“It’s fine.” I shrug and offer a sympathetic smile. “I can only imagine what you’ve been going through.”
We stare at each other for a moment, until he clears his throat and looks away. “I’ll show you around, then you can unpack. I don’t have a game tonight, so I’m free for the rest of the day. We’ll go over Gracie’s schedule later.”
“After you.” I dramatically wave my hand out in a gesture that tells him to go first.
He closes his eyes and breathes through his nostrils. I can see them flare with irritation from here. It almost makes me laugh. Greyson and I could never really stand each other, but we’ll have to try for Gracie’s sake.This is going to be quite the entertaining experiment.
He shows me around the house, going through every room on the first floor, then up to the second. He leads us to the first of the five doors at the end of the hall. “This one’s Aubrey’s.” He points at the door on the right but doesn’t open it, keeping her privacy.
“Will Aubrey mind me being here?” It just hit me that his sister, one of the many friends I haven’t talked to lately, lives with him.
“No. And she’s moving out this weekend, so it will just be us two and Gracie as of Saturday,” he says, continuing down the hall to the next door.
“She’s moving out? I didn’t know that.” I frown behind him.
“You would if you’d kept in touch.”Well, shit. Stick the knife where it hurts.
He stops abruptly and places his fists on his hips, dropping his chin to his chest. He lets out an audible sigh, then spins my way. “Look, I’m sorry. That was a shitty thing for me to say.”
I fold my arms under my chest and look to the side. “But it’s the truth. I know. You don’t have to pretend to like me, Greyson. I know how you feel about me, and I know the only reason you offered this to me is because you’re desperate. Not because you actually want to help me in any way.”
I bite the inside of my cheek and shift my weight from one foot to the other, those emotions I’m desperately trying to ignore swirling up to the surface. I will not cry right now, certainly not in front ofhim.
His tongue pokes the inside of his cheek, making it pop out slightly as he studies me. “It’s not that I don’t like you, Emma. We’re just two very different people. But we’ll have to figure out a way to get around that if we want this to work. I’m not the asshole you think I am, and I’m sure you’re not as crazy as I think you are.”
“Gee, thanks,” I deadpan.
His lip twitches before he sticks out his hand. “How about we call a truce? If we do something that bothers the other, we bring it up to fix the problem.”
I bite my lip and stare at his hand, considering his request. “Okay, fine. Truce.” I put my hand in his, sealing our agreement with a handshake.
Releasing my hand, he brings us to the next room, which happens to be mine and is located beside Aubrey’s. Then there are two doors on the left wall and one facing us at the end. He points to the left door that faces mine first. “That’s Gracie’s room, and that one is mine.” Then he points to the last one at the end before turning the knob to my door and opening it.
The room is pretty large and spacious, with a queen-size bed, two nightstands, and a dresser, as well as an attached bathroomand small walk-in closet.Yeah, my clothes are never going to fit in there.The walls are painted a bright yellow, and the furniture and bedding are all white.
I love it! This is so me!
He stands by the door as I look around. “You can change whatever you’d like if you find it too bright in here,” he says, looking around with revulsion.
“No, it’s perfect.” I tap my index finger to my lip, thinking of how to make it even better. “Oh! I could add some yellow throw pillows and a fluffy rug, maybe some big white and yellow 3D flowers on the walls. Add some flowery curtains… ooh! And a big antique full-length mirror right there! Yes! It will be perfect, beautiful!” There’s already a tall mirror hanging off the wall, but it’s pretty basic and not really my style.
I spin around in circles and giggle before falling down to the bed on my back, arms spread wide with my hair laid out like a red halo.Jesus, maybe I really am crazy? One minute I feel like crying, the next I’m laughing. I think I’ve officially lost it.
When I turn my head to the side, I find Greyson with his forehead to the doorframe, eyes screwed shut. I giggle again with the back of my hand to my lips as he opens one eye and looks my way.
“Okay, maybe you were on to something with the crazy.” I sit up on the bed with my hands resting behind my back and wink at him.
His lip twitches once more, the beginning of a smile forming but dying before it even has time to bloom. Now that I think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever seen Grey smile.What a shame.
A high-pitched wail travels into the room, and Greyson quickly looks back out toward the stairs. “Looks like the princess is up. Why don’t you take her while I grab your things from your car and bring them up? She’s probably hungry if you want to giveher a bottle. There are some in the fridge, just needs warming up.”
I jump up from the bed and skip over to him with enthusiasm, doing a little twirl on the way just to get a reaction out of him.I need to stop pushing his buttons… but it’s so fun!“Yes, sir,” I say as I pass him and head down to comfort my Little Tulip.
One hour later, I’ve fed Gracie and changed her diaper and outfit. She’s now dressed in a bright yellow onesie with white tights and a sparkly yellow tutu.Greyson’s going to hate it. Totally worth it.
I’m just finishing putting Gracie’s pale blonde hair into two tiny little pigtails above her head when Greyson walks back in with the last item from my car. My special mug. I get up from my spot on the floor, leaving Little Tulip in her sit-me-up chair, and walk over to Greyson as he inspects the cloth-covered item in his hands.
Taking it from him, I bring it over to the kitchen island and unwrap it carefully.Please, don’t be broken. Please, don’t be broken…I take the last layer off and hold it up in the air, examining every angle.Phew! Perfect condition. Well, minus the little chip on the top. But no one needs to know.
