Page 55 of Make You Love Me

“What do you mean Lottie—” Before he can complete the sentence, I cut him off.

“My Papa died Greyson, he died. He’s gone… just like everyone else who ever gave a shit about me,” I say, trying with all my might not to let my voice crack.

Just as he goes to speak again, I spot Frankie and the guys walking our way. Not wanting to have this conversation here, I move to join them. We need privacy for this because I know damn well there's going to be a lot of emotions and tears.

He grabs my arm which has my gaze swinging his way. He just stares at me with a look on his face I can’t quite describe, maybe it’s shock, remorse, or pity. Whatever it is, I’m glad it’s there. “Lottie… damn. I—I’m so sorry. I had no idea,” he says with such sincerity it takes all I have to not break. I shake my head, keeping the tears at bay. “Not now Grey, later. We can talk later, I promise.”

***

Greyson-

Vinny’s is our favorite pizza spot in town but right now I could give fuck all about eating. Sitting here on my Harley, I still can’t get over the fact that her grandfather passed sometime in the last month or so. He was the last living relative who truly cared about her. My heart aches for my girl. She has been through so much loss in her short life already.

Jumping off my bike, I see her entering the restaurant in front of Lucian and Frankie. I call out for Frankie to wait up. She hears me and thankfully stops, nodding her head to Lucian, silently telling him to follow Lottie inside.

“What’s up G, Lottie seemed upset on the ride over. That have anything to do with you dickhead?” She says, giving me a tentative look as the door shuts.

“Look I know you don’t want to get in the middle of it, but I am a mess right now. She just told me her Papa passed sometime recently. I can’t believe I wasn’t there for her. Did she tell you what happened and when?” I stop and shake my head, still in disbelief that he’s dead. “Did she get to say goodbye to him?”

Frankie looks at me with pity, like she knows what she’s about to say is going to fuck me up.

“Lottie got the call he was in ICU the evening you saw her with Jacob. She rushed back to New York and was able to say goodbye.” She hesitates, “but he died right after she arrived.”

I feel like my knees could buckle out from under me. If I wasn’t wrestling with my own demons that day, I would have been with her when she got that phone call.

Frankie pats me on the shoulder. “G, you couldn’t have known. I know you, don’t beat yourself up over this.”

“But why didn't she call to tell me? I would have flown there to be with her. Instead, she blocked me,” I say desperately.

“Greyson, that's something you’ll have to talk to her about. I’ve already said enough.”

I nod, knowing that’s all she’ll give. Frankie hugs me before she heads inside.

Trying to wrap my head around everything, I take a second before following her.Damn what are the fucking chances?

The regret I’ve been carrying around for how the summer ended just increased by a thousand percent.

Immature, insecure fuck.

I was always so worried about Lottie’s confidence and wanting her to understand just how amazing she was that maybe I wasn’t looking in the mirror at my own insecurities. Obviously, I have some serious mommy issues that have caused me more problems than I like to admit, partially because I sweep those feelings under the rug.

I wish I could walk into this restaurant right now and carry her home with me. I just want to hold her all night and tell her how sorry I am. She adored her Papa.

Knowing the guys are waiting on me, I get my shit together and walk in. Instead of sitting at one big table, Nox and Ford are at a booth with Lucian’s sister Emerson. Frankie and Lucian sit across from Lottie and Snow in the booth right behind them. As much as it fucking burns me up from the inside out, I take my seat beside Ford. Of course, I have the perfect view of Lottie, and she is looking right at me. There is so much emotion in her beautiful hazel eyes. I start standing to go to her, over this bullshit game we are playing with each other, but before I get out of the booth, I notice Snow sling his arm around her. She doesn’t push him anyway either. Instead, she laughs at whatever he whispers in her ear.

Way too fucking friendly for my liking.

I will my ass to sit back in my seat, trying to keep my cool after what I just learned she went through. The guys feel the tension in the air and try making jokes to distract me, but nothing works. The waitress comes and I don’t even order because I’ve lost my appetite.

Ford snaps me out of my trance when he puts his arm over the top of both my wrists. “Bruh chill. You’re about to smash the parmesan all over the damn table.” Looking down, I didn’t even realize I was rolling the parmesan and red pepper shakers together in my hands.

“You’re lucky this is all I’m putting my hands on tonight.”

“Yeah, I know. It took five of us to get you off Matthews at practice before you landed another punch. I caught that he said something about Lottie, but what the fuck sent you over the edge like that?” Lottie’s news from earlier had me forgetting about my prick-of-a-teammate. He saw her in the stands and started running his mouth about getting with her. I tried to stay calm and told him to shut the fuck up the first time he opened his mouth, but when he mentioned asking Snow how good her pussy was… I completely lost my shit.

“Put it this way, he’s lucky I didn’t kill him. It's one thing to appreciate a woman’s looks, but it's another to say the shit he was saying… especially about my girl. Fuck him…”

Lottie gets up to go to the bathroom and I ignore whatever they say back to me as I follow after her. Giving Snow an “eat shit” look as I pass him.He better not even think about following us.

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