, effectively sandwiching Grey and me in the middle of the group.
“Don’t be silly. Of course, I want to be out here with you guys. Making memories with friends and all that,” Kylie said.
We settled back into silence, and I gazed at the sky. Someone had turned off the cabin lights when they came out, making even more stars visible. Maybe if I wished on one of them hard enough, I could make sense of what was going on between me and Grey. His comments about my kindness and bravery replayed in my mind, making my toes curl with happiness.
As if reading my thoughts, I felt Grey’s pinky brush mine, and I froze for a moment, my breath hitching in my lungs. We’d briefly held hands at the Firehole when he’d been helping me reach the rapids for my first jump. The sensation had been pleasant, and I found myself wanting a repeat of the contact. Mustering my courage, I nudged his pinky with mine and inched my hand closer. Following my lead, Grey interlaced his fingers with mine, and warmth traveled up my arm at the contact. I relaxed into the sensation, liking the way his fingers felt tangled up in mine. I liked holding Grey’s hand and listening to him talk—not hismonologues, but his actual conversations. Maybe knowing that much was enough for now.
Chapter Eighteen
The next morning, Iwas the first one awake again. We’d stargazed until well past midnight, counting shooting stars and telling stories. After one story when Tory recounted nearly being trampled by a moose in the very clearing where we were lying, we collectively decided to call it a night and head inside, carrying blankets and doing our best not to trip in the dark.
I quickly got ready, pulling my hair into a braid but pausing when I reached for my makeup. We would be hiking today, and the only guy who I might care to impress had made it clear last night that he didn’t care about my makeup. Deciding to be brave, I skipped that step and headed into the living room, surprised to find Tory had woken up while I got ready. She sat on the couch, bundled in a blanket, her brows pinched as she stared out the windows to the trees beyond.
“What’s the matter?” I asked, sitting next to her and stealing a corner of her blanket to snuggle under. The denim quilt was heavy and settled as a comforting weight on my legs.
“It’s Trent. He gets weird when the twins are around, no matter how much I promise there’s nothing to worry about. We’ve been friends since I was seven. Their grandparents own the cabin next door.” She nodded out the window towards a two-story log structure I could see just past the trees. “But it doesn’t matter how many times I tell him we’re just friends—Trent doesn’t believe me. Last night he even accused me of secretly wishing I was dating Brad instead of him. Ridiculous, right?”
She threw up her hands in a huff, looking to me for confirmation of her thoughts.
I paused, biting my lip and thinking through my response before speaking.
“I can kind of see where Trent’s coming from.”
Tory sat up, twisting to face me more fully. “What do you mean?”
“Think about it. You’re a bubbly, friendly person, and you’re that way with everyone. But the twins—they seem to bring out an extra level of energy that I don’t see in you around anyone else.”
“That’s not true. I’m the same level of bubbly with all my friends.” Tory protested, her face pinched.
“You greet all your friends with overly enthusiastic hugs when you’re wearing a wet swimsuit?” I asked, remembering the day before and the tic in Trent’s jaw every time Tory was in Brad’s vicinity.
Tory remained quiet for a moment, processing my words before collapsing back against the couch with a groan.
“I guess I can see that. We’ve been friends for so long. I forget that most people don’t know how to react to our dynamic.” The words were soft but loaded with memories and meaning.
“And you can’t tell me you’ve never thought about dating either one of the twins. I mean, look at them! They’re gorgeous.”
Tory stayed oddly quiet, and I shifted to watch her face. She bit her lip and refused to make eye contact.
“I may have thought about it, once or twice,” she said finally, her green eyes darting up to meet mine and then away.
“Tory!” I grabbed a throw pillow and gave her a gentle thwack. “And you never told me?”
“What was I supposed to tell you? ‘Remember Brad, that guy I’ve told you repeatedly is just a good friend? I wouldn’t mind if he was more than a friend.’” Her cheeks were bright pink, and I couldn’t contain a grin.
“That would have done the trick. Do you still have feelings for him?”
She shook her head. “Absolutely not. I’m dating Trent, and he’s the only person I have romantic feelings for. Now, if only I could get Trent to see that.”
“Want my advice?” I hated the words I was about to speak, but I knew they needed to be said. Memories of walking in on Lyle and Emily kissing, after repeated assurances that they were only friends, played through my mind. Emily had been particularly adamant. She’d referenced our many years of friendship, asking me if I trusted her. Turns out I should have questioned her more, not less.
Tory closed her eyes and nodded.
“If you really care for Trent, don’t give him any room for doubt. If that means putting distance between you and Brad, do it. You, Trent, and Brad all deserve at least that much.”
Tory shifted, resting her head on my shoulder with a groan. “I know you’re right, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. I don’t know how to have less of Brad in my life.”
