The only good thing about their separation was it gave him plenty of time to study. Throughout December when his classmates prepared for the school’s Christmas dance, Gray studied. While his peers shopped for the perfect gifts for their friends and family, Gray studied. While the other students attended family gatherings and gift exchanges, Gray studied.
He did buy two gifts: a box of his grandma’s favorite toffee and a gold necklace with a heart for Shelby. He left the package in her car when it was parked outside the bookshop on December twenty-third. He hoped wearing it would remind her of how much he loved her.
His spirits were buoyed on Christmas Day when he found a gift from her on his porch: a first edition ofJames and the Giant Peach—the book that had begun his love of reading. He thrilled at the sight of the book.At the thoughtfulness of the gift. But it was her brief note he pored over every day for weeks.
Thank you so much for the necklace! I’ll wear it every day and think of how much I love you. We’re making progress! I miss you so much.
XO,
Shelby
He spent Christmas break studying for the exams he’d take in January. Spent New Year’s Eve at home with Gram, watching the ball drop in Times Square. When school break ended he was both relieved and desolate at the thought of seeing Shelby again. It was a cruel form of torture being so close and yet so far.
By the end of January his GPA had never been higher. His classmates discovered that he’d passed Brendan as class valedictorian. More importantly, the Warner Scholarship was within Gray’s grasp. He would head off to Vanderbilt and Shelby would go to Belmont. They’d both be in Nashville. Surely he’d have her father’s permission to date her by then.
With his grades on the rise and his future looming large, his hopes mounted. But soon a new kind of torture emerged in the form of Brendan and his goons. One day in late January they caught Gray alone in the gym locker room, and with a ratio of three to one, he had no fighting chance. Brendan’s minions held him while Brendan knocked the air from his lungs. Nice and tidy. No witnesses. No bruises.
But the message was clear: Brendan was not about to lose that scholarship to the likes of him. After they left he picked himself up from a heap on the cement floor, seething. He’d like to wring their necks. One on one, none of them would stand a chance with Gray. But he wasn’t an idiot.
They were trying to provoke him. Trying to set him up so Brendan would win the Warner Scholarship, which could be revoked for misconduct. Too bad Gray had no proof of what they’d done. No one would ever believe the truth without it.
The scholarship wasn’t the only thing keeping him from retribution. He was still trying to win Mr. Thatcher’s favor. He couldn’t afford to be foolish. He had far too much on the line.
Then finally on a snowy day in mid-February, Shelby texted him out of the blue.
You’re invited to my grandma’s house for supper this Friday at 6:00. My dad will be there. Can you come?
He stared in disbelief at the text for a long minute, adrenaline pumping nervous energy throughout his body. His muscles tensed. His hands shook. He dissected the verbiage of the text. The stilted tone and marked lack of enthusiasm. Her dad was likely privy to both her invitation and his response.
I’d love to come, he replied. Thank you for inviting me. Can I bring something?
He sent the text and waited. Only seconds passed before her reply came.Just yourself.See you then.
The tick of the grandfather clock filled an uncomfortable gap of silence. Mr. Thatcher silently forked a brussels sprout into his mouth. Upon Gray’s arrival the man had offered him a reserved greeting and a firm handshake. Now his prominent brows were pulled into a frown over cold blue eyes that mostly avoided Gray.
Thank God this meal was almost over. Although that was also awful because nothing had yet been accomplished. He could hardly swallow the roast beef past the tightness of his throat.
Across the table, Miss Viola offered him an encouraging smile.
Next to him, Shelby shifted in her seat. “Daddy, did I tell you Gray is all set to be our class valedictorian?”
“Several times.” He spared Gray a glance. “Congratulations on your accomplishment.”
“Thank you, sir. But we still have weeks to go and it’s a close race.”
“You’ll get it.” Shelby gazed up at him in a way that made him want to stare at her forever. “I know you will.”
Miss Viola put her napkin on her plate. “You’re planning to attend Vanderbilt in the fall?”
“Yes, ma’am. I’ll be studying business. I’m especially interested in accounting and marketing.”
“He’d like to own his own company someday.”
Mr. Thatcher pinned him with an expectant look. “Whereabouts?”
Clearly the right answer was here in Grandville. But it wasn’t the truthful one. “I’m not sure just yet.”
“What kind of business?”
