The accident, Paisley, the house…
I can’t hold on to all of it, but letting it go means finally confessing what I’ve done, and I don’t know if Gracie will forgive me. She deserves so much better than what I’ve given her this month, but I can’t watch her walk away from me.I can’t.
Gracie
Aren’t you with Nick tonight? Your traditional pre-Christmas boy’s night?
Braxton
Yeah, but he’s not as pretty as you.
Braxton
And his body odor is terrible.
Gracie
LOL!
Braxton
What do you say?
The bubbles pop back up, but then disappear again. My brows dip together as Nick comes back into the room, a smirk tugging at his mouth. “You look like one of those teenage girls, messaging the guy you’re obsessed with.”
I give him a flat look. “You’d know all about being a teenage girl, wouldn’t you?”
He laughs. “That must be why I got more action than you in school.” I roll my eyes, looking back down at my phone, realizing the bubbles haven’t come back this time.
Braxton
Gracie?
Gracie
Not tonight. I’m tired, and we need to do an inventory tomorrow before we shut over Christmas.
I tap my fingers against my knee, wishing I could see her face and get a read on her. Something feels off, but I’m not sure if I’m just projecting my own worries onto her.
Braxton
When will I see you?
Gracie
I’m heading to your parents place first thing on Christmas to help your mom cook. I’ll see you then.
She adds a little smiley face to take the sting out of it, as if it makes it all better when we haven’t seen each other in days. If we don’t see each other until Christmas, that will make it almost a week since I’ll have laid eyes on her. Apprehension swells in my chest, unable to deny what I’ve known since my trip to Ashland.
Something is definitely wrong.
“Alright, she should be almost here,” Nick declares, grabbing my attention. “Come on. Time’s awasting, beers adrinking.”
“That’s not a saying,” I mumble, stuffing my feet into my sneakers before I follow him out, phone still clutched in my hand and Gracie on my mind.
My head is down, attention on my phone, so I don’t see it when Nick comes to an abrupt halt on the sidewalk outside, my face smashing against his back.
“What the fuck, man?” I complain, touching the tender bridge of my nose. “It’s like actually walking into a brick wall.”
