With a quick spin around to face him, I tried to plaster on a smile. The moment his concerned eyes met mine, something in me broke. The shock of seeing him with Claire that day and the idea of my past coming back to haunt me hit me like a brick wall. My smile faded and I lost the battle I had been fighting. Tears pooled in my eyes as I felt the first one fall.
I’d never in my life cried in front of a guy, anyone for that matter. I’d gotten so good at hiding my emotions; I was a pro at keeping myself strong.
Grayson’s eyes widened in disbelief as he watched the tear slowly move down my face.
“Meg,” he whispered as his thumb wiped the tear away.
I quickly snapped out of it and pushed him away. Wiping my tears away, I let out a curt laugh. “Listen, if you’re dating this girl Claire, fine. Just don’t think I’m going to be your little side hook-up, asshole.”
Grayson’s eyes pinched together. “You really think of me like that? That’s what you think we have here, Meg?”
Now I felt the anger coming back. Yes. This is the emotion I need.
My hands folded across my chest. “You tell me, Gray. One minute you’re talking to Noah about a date you’ve got with the new girl at work you’re attracted to, and then next you’re bringing me to your hotel to, what was it you said?” I lifted my eyes up like I was thinking. With a snap of my fingers, I pointed to him. “That’s right. We were going to fuck like rabbits.”
Grayson slowly shook his head. “I was kidding.”
My head tilted as I stared at him. “About what, Gray? Fucking like rabbits or the new hot girl at work you’re taking out to celebrate the new year?”
Grayson closed his eyes and pushed out a frustrated breath as his hands combed through his hair. “Fucking hell, Meg. I don’t understand you. What is it you want from me? I’ve tried like hell to have some sort of relationship with you and you push me away. I’ve been chasing after you for months, only to get mixed signals. So you tell me, what is it you want out of this?”
I swallowed hard and looked away. A part of me desperately wanted to open my heart fully to Grayson. Could I risk being hurt by him if things didn’t work out? Between my father’s expectations of me and the fact that Grayson could easily rip my heart out, I wasn’t sure I was willing to take the chance. “You wouldn’t understand if I told you.”
Grayson grabbed onto my shoulders again and gave me a slight shake. “Talk to me, Meg. How do you know I wouldn’t understand? I want to understand. I want to be with you. Stop pushing me away.”
Grayson’s phone rang. Who in the hell would be calling him this late?
Without taking his eyes off of me, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. “This is Gray.”
His face drained and my heart dropped. With Grayson being a detective now, I couldn’t imagine the phone calls he got.
“Oh hey. Um, yeah, happy New Year to you too.”
Grayson turned away from me and walked back toward my rental car. “Yeah, no I was still up.”
Seriously? He’s going to chat with someone now?
When he lowered his voice, curiosity got the best of me and I moved closer to him.
“Listen, Claire, I’m in the middle of talking with a friend, can I call you back tomorrow afternoon?”
I stopped walking the moment I heard her name.
Friend? So I’m a friend now?
My hands balled up into fists as I watched Grayson walk a little ways away from me.
Fuck. This.
Heading around the front of the car, I got into the driver’s seat, put it in drive and took off. Never once looking back at the asshole on the side of the road.
Two weeks had passed since New Year’s Eve. Grayson had called me almost every single day. The first week he left messages, now he just hung up.
I took a sip of my coffee and glanced around. My favorite spot to be on Saturdays was Durango Coffee Company on Main. I’d sit outside if the weather was nice and read while eating an omelet and sipping on my favorite coffee . . . Nitro Cold Coffee.
With a smile, I settled back into my story. Two minutes later, my phone buzzed. With a quick glance down, I saw Grayson’s name flash across. My stomach dropped as I sat up straighter.
I swiped my finger across the screen and pulled up his message.
Gray: Why won’t you return my calls? I should be pissed that you left me on the side of the road in the middle of the night.
I rolled my eyes and set my phone down. I tried to get back into my story when it pinged again.
Gray: Are you not even going to say you’re sorry?
My mouth dropped open. How dare he!
Me: Fuck you, Gray. You took a fucking phone call from that bitch while pretending to care about what was going on in my world. So imagine me giving you the finger right now asshole. That is your apology.
I set my phone down and gave it the finger as I whispered, “Asshole.”
Gray: That mouth. What would the kids you work with think of that mouth of yours? I’m disappointed.
I’m pretty sure my eyes popped out of my head.
What.
A.
Jerk.
Me: You know NOTHING about what I do or me for that matter! I hate you.
Tears filled my eyes as I dropped my phone on the table and started giving it the double finger. My perfect morning just went south.