Page 69 of Grand Love

She bites her lip, looking over at me. “I have no idea.” She smiles sadly. “But for the first time ever, I think I wanted something to happen. It felt like the most natural thing in the world, and I’m pretty sure he felt it too.”

“Well shit.” I sit back in my chair, my shoulders dropping.

“Uh-huh.”

* * *

One thingI didn’t anticipate with my new job was getting there, which is why I’m out of breath jogging up Joey’s apartment building steps.

I knock on the door once, then walk in.

“Joe?”

“Yo!” he calls out, poking his head out of the kitchen. “What are you doing here?”

“I need a lift! Can you give me a lift?” I say, breathless.

“Where’s Ellis?”

“Maggie, she picked him up this morning. I planned to run in, but I left it too late.”

“Where’s Vinny?” he asks.

I sigh, getting impatient with him. Joey has to know what’s going on, always. It’s not something he can control, it’s just him. “I know you’re busy, but I really need a lift in please, Joe.”

“Of course, here.” He picks up his keys and tosses them to me. “I’ll be down in a minute.”

“Thank you!”

He climbs into the car ten minutes later and passes me a coffee cup. “Sorry, I had to get the print finished.”

“It’s fine. Thank you for driving me. I know you’re busy.”

He waves me off, pulling out onto the road. I catch the cursive writing across his palm and grasp it, turning it over.

MEDS

“You need to pick up your medication?”

His brows pop and he squints down at the faded ink. “Shit, yeah.”

I don’t like to delve too deep into his business, especially his mental health, but I worry so much about him that I can’t help but want to check. I know his family won’t. “When was the last time you took it?”

He side-eyes me. He hates that I’m questioning him. “Last night. Don’t stress it, I’ll go after I drop you off.”

“If you don’t have time I can go after work.”

“I got it, Nina,” he snaps, gripping the wheel tight.

Nodding my head, I turn and look out the window. I will have to check later. It will put my mind at ease to know he has taken them.

“You had a good weekend? I didn’t see you,” he asks, visibly relaxing into the seat again.

“Yeah, I went out for Elliot’s birthday, didn’t I?”

“I remember” He turns to look at me. “Mase was there?”

“Yup.”

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