by Harlow Grace
My throat tightened, so I just nodded.
“Grayson would be a fool not to snap her up before some other smart fella does. Luckily he has an advantage over other guys.”
“Yeah? What’s that?” I asked, really curious to know the answer.
“Sloane already told me she likes my son a lot and that she is developing deeper feelings for him. What could be more perfect? I’m hoping the two of them finally address their feelings at my party. It would make me a very happy man.”
“Right,” I said in a thin voice, hardly keeping my shit together.
Milton laughed. “Of all the things I’ve done in my entire life, I never imagined I’d play matchmaker for my son.”
Neither did I, Stepdaddy Dearest, neither did I. The man who’d adopted me as his daughter had no fucking idea he was breaking my heart with his plans.
As soon as I’d seen Carmen and made sure she was okay, I’d finalize the plans I’d already set in motion before London. Thank fuck I was smart and had a logical, rational brain. That’s what geeky girls were good at, right?
There was no place for me in this family anymore. It was finally time to move on because staying and watching Milton give Grayson and Sloane his blessing at his party would be the last straw and my heart would break completely.
26: Grayson
I’d been delayed in London and only just landed three hours ago, but at least I was still in time for the big party. I’d tried to call Layla everyday since she left London, but her phone kept going to voicemail. I’d put it down to jetlag and the lack of sleep while we were away. I blamed myself for it by having sex with her all the time and keeping her awake. Words cannot express how eager to see her as soon as I arrived at home.
But she wasn’t there or in her bedroom, and neither had she been sleeping much according to Alice. Apparently she’d been at Carmen’s bedside ever since she arrived, barely coming home to eat or rest.
Was Layla mad at me? If she weren’t at least a little bit upset with me, surely she’d have answered my messages?
After she’d left London, I’d moped around for a few hours, missing the fuck out of her. Since I’d made my decision to confront our parents and tell them the truth a calmness had settled over me. Layla deserved more than the two of us sneaking around and I already knew she was the woman I wanted for the rest of my life. It was a no-brainer really.
Alice poured two cups of tea and set them on the tray with some sliced banana bread. I took the tray from her and followed her out onto the patio.
“When do you think Layla will be back?” I asked but couldn’t keep the worry out of my voice.
Alice shrugged. “I have no idea. Carmen’s mother went into a deep depression and she’s been hospitalized as well, so Layla is running between both of their rooms.”
I grimaced. Layla was in too deep for it to be healthy for her. I’d have to convince her to take a step back—when I actually got to see her of course. Alice took a seat and I placed the tray in front of her. As I sat down I took the cup of tea she handed to me.
“Do you think she’s okay?” I ventured. Was it something other than Carmen’s situation that was causing Layla to act like this? She was a sensible woman and she wouldn’t normally go this over the top and stay away from home. What Dad had said to her when she arrived in Sydney had been niggling the back of my mind as well.
“She’s running herself ragged, Grayson, but she won’t listen to me or anyone else. It’s as if something has gotten into her since she returned from London I can’t get anything out of her,” Alice said, sighing deeply. She was as worried about her daughter as I was.
I took a sip of tea as I contemplated what to do. I’d already made up my mind that I was telling our parents about us and nothing would change that. But before anything, I needed to speak with Layla and find out if she wanted us as much as I did.
“Will she be at Dad’s party tonight?” I tried to sound casual, but my anxiety was getting the better of me.
Didn’t Layla know how much I fucking missed her? How much I was yearning to have her in my arms again? I’d sent her several messages, but I knew she hadn’t opened them.
“She told Taylor that she’d be here, so I can only hope she will keep to her promise. Milton would be so disappointed if not all of his children were here to help him celebrate. Apparently he’s looking forward to including Sloane too.”
“Yeah, I better get into the shower and get ready. I need to pick Sloane up in a couple of hours.” I pushed to my feet and looked around at the elaborate decorations all around the garden. “You’ve done a great job organizing the party, Alice. I’m sure Dad is going to appreciate all the effort you’ve put into it.”
“I hope so. It will all be worth it if it makes him happy. You know he likes to have all his family and close friends celebrate with him.” She placed her hand on my arm. “He’s had a tough time over the last few years, Grayson, so please go easy on him.”
I swallowed hard and nodded. Alice’s concern for Dad was genuine and heartfelt.
“He’s not as healthy as I’d like him to be and I don’t know what I’d do without him.” She dabbed at the corners of her eyes. “I’m worried about your father. He takes on too much work, it’s stressing him out. One day it’s going to make him keel over. Planning this party is the very least I can do to help him relax and enjoy life.”
Pulling her into a hug, I tried to console her. “I’ll arrange for Dad to have a check-up. I’ve already spoken to him about it and he’s agreed to go. So just enjoy tonight, be your beautiful self and leave the rest to me okay?”
“Thanks Grayson. You are a really special man. I’m sorry you won’t get to be a doctor, I think you’d be really great at it.”
I couldn’t reply to that statement without sounding bitter, so instead I kissed the top of her head and let her go so that I could get into the shower and get ready to pick Sloane up.
It will all work out. I know it will, I just need to speak to Layla, then Sloane and finally to Dad and Alice. I had to make them understand.
27: Layla
“I’m so happy you chose to work for us, Layla. You have no idea how much our community needs you. I know it’s not as glamorous as working for one of the bigger companies, but the rewards are so much greater. You’re going to fit in well with the rest of our team.”
“I hope so,” I said, biting the inside of my cheeks as I reconsidered my decision for the umpteenth time. It was too late to change my mind, I simply had to push forward with my plans.
“I promise you won’t regret it. We’re looking forward to your arrival. Jack will be at the airport to pick you up and bring you to the clinic. Once you settle in and find your feet, you’ll become a valuable member of our unit.”
Sweet Lord. Was I making the right decision? Running away was the best solution I could come up with at the time. But now? Funny, I could solve anyone else’s problemsjust not my own.
But running to Africa?
Tears streamed down my face as I threw a few things into an oversized bag. Besides my toothbrush, my e-reader and a few photographs, there really wasn’t much else I wanted to take with me.
Shorts, jeans, t-shirts. Check.
Plane tickets. Double check.
What I needed was to get as far away from Grayson and everything he meant to me.
Was Africa even far enough?
I had to leave to give Grayson and Sloane a chance and for the sake of my own sanity.
At least I had a job there; a way to support myself while I worked through my emotions and got a grip on everything.
How had I ever imagined things would work out for me and Grayson?
I’d never regret one single moment, the time we had would keep me going. Lucky I had a great memory and I’d made sure to burn every second of our time together into my brain. Yeah, it would be like self-torture when I recalled them, but not having those memories would be worse.
A knock on my door startled me. It wa
s probably someone coming to tell me that Milton’s party had started and I was expected to come downstairs. The days I’d spent at Carmen’s bedside had drained all my energy and I really wasn’t in the mood for partying, but my mother would never forgive me if I didn’t make an appearance after all the hard work she’d put into it.
“Layla, are you okay? Hey, why’d you lock the door?” Taylor demanded from the other side.
Crap. I never locked her out.
With the back of my hand I wiped away the tears and shoved the bag under my bed. She’d freak the fuck out if she had any idea what I was planning. As much as I wanted to tell her, I just couldn’t. Somethings were better left unexplained. How could I look her in the eye and tell her I’d been screwing her brother and now because of that, I had to leave?
Okay, it wasn’t the only reason, but it was a huge part of it.
“Yeah, I’m coming,” I said in my chirpiest voice, hoping to fool her.
I turned the handle and pulled the door open, plastering a big fake smile on my lips.
Her face dropped. “You’ve been crying! What’s going on?” She placed a hand on my shoulder and scrutinized my face. “Is it about a boy?”
Epic fail. Taylor’s eyes missed nothing. She saw right through me like always. There’s not much point in lying to her either about it, she’d get it out of me eventually, so I nodded. “It’s nothing I won’t get over.”
Lie. Damn lie. Even I didn’t buy it.
I opened the door wider and motioned for her to come in. Taylor pushed the door closed and leaned her arse against it, narrowing her eyes as she studied my face intently. Those piercing eyes—just like her brother’s—could see into my damn soul.
“Tell me who it is so I can go kick his balls. Asshole.” The passion in her voice didn’t surprise me. She was a feisty one all right.
Oh God, if she only knew.
“No, it’s nothing like that. Hey, I’m going to be fine, I promise.”
Putting on my brightest smile, I changed the topic, wanting to take the attention off me. “Wow, you look amazing. Dad’s going to be so proud of you tonight.” I tapped a finger to my lips. “Is there a boy you’ve dressed up for? Someone coming to the party that you have your eye on?”
“Maybe,” she said coyly. “I’m not sure he even knows I’m alive though.”
“Well, hon, if he has eyes in his head he’s going to be tripping over his dick when he sees you in that dress. Especially if you show him some interest.” I was dying to know who it could be and run a mental picture of the guest list through my brain, I couldn’t think of anyone. Milton’s party was a formal affair, no under eighteens except for Taylor, so there wouldn’t be boys of her age.
“Show him? How?”
“Eye contact. It’s all in the eyes. And smile when he smiles at you. Laugh at his jokes even if you think they are lame.”
“Geez, when did you get so smart? I thought you weren’t into dating?”
“I’m not. But I listen when my friends talk. You know my brain soaks up information like a sponge . . . even useless shit.”
“Sounds useful to me. I’m going to try it on S—” she clamped a hand over her mouth, realising that she’d said too much.
This time I narrowed my eyes at her. “Sssss . . . . Seth? Seth Matthews? That’s the guy?”
She didn’t need to say a damn word. The way her cheeks flushed and she cast her eyes down told me everything I needed to know.
“Oh God, Taylor, he’s way too old for you and he’s a player. Why in the world would you want him?”
She shrugged, keeping her eyes on the floor. “I . . . um, I don’t know to be honest. It’s just one of those things I can’t explain. He makes my stomach go woozy when I see him.” Placing a hand on my arm, she met my gaze with a worried expression. “You . . . um, he’s not the guy you’re crying about, is he?”
I laughed. “Oh God, no. After the ball, we decided to stay friends just so things wouldn’t be awkward if we ever bumped into one another. But that doesn’t mean he’s right for you. In fact, I know he isn’t. And Grayson . . . he’d freak out if he thought his little sister wanted to date a Matthews.”
“I know, right? What is it with Grayson and the Matthews brothers? I understand about Hawke . . . but Seth’s done nothing to offend him, except to be Hawke’s brother. I honestly don’t get it.”
“Testosterone. Male rivalry. It’s as old as the jungle. Ever watch any episode on Discovery? Male animals have been fighting since forever to show their superiority—it’s built into their genetic code. Nothing we can do to change that any time soon.”
We both chuckled before Taylor’s expression grew more serious.
“Anyway, I came to get you to go down to the party. Grayson’s gone to pick Sloane up and Mum sent me to get you. She knows you hate these things, so she wanted me to check on you.”
My eyes grew wide. Sometimes my mother could be so damn annoying. Or was it the guilt of knowing that I was planning to escape soon that ate at me? She’d ranted for a few minutes when I’d returned earlier, complaining that she’d been worried I wasn’t going to be home in time to get ready for the party.
“You’re kidding, right? Of course I’m coming down to celebrate Milton’s birthday. It’s a big deal to him, so I even dressed up—”
“And you look stunning. That dress looks like it was made for you. Every guy tonight is going have his eyes on you.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, nobody will notice me. As for the dress, actually, I bought it in London.” As soon as the words slipped out of my mouth, I regretted them.
London.
Grayson.
Just the two of us.
My heart ached from the memory.
I swear I wasn’t wearing the dress to remind Grayson of the night he took me to dinner. It was just that I couldn’t face shopping these last few days and I owed it to Mum and Milton to at least make some effort.
The dress was a little tighter than when I wore it in London, especially around my ass and boobs, but I knew I had eaten and drunk too much in London. The three course meals that Grayson ordered and were delivered to our hotel room were from some of the best eateries in London. And the restaurants he took me to on the last few days were to die for. I was never one to shy away from good food—especially dessert. I loved the sweet stuff even though it was loaded with sugar and dollops of clotted cream the English were so fond of.
“You never talk much about that trip. I’m still waiting to see pictures you know. Grayson promised to take me to the city of my choice when I graduate as well. Isn’t he just an awesome big brother . . . well sometimes.”
I swallowed hard. Yes, he’s the best a girl could ever want.
“Um . . . I actually forgot to take photos. But it definitely was the best week of my life . . . I don’t need pictures to remind me how amazing it was.” I hesitated for a few moments as I fought the lump in my throat. “I’ll never forget it,” I added wistfully, meaning every damn word.
Thank fuck Taylor had already turned toward the door. “Time to party. Let’s forget about guys for a while and just have fun,” she said as she reached to the stairway outside my room.
Blinking back a few stubborn tears, I followed her blindly. Dammit, I didn’t want to spoil my carefully applied eye liner and mascara it had taken me forever to get it just right. I was aiming for sophisticated and smudged make-up would ruin it all.
Sloane would no doubt be a knock-out and had gone all out to look her best. She’d babbled on and on about it for weeks, making my damn head hurt with her obsession about Grayson. She couldn’t string two sentences together without using his name. She had it bad—almost as bad as me.
Guilt ate at me. I’d listened with growing dread of how she was fantasising about having sex with Grayson. Every nerve in my body wanted to scream out and tell her that he was mine.
Only he wasn’t. Our stolen times together were just that.
Stolen.
Illicit.
Dangerous.
But I was too far gone to want it any other way. I’d take every crumb, every second he’d given me. I could feast for nights to come on those memories. When I was all alone in my bed, my body ached for his, my soul longing for him.
28: Grayson
I’d raced to Sloane’s house to pick her up and then made it back to the house in record time. She’d called me nearly every single fucking day for a week after Dad invited her, asking me questions like what was my favorite color and fragrance. It seemed she was going all out to try and please me. She was sweet, and very lovely—for some other lucky guy.
The more I tried to act casual and be evasive, knowing that it didn’t matter what the fuck she did to try to impress me, the harder she persisted. If only I could tell her that it wouldn’t change how I felt about her because I was already in love with her best friend.
Sloane made small talk all the way, the best I could do was to nod or answer her back in monosyllables.
“Alice has let me help her plan this party. It’s going to be spectacular. Milton is such a lucky man to have found her the second time around.”
“Yeah, that’s true,” I agreed. Only because it brought Layla into my life.
In my opinion, it was the smartest move my father had ever made.
I parked the car and frowned as I rounded the front of it to open the door for Sloane. The whole damn Matthews family had just arrived and the valet was busy helping them get parked. I clenched my teeth. How I was going to stay calm all night with both of the brothers there I didn’t know. One was bad enough, but two? Disaster waiting to happen
If Seth lays as much as a finger on Layla . . .
Sloane took my hand and climbed out of the car. She followed my gaze to where the Matthew’s family stood before waving at them, all cheery and smiley, as if she wanted them to notice us together.
“Oh, look, Seth is here. I bet that will make Layla get out of her funk. She’s been acting strangely ever since the ball. She won’t tell me anything about what happened between them two. Yet I’m damn sure something big happened.”
