Lib Novel Page 56
“All I’m saying is maybe you could learn a thing or two from Henry about slowing down.”
My sister had no idea how right she was, and I despised that.
“Yeah, well, it was just a drunk kiss, right. Not like it means anything,” I said.
Giselle pursed her lips. “It’s okay to not be okay, Gray. We’ve all been there.” Her words were sincere, but they only made me feel angrier. Worse.
“This isn’t my first rodeo, Giselle,” I growled, turning around to leave, running right into to object of my desire.
Henry’s eyebrows furrowed, and I wondered how long he’d been standing there.
“Henry,” I said softly, and he pushed past me.
“Excuse me,” he said as he headed for the cooler, breaking my heart once more.
But perhaps I deserved such things.
Susan Lucci, and all.
CHAPTER 32
Grayson
After a dinner fit for a king, Riley and Aaron decided to hit the billiards. Even Henry didn’t protest, which was probably a testament to his mood.
“Aren’t you playing, Gray?” Julie asked as she chalked up her stick.
I shook my head. They’d divided into teams. Boys against girls. Henry’s gaze caught mine, making me feel all the more aware of how shitty I actually felt.
“No,” I said, shaking off his judgmental stare. “I’m, uh, going to go for a walk, let this food settle a bit,” I said with a fake smile.
Julie nodded. “Cool. We’ll be here!”
I turned on my heel, heading out into the air-conditioned hall. I wandered aimlessly through the main lodge, toward Reception, a small bar-restaurant that served pretty much only bar food and drinks, when I heard someone call my name.
“Grayson Sanderson!” The voice was as charismatic as ever, and I didn’t even have to look to know who it belonged to.
I turned slowly to see Cody, my ex.
I froze in place as I took in the sight of him. It’d been years since our affair, but he didn’t look any different, save for some lines and wrinkles around his eyes.
“Cody,” I said in the flattest voice possible.
After all, the man was responsible for forcing my coming out, and our drunken tryst had become a badge of dishonor, casting my family as a main source of drama and gossip for weeks.
I thought we were doing the right thing, keeping our affair a secret. After all, no one needed to know our business but us, right?
I thought I loved him at the time, despite everything, and that what were doing was just.
But as I looked at him in the light of Reception, I realized I never really loved him.
I was willing to take whatever I could get because I didn’t think I deserved anything better than shadows and secrecy.
Which made me think about Henry.
We’d promised to keep whatever was happening between us a secret, but I’d slipped up. Maybe I did it on purpose.
Maybe I wanted everyone to know I was absolutely head over heels for Henry.