Chapter 20
Paige
W hen I finally get off work around three in the morning, I am grateful for all the leftover food in the fridge from Chris’s poker night.
The condo has been locked up, as if Bre and Chris were in bed, and I opt to cuddle up with a book on the couch with my dinner after a long shower. Unfortunately, my shower is cut short by the cleanliness of both my bedroom and bathroom and the rigging of my now-torn shower curtain.
I smile, knowing there must be some story behind this, and I make a mental note to ask Graham about it. Right now, I want to focus on the several new books I have purchased over the past few months that I haven’t even glanced at. I let out a small sigh before running my fingers along each shelf, noticing a few of my books were out of the order I had them in.
Curious, I pull one of the unread fantasies and open the front cover, noticing a yellow post-it note. The words Graham’s favorite epic fantasy is handwritten on it. I head over to my desk and grab my phone, taking a picture of the post-it before Facetime calling him. When he answers the phone, it’s clear I have woken him up again.
“Oh god, I’m so sorry. Go back to bed,” I say, almost embarrassed, realizing I am wearing nothing but a questionably-sized towel. Even in his sleepy state, I know he notices because his smile always gives him away.
“There are worse ways to be woken up.”
I can’t help the smile that dances across my lips at the words. I put my phone down, facing the ceiling, before pulling on a questionably clean t-shirt.
“Well, in that case,” I say, picking up the phone and heading towards my bookcase.
A devilish smile danced across Graham’s face.
“Any idea why I have a Post-it note in one of my books?”
The sexiest laughter I have ever heard escapes his lips, and my cheeks flush.
“Nope. I figured you would call me about your shower. I owe you a new shower curtain and already ordered a replacement,” he says with a shit-eating grin. It makes me want to invite myself to his place and lose myself in those dimples.
“Yeah, thanks for that, by the way. I love my bats!” I say in a playful tone.
His smile is just so damn divine.
“How was work?”
“Pretty good. Slow night. How was your day?”
His mood seems to change slightly.
“Long case. Got complicated.”
“Do you need to talk about it?” I ask, taking a seat on my bed.
A look of sad confusion crossed his brows before I added, “Look, our jobs suck sometimes, and I find it helpful to talk it out with someone who will get it. So… talk.”
I throw the rope out there, and he smiles widely, not hesitating to grab it.
Two days later, Graham came to install my new favorite bat shower curtain, rod, and a few more decorations. Fixing and cleaning my bathroom while I was at work.