23. Grayson
Chapter 23
Grayson
I glance down at the time on my phone. It’s early afternoon. Common sense tells me to wait and formulate a proper plan. It would, after all, be the sensible thing to do, but fuck that. I already know a lifetime of preparation won’t be enough. We’re heading toward our third year since this shit show started. I’m not putting this off another second.
With my mind made up, I rise from the couch and head upstairs to change. Temecula is an hour and a half from here. I know I can’t drive myself there, but I can pay someone to take me.
Once I’m dressed, I grab some money out of the safe and pull up the number for Hermosa Beach Taxis. It’s not my preferred way to travel, but I’ve been forced to use them a few times in the past week to run errands. My mom, Granny, Ashton, and even Emma, have offered to take me wherever I need to go, but I hate relying on other people. They all have their own lives to live, and I’ve disrupted them enough in the past few months. Besides, I can’t risk any of them trying to talk me out of this lunacy.
When the cab pulls into my driveway where I’m waiting, I open the back door and climb in. “Where are we heading?” he asks.
“Temecula.”
He turns his head in my direction. “Temecula?”
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry,” he says, “my shift ends in an hour. Besides, that’s way out of my range.”
“I had a feeling you’d say that,” I reply, removing the wad of cash from my pocket, holding it up in front of me so he can see it. “I’ll give you five thousand dollars if you drive me there, wait while I do what I need to do, and then bring me back here.”
His eyes widen; I can tell he’s tempted. Hence why I offered as much as I did. It’s not like I can’t afford it, and who wouldn’t take that kind of money for a few hours of easy work?
“Is it real?”
“Of course, it’s real. You saw the house you just picked me up from, right?” I ask, gesturing out the front windscreen. Pulling out my wallet, I show him the address on my driver’s license. “I live here.”
“Can I see it?” He extends his hand as his eyes zero in on the cash I’m holding.
The money is wrapped in lots of a thousand, so I pull out two bundles and pass them to him. “Here. There is two grand, which you can keep as a down payment. I’ll give you the rest once you drop me back home. You have my word.”
Two thousand dollars is more than enough to cover this trip, but I’m a man of my word, he’ll get the rest.
He removes one of the hundred-dollar notes from the band and holds it up to the light. I should be offended that he thinks it may be counterfeit, but I can’t blame him for being suspicious. My request is a random one, but there’s nothing I wouldn’t pay to get my girl back.
“I’ll just need to make a quick call to my boss and get the okay.”
“Sure.”
“Hey, boss,” he says when the call is picked up on the other end. “It’s me, Johnny.”
“What do you want?” he barks. Wow, what a rude prick. I’d never speak to my employees in that way.
“I have a guy who’s offered me two thousand in cash to drive him to Temecula and back.” He glances at me over his shoulder and winks, making me chuckle.
“Two thousand you say?” His boss lets out a long whistle. “Is he legit?”
“Yeah, boss. I’ve got the money in my hand right now. I picked him up from one of those fancy houses along Beach Drive.”
“He doesn’t want you to do anything illegal, does he? That car is registered in my name.”
Johnny glances my way again, and I shake my head. “Nah, boss. He’s completely aboveboard.”
“Okay, sure… why not. You’ll go over your shift, but I can pay you overtime, I suppose.”
Overtime? My assumption about his employer was on point, he’s an asshole.
“I want half of the money,” Johnny says, and a smile bursts onto my face.
“Half?” his boss screams down the other end of the line.
“It’s only fair. I can always tell him no. I’m sure there’s plenty of other drivers around that would take him up on his offer.” I like this guy already.
“Shit, fine. Don’t go doing that. I’ll give you five hundred and that’s my final offer. It is my taxi you’re driving after all.”
“Eight,” Johnny counters.
“Seven and not a penny more.”
“Okay, seven.”
His boss grumbles something under his breath, and I cover my mouth to muffle my laugh. He thinks he just got swindled out of seven hundred dollars. Imagine if he knew about the other three grand on the table.
“I want you to come straight here with the cash when you return.”
“Okay, boss.” Johnny ends the call and gives me a shit-eating grin through the rearview mirror. “Buckle up, Richie Rich, looks like we’re heading to Temecula.”
The taxi pulls up outside the gym, and I crouch down so I can get a better look through the front windscreen. I’m not sure what I expected, but it looks like a nice place. I’m not even certain if the Reece and Carlee that work here are the same people, but I’ve got the town, a gym, and the correct names, so it would be freaky if it wasn’t.
“You want me to wait here?” Johnny asks.
“Please.”
I inhale a deep breath before exiting the vehicle. I walk toward the gym with a slight limp. I’m nervous; I’m not sure how this is going to go down.
Pushing through the front glass door, my eyes take in the interior. It’s a lot bigger on the inside than it appears from out front .
“Can I help you?” the girl behind the desk asks, and I wonder if she’s the same one I spoke with on the phone earlier.
“Hi. Is Carlee in?”
“No, she’s working at her other job today.”
Her other job? I wonder if she’s still bartending. “What about Reece?”
“Yes, he’s here.” Her eyes search the room before she calls out, “Reece.” She points to me when I presume, she has his attention. “You got a minute? There’s someone here to see you.”
Shit . What am I going to say to him, I’ve never met the guy? Twisting my body around, I follow her line of sight and see a tall, beefy dude with short-cropped hair heading in our direction. He’s probably not much older than me, and nothing like I expected. I feel a little sick about it, to be honest. He’s not bad looking, you know, for a guy and all… maybe there is something going on between him and Carlee.
He gives me the once-over as he approaches. He looks like a mean motherfucker, and I’m suddenly second-guessing coming here. Deep down I know he’s a good guy… he took in my girl when she had nowhere else to go, but I’m still feeling apprehensive. I have no idea what Carlee told him about our breakup.
I wait until he’s within reach before extending my arm. I’m not giving up that easy. Carlee is worth the fight. “Hi, Reece,” I say.
“Hey.” He accepts my hand, giving it a firm shake.
“I was wondering if you had a minute to chat.”
“Sure. About what?”
I rub the back of my neck trying to formulate a response. One that’s not going to make me look like an idiot. I’ve got nothing. The silence stretches to a point of awkwardness, so in the end, I go with the truth.
“Carlee.”
“You want to chat about Carlee?” he asks, arching a brow. He looks me up and down again. “What did you say your name was?”
“I didn’t.” Christ, I should’ve led with that. “It’s Grayson… Grayson Edwards. Carlee was my fiancée.”
I know we’ve never officially met, but I’ve been present when Carlee and Reece have talked on the phone, and I know she’s mentioned me.
“Your fiancée?” I’m surprised in the few years she’s been back here, she never mentioned our engagement. That knowledge makes me feel uneasy.
“Yes.”
“Hmm, interesting. I thought you looked familiar. Carlee’s screensaver on her phone is a picture of the two of you.”
“It is?” That means something, right? The glimmer of hope that Emma gave me earlier, shines a little brighter.
He bites back a smile, scratching his head. “Maybe forget I mentioned that. She’d probably kick my ass if she knew I told you.”
“I’ve witnessed her ninja skills firsthand, so I don’t doubt it,” I say, chuckling.
“We call her killer around here; she’s taken down some of my biggest guys.”
“Really? I’m not surprised. If nothing else, that information may help me get some of my street cred back.”
This time he laughs. “I was sorry to hear about your accident, but I’m glad to see you’ve recovered well.”
“I heard you brought Carlee to the hospital that night.”
He clears his throat. “Yeah, your friend kicked us out. ”
Reece probably thinks Ashton’s a douche like Carlee does. I bow my head because I can’t fault my best friend for having my back, even if it was misguided.
“He thought he was helping,” I say, shrugging.
He nods, but the pinch in his brows speaks volumes. His eyes dart to the girl behind the front desk, who’s hanging on every word of our conversation. “Do you want to chat in my office?”
“That would be great.”
He leads us into a spacious room toward the back of the gym. One of the first things I notice when I step inside is all the framed certificates. They virtually cover the entire back wall. This man is extremely accomplished, no wonder Carlee is so well trained.
Off to the right is a sizeable floor-to-ceiling, glass cabinet, that’s overflowing with medals and trophies.
“Take a seat,” he offers, gesturing to the chair in front of me. He rounds the desk, seating himself on the other side. “What is it you want to discuss?”
“I want to win Carlee back, and I was hoping you could help me.”
“You want her back? Don’t you think you’re a few years too late?”
I gaze down at my lap. “I didn’t know how to find her until today.”
“Hmm. What happened between you two anyway?”
“Honestly, I don’t know. I proposed, she said yes, and then she disappeared. She never gave me an explanation. It blindsided me.”
“Hmm,” he hums again.
“She never gave you any indication as to why?” I ask.
“Nope. I didn’t even know you proposed. She unexpectedly turned up here one day… she was a mess. I just presumed you guys had broken up. ”
“I loved her… I still love her , I thought she loved me too.”
Reece leans back in his chair, folding his hands behind his head as he studies me. “You two were together for a while.”
“Six months.”
“There were others before you, but they all pretty much ended not long after they started. I was surprised you two lasted as long as you did.”
“Do you think it’s her past that’s holding her back? I thought we’d worked through that?”
“She told you about her past?” he asks surprised.
“Yeah. This is probably going to sound dumb, but thank you for all you’ve done for her. I’m grateful she had someone like you looking out for her when she was a kid.”
His eyes widen slightly. “She did open up to you.”
“That surprises you?”
“It’s not something she usually does. Even with me. I only know what I know because I saw it with my own eyes.” He sits forward in his chair, resting his forearms on the desk. “My childhood wasn’t all that different, but I was lucky I had grandparents that gave a shit about me. Carlee had no one.”
I swallow thickly. “She had you.”
“There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to see her happy.”
“Will you help me then? I want to give her the life she deserves. Everything feels meaningless without her. I miss her, I’ll do anything to win her back.”
“Don’t make me regret this,” he says, and a smile bursts onto my face.
It’s been eight excruciating days since I was last here. Reece and I exchanged phone numbers before I left his office that day because we needed to formulate our plan. He’s agreed to help me get in Carlee’s vicinity, but that’s as far as he’s willing to go. He said the rest was up to me. So here I am.
I worked my ass off with the physical therapist the past week and was able to finally get rid of that damn brace. My leg is still not one hundred percent, but I’m allowed to drive, and tomorrow I’m heading back to work. My life finally feels like it’s back on track.
Carlee only works three days at the gym. On Tuesday and Thursday mornings she does a ladies self-defense class, and on Saturdays, she teaches karate to a bunch of kids. That turned out to be my only option, despite the one obvious hitch… I’m a grown-ass man. I’d gladly spend that time surrounded by a bunch of snotty-nosed brats if that’s the only way I can be close to my girl.
Last night I took a drive to her favorite pizzeria back home, the place we went the night we met, and I didn’t just get her a slice, I got the entire damn Tiramisu cake to go, which I’ve brought along with me today. Go big or go home, I say.
I’ve also added something of my own into the box. There’ll be no mistaking my intentions when she sees it. I’m done playing around. I’m all in, and I won’t stop until she’s mine again.
I’ve been here for the past half hour, out of sight, watching from the wings. Today’s lesson is how to defend yourself if you’re being attacked from behind. I’ve never seen this side of her before, she is in her element.
When her class finally wraps up, I emerge from the shadows, revealing myself. Her steps falter and her eyes bug out of her head the moment they land on me.
That’s right, sunshine, I found you, and this time I’m not letting you get away.
For a brief moment, I see a flash of her vulnerability, but she quickly schools herself. I’m a sucker for that look, it’s what drew me to her in the very beginning.
“G-Grayson, what are you doing here?”
I’m here because I love you… I miss you, and I’m going to win you back if it kills me.
I shove my free hand into the pocket of my jeans. “It’s nice to see you too, Carlee,” I say coolly, despite the flurry of nerves that course through my body.
Her eyes dart around; she almost looks panicked. If she’s worried about Reece, she needn’t be. “You have to leave. You can’t be here.”
I wasn’t sure how she’d react to seeing me, but I was hoping she’d be a tad warmer. Is she getting back at me for slamming the door in her face?
I casually lift one shoulder. “No can do, I’m afraid. I’ve just signed up for a class here.” I extend my arm, holding out the bag in my hand. “I also bought you this?”
She hesitantly takes it from me without looking inside. “You’re taking a class? Here?”
“One of yours.”
She draws back with a gasp, and I bite down on my bottom lip to hide my smile when her eyes narrow skeptically. “Which one?”
That’s right, sweetheart, I’m not going to make this easy for you .
“The weekend class… the tiny ninja one.” Technically, it ’s for four-to-six-year-olds, but since I’ll be working during the week, it was my only choice.
“You do realize that’s a little people’s class, right?”
“I’m fully aware,” I reply, smiling smugly.
“Why would you do that?”
“Simple. To be close to you.”
Despite her indifference, that suffocating feeling I’ve carried around for the past few years is already easing in her presence. That’s what she does for me and exactly why I need her in my life. She’s my goddamn air.
“You can’t do that,” she screeches.
“I hate to disagree with you, sunshine, but I can. I’ve already paid for my first month’s classes, and purchased the uniform.”
“You can’t be here,” she repeats, and it ticks me off. Can’t she stand being in the same room as me anymore? I didn’t hear any complaints coming from her when I was balls deep inside her at Ashton and Emma’s wedding.
“I have Reece’s permission.”
“You what?”
“He’s the owner of the gym, right?”
“He made a mistake. I’ll make sure you get a full refund.”
“I don’t want my money back; I just want you. I want us .”
She diverts her gaze away from me. “There is no us, Grayson.”
“As long as my heart is still beating, there’s an us, Carlee. Don’t downplay my feelings for you.”
I hold my breath as I await her response, but she continues to stare at the floor like it’s the most interesting thing in the room. Maybe I came on too hard too fast, but fuck, I’m desperate here. I just want her back… I need her , can’ t she see that? She may not realize it, but she needs me too.
“Carlee,” I say, reaching for her free hand.
“Don’t.” She pulls her arm back like she can no longer stand my touch. It cuts deep. Straightening her shoulders, she brings her eyes back to mine. I see that steely determination that I always admired in her, so I brace myself in preparation for what she’s about to say. “You need to let this go, Grayson, we’re over.”
I clench my fists at my sides trying to deter myself from reaching out and shaking some sense into that damn stubborn head of hers. I need to play it cool and bide my time. Wear her down slowly. Remind her how good we are together. I know in my heart there’s more to this than what she’s saying, but I’ll get the answers I’m craving, I don’t care how long it takes. And then I’ll work on fixing whatever she thinks is broken. This is not the end of us. I refuse to believe that.
If she wants to be obstinate, two can play that game. “I’ll be spending my weekends in Temecula for the foreseeable future, so you’re going to need to deal with that, sweetheart.”
“You don’t understand, you can’t be here,” she says, but I don’t miss the panic in her voice. “You have to go, please. It’s for your own good.”
My own good?
“Fine.” I hold out my hand and her eyes flicker between my outstretched arm and my face in confusion. “If you don’t want me here, then I’ll just take the tiramisu and go.” I’m bluffing, but I know this woman and her love of food.
“There’s tiramisu in the bag?”
I nod. “Your favorite… from the Pizzeria back home. ”
Whoever said a way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, obviously hadn’t met Carlee.
She maneuvers the bag behind her back and this time I grin. “It’s mine, you can’t have it.”
Now we’re getting somewhere. I didn’t bring the dessert here as a bargaining tool, I brought it because I know how much she loves it, but I’m not about to let this opportunity pass.
I take a step toward her, and she sighs in defeat. “You can keep it on one condition.”
“Fine, you can do one glass.”
“Four.”
“Two.”
“Three,” I counter, extending my arm towards her. “And you can keep the tiramisu.”
“Deal,” she grumbles, ignoring my outstretched hand.
She abruptly turns and marches away. “See you Saturday morning, sunshine,” I call out to her retreating back with a smile. The motherfucker is so big I’m surprised my face doesn’t split in two.
Her eyes narrow as she glances over her shoulder. Her surly attitude doesn’t bother me in the slightest, it actually gives me a slight chub. She’s only fighting me so hard because she’s scared. What she fails to realize is, I broke down her walls once, and I’ll damn well do it again.