Page 27 of The Weight of Your Wishes

“Grant?” I try, but he just ignores me and shifts the car into drive. My eyes sting as I look at the side of his face. It’s starting to hit me just how disappointed in me he is, and it’s far worse than anything else that could’ve come from tonight.

Because I think he feels betrayed… by me.

CHAPTERTEN

GRANT

The throbbing in my temple has turned into a full-blown headache.

I’m not sure why this whole thing upsets me as much as it does, but I think maybe it’s because I thought we had an understanding by now. I thought we’d laid a strong enough foundation of trust, but the first night he’s out on his own, he turns around and crumbles it to the ground.

My jaw aches from the incessant clenching. It’s the only way I can make sure I don’t say anything I don’t mean.

The truth is, I’ve been worriedsick.

“Are you really going to keep acting like I don’t exist?” he asks as we walk into the house, as if he hadn’t just clouded the cab of my truck with the odor of alcohol and sex and woods, as if his presence wasn’t a constant reminder of his blatant disregard of me. It’s pretty damn hard to ignore that.

“Guess I’ll start packing now,” he mumbles and shrugs as he stomps toward his room.

On instinct, my hand darts out, latching around his arm. “You’re not going any-fucking-where.” Why did he automatically assume I would kick him out? My heart pangs in my chest, and I wish it didn’t. I’m not the one who should be feeling sorry. “I’m going to sleep. We will be talking about this in the morning.”

He gapes up at me with round, glassy eyes. “How do you expect me to sleep like this?”

Pain shoots through my molars as I grit my teeth again. My nostrils flare. “How did you expect me to sleep tonight not knowing where you were or if you were safe? Anything could’ve happened to you.” He winces and tugs his arm away. “Did you even consider that I would be worried about you?”

His dark brows furrow beneath messy strands of hair before he lifts his chin defiantly. “You should’ve slept easy. I can handle myself. Who cares if I wanted to go out and have some fun? It’s my summer break.”

My nostrils flare wider. “Because the last time you went out and had some fun, you drove your car into a God damn pole.” I card my fingers through my hair and turn around to walk into the kitchen. “And sorry it’s notfunenough for you here with me, but you need to learn to deal with it,” I snap, swallowing the lump in my throat.

“That’s not what I meant.” His tone is softer than before, but it’s too late. He said exactly what he meant. I haven’t been so delusional as to think he was enjoying spending his summer break with me.

I go to open the fridge, but his arms wrap around my middle, halting my movement. He presses his forehead into my upper back. “I didn’t mean it that way,” he says vehemently. “I just… I was feeling anxious tonight. Antsy and restless.” He’s holding something back; I can tell by how carefully he’s choosing his words.

His thumb swipes at my abdomen. I look down, my hair falling around my face as I watch it move back and forth. Warmth radiates through the cotton of my shirt at the comforting gesture. I wonder if he even notices that he does that all the time. I clear my throat and rub the wrinkle between my brows. “Let’s just go sit down, okay?” He doesn’t immediately let go, but after a couple of long seconds, he nods against my back and pulls away.

I grab a beer from the fridge and turn around, meeting his red-rimmed gaze. His mouth opens to say something, but he snaps it shut. A vein pulses in my forehead. “Spit it out, Hendrix.”

He shakes his head. “No. Nevermind.”

After everything tonight, he’s still trying to give me the runaround. He shrinks under my glare and curses under his breath. Chills raise the hairs on my neck as I begin to worry. What could he possibly be so scared to tell me?

“Grant,” he whispers, “fuck, I didn’t want to have to tell you about this, but I just can’t ignore it.” He rubs his eyes aggressively, avoiding my gaze. “I saw Veronica.”

I blink a couple of times. Itisa small town, but I don’t know why she’d be out so late.

“She was… she was with some asshole, and I saw them kiss.”

The silence between us grows deafeningly loud as blood rushes in my ears. The beer bottle I was clutching crashes to the tiled floor. A million thoughts flood my mind all at once. Questions. Attempts to make this not true, but my heart wilts, deep beneath my ribs, because I know it is. Why wouldn’t it be? Yet, I can’t help grasping for straws. “Where?” I demand.

He scratches his head anxiously, looking at his feet. “The gas station.” I march toward the front door, grabbing my keys quickly.

“Wait. Where are you going?” he calls out frantically.

“Patty will still be there. Thirty minutes until close.” And I’m shutting the door and locking it behind me. Patty sees everything that happens at her store.

The drive there is quicker than ever, and before I know it, I’m swinging the door open. Bells ring loudly in the empty building, and I go straight for the counter.

Patty looks at me with something like sympathy, and I may be fucking stupid, but I know exactly what that look means. My elbows hit the counter, my head falling into my hands. Bony fingers grip my shoulder, and I know there’s good intention there, but I flinch away.

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