CHAPTER 41
GRAYSON
T here’s something wrong with Olivia. I just have no fucking idea what.
Her texts have been few and far between and when she does respond, they’re always one-word answers, which is highly unusual for her.
I’ve been to her house twice in the last four days, but both times, Bella has opened the door and told me she’s sick.
I call bullshit.
My mind has already run wild with possible reasons for her sudden disappearance, and I came to the same conclusion every time.
She’s done with me.
I’ve run the last week through my head on repeat, trying to pinpoint the exact moment something changed. If there was a shift in her behaviour. But there was nothing.
I even went as far as asking Hunter if Savannah had noticed anything different about her, but he was just as clueless as I am.
I always knew there would come a time where one of us would pull back, I just didn’t realise it would bother me this much.
I keep questioning myself. Wondering if it’s something I did. Or if I’m just overthinking the entire thing and she really is just sick.
She hasn’t been at work either. I’ve been by the café everyday this week and all I’m greeting by is pitying looks from Bella, which only prove just how low I’ve stooped.
I’ve gotten used to having Liv around the past few months. Found myself looking forward to seeing the sly smile on her face whenever we ended up in the same room as each other. On more than one occasion, I’ve caught myself smiling at my phone like a fool when her name appeared on my screen.
I don’t know what the fuck changed between us and frankly, her silence is pissing me off.
Needing a distraction, I decided to visit Reuben’s parents. It’s been a while since I’ve had lunch with them, and I feel a little guilty that I’ve been so distracted that they’ve sort of fallen to the wayside.
I pull into their driveway and put my truck in park before climbing out and trudging my way towards their front door.
It swings open before I get the chance to knock and Mary stands before me, her hands on her hips. “Well, look at who decided to show his face.”
Her tone is teasing, but I feel guilt all the same. “I’m sorry, Mary. I’ve been busy.”
She raises a brow at me. “Yes, you have.”
Seems she’s not immune to the gossip of the town either.
She steps back, holding the door open for me to enter and I take my hat off as I step over the threshold .
“I’ve made lunch,” Mary says as she follows behind me and I head straight for the kitchen.
Jasper sits in his usual chair; a newspaper open in front of him. I’m hit with déjà vu at the entire thing. Merely months ago, I walked into this exact kitchen, finding Jasper in that same spot. It feels like so much has happened since then. So much has changed.
Jasper turns his attention to me and crosses his arms over his chest. “Long time no see, kid.”
I grimace. “I know. I’m sorry.”
“We thought you’d forgotten about us,” he says, adding to my ever-growing guilt.
“I would never forget about you. I just got busy,” I lie.
“Ah yes. With the British girl,” Jasper says, his gaze knowing.
I shake my head in disbelief. “And here I thought you two were above gossip.”
Mary snorts. “Please. You couldn’t escape that piece of information if you tried. The whole town is talking about the two of you.”
I sigh. “Well, the whole town need to get a life.”
“Couldn’t agree more.” Jasper says, lifting his coffee cup to his lips.
“Well, anyway, take a seat. Lunch is almost ready and then you can tell us all about your new girlfriend,” Mary says, guiding me to my usual seat.
An uneasy feeling settles in my stomach at her comment about Liv being my girlfriend. Uneasy because although she’s definitely not my girlfriend, I have no desire to correct her.
Mary places our sandwiches on the table in front of us, and I waste no time picking it up and digging in. If there’s one thing that woman does well, its making sandwiches. We always used to say that she could open a business and sell nothing but the sandwiches she made, but she always thought we were joking. We weren’t. She’d have made a killing.
I make it halfway through my lunch before her questions start and I answer them as best as I can without going into too much detail. I obviously leave out the part where we’re only friends with benefits, mainly because I don’t want to break the poor woman’s heart. She’s been waiting for me to find someone for years, so even though things are up in the air between Liv and me right now, I let her believe otherwise.
Jasper stays silent as I talk, but I feel his observation across the table. He waits for Mary to take our plates and leave the table before speaking. “You seem different, kid.”
I look him in the eyes, seeing an older version of my best friend staring back at me and for the first time in four years, I feel no pain in my chest. “I am different.”
He nods thoughtfully. “She seems good for you.”
I feel something sink inside of me. “Hmm,” I hum, not really sure what to say.
She may be good for me, but I’m not sure I’m good for her.