Page 46 of Make You Love Me

Lucian dropped Frankie and me off here since she’s a badass who drives a motorcycle—and I didn’t want my driver to do it. It's bad enough I’m already hearing my name whispered around the halls. They know of my family, shit we go toRichmondHills High School. I don’t need to give them any more fuel.

I need to learn how to drive. Ashley’s brother, Micah, tried to teach us one time, but that turned intoa total shit show. Being raised in New York City means you’re not required to have a license. Between taxis, Ubers, trains, subways, and buses, there’s always a way to get where you want to go.

Ethel has been on her best behavior. She seems extremely preoccupied with who knows what, but she’s been almost decent towards me. When I told her I was going to a party tonight, she just told me to have fun.Have fun!So unlike her, but I’m not complaining. She did ask me to join her for brunch on Sunday, which was a surprise. The fact she asked me and didn’t demand it was a nice change. I’m still skeptical of her new-found disposition towards me, especially after the results of Papa's Will. I feel like we’re playing a game. A game I don’t want any part of, but it's her next move I truly worry about. I know she has something stewing in that calculated brain of hers.

I bop around the party, never straying too far from Frankie. I hope she doesn’t mind. She seems more than happy to hang around me too. From what Greyson said about her, she’s definitely a genuine person.

Ugh Greyson. Every time I feel a sense of normalcy or calm, reminders of him come to mind. It's not fair honestly. I swear I can still feel his scratchy beard along my neck and thighs. He played me, made me feel like a fool for believing him… for believing inus. I'm not in the right mindset to deal with him right now. I want to approach the conversation with a level head and not this heap of emotions I've been dealing with.

Speak of the devil. I see his blue eyes focused on me from across the fire, the flames creating magnificent shadows across his stupidly handsome face. Football must be bulking him up because I swear he’s even bigger than I remember. His beard’s a little longer and so damn sexy. He’s here with his boys, Ford and Lennox, whom everyone refers to as Nox. I had a class with each of them this week and although Nox seems quiet, he was friendly. Ford, geez that boy is a handful. You can see why the girls fall at his feet. He could charm his way into anything.

While staring off into the distance, Frankie comes to sit next to me, bringing me another hard seltzer. We crack them open and cheers our drinks. I release a sigh as I lock onto Greyson's eyes once more.So close and yet so far. God he is so beautiful it hurts to look at him.

“You ready to talk about it yet?” I hear her say from beside me.

“Honestly, it's so screwed up I don’t know…"

“Remember, I grew up in a motorcycle club. The shit I've heard and seen would blow your mind. I once walked in on my uncle getting a blowjob from two club whores, a sight I can never unsee. Try me.”

“Wow, yeah, not the visual you want. Ok, well clearly you know Greyson and I had a thing over the summer. It was everything I could have ever dreamed of. He was amazing, so sweet and caring. The moments we shared were like straight out of one of my romance books,” I say, trying to brace myself for what happened next.

She nods at me to continue as she takes another sip of her White Claw.

“So… one day he popped over as Ethel, my grandmother, and I were finishing up a luncheon. I was out in the back yard with her friend's son, Jacob. We were just hanging out, and he reached for my face in a more-than-friends type of way. I pulled away and told him about Greyson. He apologized, but it was too late. Greyson saw me with Jacob and just stormed off. He said he needed time and would call me later.”

She looks at me intently. “Ah yes, I remember that night. He went on a bender. Definitely wasn’t himself. It all makes sense now.”

“Well, needless to say, I never got a call or text. I was a wreck. Then I got some devastating, urgent news and tried to reach him one last time in desperation. I had to go back to New York. My grandfather was in the ICU. That girl Amber answered his phone and was such a bitch I could barely respond. She basically alluded to her and Greyson being a thing and that I was a joke, and nothing I experienced this summer was real.”

“I tried to ignore her words, but I was totally shocked. I didn't believe Greyson would ever do anything to hurt me like that, but then I received a text that changed my tone real quick. It was from an "eight-two-eight" number I didn't recognize, and it was a video clip of Amber giving Greyson head. I literally dropped my phone. I was so disgusted I had to pull over and vomit. Then a few hours later my world turned upside again when my grandfather passed away suddenly.” I say that last part with a shaky breath, reliving the story has my mind a mess.

“Wow, that is some shit,” Frankie says as she angles her body towards mine.

“Listen, I know I said I wouldn’t share your side with him, nor his side with you. But all I can say is I highly doubt Greyson was with Amber that night. I was at that party, and he was so drunk off his ass he was practically sleeping on the couch.He lost his phone at some point too. I took him home with some help from the guys,” she says, eyeing me intently.

“I know this doesn’t change how you feel or what you saw, but I think you two desperately need to speak to one another. Oh, and Amber is a fucking bitch. She’s been after Greyson's attention forever,” she says while sipping her drink.

“Well tonight certainly is not that night, I'm too twisted up to have a logical conversation with him. I might jump him instead, he's so fucking hot it hurts.” I mention that last part more for myself than her.

“He’s definitely good-looking. Glad we grew up like siblings because the thought of anything more with that boy makes me cringe.” She fakes a gag, causing us both to laugh.

“How about this… we forget about my tragic love life and get drunk,” I suggest, lifting my can to her.

“Fuck yeah! That sounds perfect to me. Lucian said he’d pick us up. You're more than welcome to crash at my place if you want.”

“Yesss! My goal is to forget my name, so I might take you up on that offer.” I smile at her, thankful she's by my side.

“Do you mind me asking what's with you two?” I question, knowing the familiar look all too well on Lucian’s face whenever he sees her.

“Ah yes, Lucian and I are best friends. Have been since the day he came to my rescue in elementary school. Not that I needed any rescuing, but he’s protective like that. Anyways, we’ve never been more than that. I see the way he looks at me, but I don’t know if I want to risk the friendship we have for more. But fuck, has he grown into one sexy ass dude.” She smiles at me with that last part.

Thankful for her candidness, I say, “I'm sure it will all work out in the end.”

“Shit, I should be telling you that.” She laughs.

We sit in a much-needed silence for a few, both of us lost in thought. We sip our drinks and look out to the crowd. Noticing everyone is doing a line dance to some country song, I ask Frankie, “What dance is that?”

She looks at me like I have five heads and says, “Are you kidding me Lottie?” Standing, she reaches her hand out pulling me up. “Come on girlie, I’m going to teach you how to do the Copperhead Road. You’re a southern girl now, it’s a rite of passage.”

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