Page 80 of Losing Forever
He doesn’t ask me to visit her. I know he won’t, either. Now that I think about it, she acted strange during the few times I was home from college. She started smoking, for Christ’s sake, which annoyed me to no end.
Every time she lit up, I told her she was risking her life. No wonder her response was always the same: “Life is a risk. The world is a dangerous place. I could walk out the front door and end up dead.”
I thought she was being dramatic. Now it all makes sense.
29
Braylee
Ienter the renovated house and take in the work from the stagers we hired. They did an excellent job. The open floor plan shows a modern living, dining, and kitchen space. The designers used green as an accent color in the throw pillows and decorations. It matches the green I chose in the master bedroom.
“This looks amazing.” I meet Noah where he stands near the kitchen island, spreading out flyers of the house for potential buyers. “Isn’t that Grayson’s job?”
I haven’t seen him in three weeks. Noah said he didn’t come back to the office after he left Seattle. He took four more days and when he returned, he moved into a short-term rental property, where he works from home.
Noah says he’s figuring things out and getting his head on straight, and we should leave him to do so.
Even though I was happy to hear it, I was sad that I couldn’t comfort Grayson in a time when he clearly needs it. Isn’t that why I sent him away, though? So he could fix himself? I did it to protect my heart, too.
When I got back into town, Noah asked if anything went on between me and Grayson. I could have lied, but he’s not dumb, and he deserved the truth.
I explained Grayson and I formed a friendship, which led to more, and I was clear it was as much my doing as it was Grayson’s. I also explained I knew it wasn’t serious and didn’t expect it to be otherwise.
After some anger and choice words toward Grayson, Noah agreed to drop the topic and hasn’t brought it up again.
It happened. It’s done. Grayson is doing what I told him to do—deal with his life how he sees fit. I’m doing the same. If only my days and nights didn’t revolve around thoughts of him.
All this time has been too much. I want—need—to see him to know he’s okay, to know he’s happy. I miss him. I never got to congratulate him on getting his license. If Noah hadn’t told me, I wouldn’t even know.
Noah fiddles with the flyers, taking longer than necessary to organize them, like he’s avoiding my question.
“Is Grayson not coming or something?”
“He’s coming.”
“Then why did you bring those and not him?”
He shrugs. “They were delivered to the office, so I brought them.”
“He couldn’t stop by and get them himself before the open house?”
Noah taps a finger on the quartz counter. “For two people who aren’t together, you sure do talk about each other a lot.”
“He talks about me?” I can’t hide the eagerness in my voice.
Noah laughs through his nose and shakes his head. “I should have seen this coming. If I weren’t so preoccupied with Siani, I would have. Nothing I can do about it now.”
Instead of scowling the way he does when I talk about Grayson, his features soften with a warm smile that has me questioning his mental status.
Time to change the subject. “How is Siani?”
I met her when she came to dinner at the house last weekend. I didn’t know what to expect with a unique name like Siani.
Leave it to Noah to find the prettiest redhead in existence. Strawberry-blonde might be more fitting. Faint freckles cover her pale skin. She’s an inch or two taller than me and has the grace of a ballerina. For an attorney to-be, I imagined she’d be more ferocious, but her manners are gentle, in a motherly way. I liked her at once and was comfortable in her presence, although I can’t imagine anyone wouldn’t be, with her caring nature.
“She’s good,” Noah answers. “She’s studying today but she wants to have lunch over here tomorrow. Want to join us?”
“No, thank you.” He always includes me, as if he thinks I’m lonely. I’m not. Well, not for company, just for one person.
