Page 37 of The Ballad of Us
Gray steps forward with his hand extended, and I watch Emma's expression change from confusion to recognition to protective concern.
“Gray Garrison.” He extends his hand to Emma. “It's nice to meet you. Rhea talks about you all the time.”
“I know who you are.” Emma accepts his handshake but keeps her voice carefully neutral.
I suppress a smile at Emma's response. She's been listening to me talk about Gray for months, and she's clearly appointed herself as my unofficial bodyguard.
“The band rented a cabin nearby. Gray just got out of rehab today,” I explain.
Emma's expression softens slightly. “How's that going for you?”
“Ninety days clean and sober. One day at a time. I've already scoped out the Wednesday night meeting in town, and I'm planning to keep up with the morning meditation routine I’ve learned.” He’s not defensive with her, which makes me proud.
She nods approvingly. “Good for you. Recovery's hard work.”
“The hardest thing I've ever done. But it's worth it.” He nods with a small smile, tugging at his lips.
His tone must convince her of his sincerity, because Emma's protective stance relaxes slightly. “Well, congratulations then and welcome to Dogwood Hollow.”
“Thank you. It's beautiful here. I can see why Rhea loves it.” Gray shoves his hands back in his pants pockets and waits for Emma to respond.
“She fits here. We're lucky to have her,” Emma replies.
Her kindness makes me feel seen by a woman who I think should’ve been my sister. She’s my family now in a lot of ways.
Gray's smile is soft and genuine. “Yes, you are.”
The moment lingers as two people I care about learn to navigate new territory. Outside, the rest of Case in Point waits in Andrew’s SUV, giving Gray space to test the waters before complicating things.
“I should let you get back to work. But maybe I could come by tomorrow? When you're not busy? We could talk more about everything,” he offers.
I’d be lying if I didn’t admit I’m nervous to be with him alone again, but not because I’m afraid of him. I’m simply fearful that I’ll fall into old habits and not give this friendship the space, time, and boundaries it deserves.
“I'd like that,” I hear myself say. “I get off at four.”
“Four it is.” He takes a step toward the door, then turns back. “Rhea? Thank you. For answering my calls, for visiting me, and for agreeing to be part of my support system. It means more than you know.”
“Thank you for doing the work, and for becoming this version of yourself again.” I smile at him, letting him know how happy I am that he’s done so much work over the past three months. Because it brought him here today, healthy and looking every bit the sexy, tortured musician.
After he returns to his bandmates, Emma joins me at the window. We watch the SUV disappear, taking Gray into the mountains just ten minutes from my new life without him.
“So… that's him. The famous ex-boyfriend who broke your heart,” Emma says casually, like she didn’t just meet a Grammy-winning artist and songwriter.
“Yeah, that’s him.” I don’t want her to think I hid it from her to hurt her feelings, but I was beginning a new chapter in my life that didn’t include Gray.
“He seems different from what I expected,” she muses.
“Different how?” I’m curious how other people see Gray, especially outside of the music world.
“I expected an asshole, but the sober version of him seems very kind.You going to be okay with him living so close?” Her concern hits my fears right on the head.
I search for fear and old wounds, expecting panic to surface. But instead, hope nudges its way into the space where anxiety once lived. It’s a cautious, unfamiliar hope that things might be different now.
“Yeah. I think I am,” I say carefully, not sure if I can trust my own feelings where Gray is concerned.
The man who just walked into her coffee shop isn't the broken person I left three months ago. He's the Gray I fell in love with. He’s the same man beneath the addiction and pain. Maybe we can finally be in each other's lives without destroying the other.
Fourteen
