Chapter Twenty-Two
The way snow glittered as the sun set over it had always been one of Sunny’s favorite things about winter. He stood at the window watching it, turning over all of the day’s events in his mind.
Grant’s family was moving to New York. His ex was having a new baby, and he’d get to be a part of that baby’s life, as well as spend more time with Hope.
He was happy for Grant about all of that, but he wasn’t sure where that left them. With his family in town, Grant wouldn’t need him anymore, as his PA or as… whatever it was they had going on.
With a new baby and increased responsibilities for his own daughter, he wouldn’t have time for him, either.
Sunny was happy for Grant, but he was devastated for himself. For a shining, beautiful moment, he’d thought that maybe things would work out between them.
Then he’d been reminded that he was the newcomer to Grant’s life, and everyone else would come first. Which was fair, and as it should have been, but…
Grant was already stretched thin. He didn’t need any more demands on his time. Especially not from someone who was supposed to be easing his burden.
It was okay. The one evening they’d had together had been perfect, and Sunny would lock away the memory in his heart and keep it as a happy one, but…
He’d wanted more. That was probably greedy, but it didn’t stop him from wanting it.
He wasn’t sure if being disappointed was selfish, and he didn’t have anyone to take that feeling to. Clare was with her family, probably three or four drinks in and having a great time. Sunny didn’t want to disturb her with his own broken heart.
No. Not broken. Not brokenyet. But bruised.
He hadn’t really expected to get to have Grant, not the way he wanted him, but he’d let himself be optimistic about it. There’d been a few moments where he thought that optimism was justified.
Now, he wasn’t so sure. Maybe the kindest thing would be to step back into his job, keep Grant at arm’s length, and help him get through what was obviously going to be an eventful year.
That was the kindest thing he could do for him.
“Hey,” Grant said softly as he entered the room, apparently awake from his nap.
Sunny had expected him to be out longer, since everyone else still was. He appreciated the company all the same, even if he was sure that everything they’d had between them had shattered.
He couldn’t really be mad about that. Grant’s family were good people. They all deserved to be happy.
It was just a shame that he didn’t quite fit with the rest of it.
“Hey,” Sunny responded without turning around to look at him. The snow outside was calming, still pristine white out here where it would already have been muddy and melting in the suburbs.
He wondered for a moment if his parents had gotten any snow. If he was lucky, they would have.
“You want me to take you home now? To your parents’ place, I mean,” Grant asked, standing close to Sunny’s back.
They’d been in this position before, and Sunny still felt that he couldn’t just lean into Grant. This time, though, it made his heart ache even worse.
Had this been a holiday fling? It was starting to feel that way.
Not because either of them intended it, but because that was just how life was sometimes. Everything between them had changed, but somehow, nothing had.
They were back to where they’d been before all this started, and aside from wishing things were different, everything felt the same.
It was enough to make Sunny want to cry, but he wasn’t about to do that in front of Grant. Grant had enough things to worry about without feeling guilty for hurting his fragile, easily-wounded PA.
“Umm… yeah,” Sunny said. “Yeah, if you’ve got the time?”
“Everyone’s asleep,” Grant responded. “Besides, I promised, and I can’t keep you trapped here forever like some kinda weird dragon.”
Sunny raised an eyebrow at Grant’s barely-visible reflection in the window. “Are you calling me a princess?”
