42. Chapter Forty-Two
Chapter Forty-Two
Three Months Later
January 2025
Snow fell outside of my tiny studio window, and it was just as magical as I’d hoped it would be. While I’d grown to love the sounds of the city, the stillness this weather brought was sort of surreal, remarkable even. With the morning quieter than normal, I took some time to just be present and enjoy the hot coffee perched in my palms.
The holidays had come and gone. Mom and Dad came to visit for Thanksgiving and Christmas. It was obvious they were curious about Grey. They even tried to subtly ask about it a few times, but I never said much, and they never pushed any further.
This was harder than a normal breakup. He was everywhere, and no matter how hard I tried not to see him, I couldn’t avoid it. Billboards, commercials, and even wrapped buses with Stanley’s face were plastered all over the city, and ever-present right next to him was his undeniably handsome son. Or as most news outlets referred to him: the new up-and-comer.
Although, I didn’t completely hate it. Despite how things ended between us, I knew I’d always hold out a sliver of hope that one day he’d decide to finally stand up to his father. Then, maybe one day, there would be space for him and me again.
What I struggled with most was that we both had feelings for each other, and we still didn’t end up together. It seemed hating each other would’ve made this a lot easier.
On top of all of that, Grey still texted me every so often. Simple texts like “Just checking in” or “I hope you’re doing well.” Nothing life-altering but nothing I could ever bring myself to respond to either. My heart wouldn’t let me because it knew I couldn’t send back a simple response. I would’ve asked too many questions, brought up too many memories, and then I would’ve had to start the grieving process all over again. I knew I couldn’t have handled that.
Until something changed in Grey’s life, there wasn’t space in it for me, so instead of dragging myself through unnecessary hurt, I decided to fall in love with something else.
New York City.
Over the last three months, my love affair with the city had blossomed. Every nook and cranny of this city crawled with details begging to be explored. The colorful graffiti on brick walls, the aroma of street food on every corner, the chaotic but harmonious melody of hundreds of thousands of strangers cohabiting… And the best part? With every new sight, there was always something there to remind me of Liv.
Specifically, the architecture.
This city homed some of the most spectacular-looking buildings. The library that was being built only a few blocks from my apartment was breathtaking, and I’d been admiring the building process from my window for months now.
From what I could see, one side of the building was made entirely of glass. It was modern, with a flat roof. The precise lines of each corner of the rectangular infrastructure were made with heavy beams of steel, giving it a clean and sharp look.
It was one of those things that made me feel like Liv was right here with me. I mean, a new library blocks from my apartment that stood to make a commotion with the design itself? It was like Liv was up there saying Hold my beer, I’ve got this one .
I chuckled aloud at the thought.
“Shit,” I mumbled, looking down at my phone. I’d lost track of time and now I needed to hurry so I wasn’t late for my shift.
I rifled through my closet, throwing on a pair of black ripped boyfriend jeans, a branded T-shirt, and a tan quilted jacket. Running my fingers through my day-old curls, I spritzed in some dry shampoo and called it good before grabbing my winter coat and darting out the door.
Thankfully, work was only a subway ride away and I was there in under ten minutes. Bursting through the door, the aroma of fresh coffee beans swam around me.
“Hi, Lauren. So sorry, the morning got away from me.”
“Hey, MJ. No worries, you’ve got two minutes to spare.”
Releasing the breath I’d been holding since stepping off the subway, I threw my bag and coat under the counter and tied my dark green apron around my hips.
“I’m finishing up cutting some fresh stems for the table, would you mind taking over the register?” Lauren asked, motioning to the customer approaching the counter.
“Hi! So sorry, welcome to A Second Cup, what can I get started for you?”
A sweet old lady stood across from me. “I’ll just have a black coffee, please.”
“One black coffee coming right up.” I smiled.
That was the best part of this job: the people. Since starting as a barista here, almost everyone I’d come in contact with had been kind. But you couldn’t blame them when this place transported you someplace magical each time you stepped foot inside.
After moving to the city, I knew if I was really going to write this damn book, I needed a flexible job. One that allowed me time to write while still earning an income. Over the last three months, I’d rediscovered my love of nighttime writing. There was just something satisfying about writing when the rest of the world was asleep.
Grabbing a to-go cup, I poured the scorching hot coffee into it and sat it back on the counter while I searched for a lid. “Lauren, have you seen—” Before I could finish, my eyes landed on a fresh stack of plastic lids. “Never mind, I found them.”
I popped the lid on and handed it over to the lady across the counter. “Have the best day, and stay warm out there.”
“Thank you!”
Turning to face Lauren, I asked, “Has it been slow this morning?”
“Extremely. Hence why I’m giving so much attention to these flowers.”
“Need some help?” I asked. But just as I finished my question, our machine beeped, signaling we’d received an online order. “Are you kidding me? Who is requesting an order be delivered in this weather?”
“Someone who doesn’t give two shits about us and just wants their coffee.”
“Touché.” We both laughed. “I’ll take this one,” I said, ripping the paper from the machine and scouring it for an address. “Thank god it’s just a vanilla latte, and it’s literally like fifty feet away.”
I spun around to the coffee machine and started the routine process of making the drink.
“How’s the book coming along?” Lauren asked.
“I’m so close, I can literally taste the ending, but every time I try to write, it doesn’t make any sense.”
“It will come to you. I remember when you first started working here and you were barely halfway done. Look at you now, already trying to figure out the ending.”
“Maybe one day I’ll finally get it right.”
“And then will you tell me what it’s about?”
I winked. “Maybe.”
Reaching under the counter, I pulled out my jacket, slipping into it before tugging my purse over my shoulder. “I’ll be back.”
The snow was still falling, and while not silent, the streets were still much quieter than normal. I loved the chaos of the city, but moments like this made me understand why Montauk would always be a part of me, a special place that I would always return to.
Following the GPS on my phone, I rounded a corner and stopped in front of the building it led me to, my heart immediately plummeting to the bottom of my stomach as I recognized the facade. Pushing my way inside, I kept my eyes glued to the floor in front of me.
Frantically searching for the ticket, I ripped it from my coat pocket. The order was placed by an “MM.” My heartbeat slowed a bit once my brain could comprehend that this order wasn’t for him, for Grey. Waiting for the elevator, my breath was able to mostly return to normal, even though the possibility of running into him was still very much present.
The elevator dinged and the doors creeped open to reveal that it was—thankfully—vacant. I flung my body inside and aggressively pressed the button responsible for closing the doors. Once closed, I hit the number twenty-seven.
I’d only been to Grey’s apartment once, and to say I hadn’t been paying attention to my surroundings would be a slight understatement. I racked my brain trying to remember what floor he lived on, but I had no such luck. The elevator dinged again, signaling I’d reached my stop.
Slowly, I stepped out of the elevator. If anyone saw me, they would be convinced something was wrong with me. That, or they would think I was attempting to be in the next James Bond movie. Fortunately, luck was on my side and I didn’t spot a single soul.
The apartment I was looking for was only a few steps from the elevator. I sat the coffee on the doormat, pressed the doorbell, and walked away.
“I don’t recall asking for a contactless drop off,” a man’s voice called from behind me.
I froze.
That was a voice that I’d never get out of my head. But it couldn’t be him. The ticket said MM , not GP . I must have been losing my damn mind. Convinced my head was playing games with me, I spun around.
There, in nothing but navy sweatpants and a glistening abdomen, was Grey. My entire body went numb. I wasn’t sure why I was so affected by his presence right now considering his face was literally plastered throughout the entire city, haunting my daily runs. Although, in fairness to me, his outfits for press events consisted of a lot more clothing and a lot less bare skin.
“Grey,” I muttered.
His big copper-colored eyes penetrated mine as he calmly said, “MJ. I was afraid you wouldn’t come.”
“Wait, what do you mean? How did you know I even worked there?
“I’ve known since the day you started. Hence why I used your initials and not mine for the delivery.”
MM. Miller Morgan . Oh, he was good.
“And me moving to New York City, how’d you know that one?” I questioned.
“I didn’t at first,” he responded before disappearing briefly behind the door. “But I suspected when I went to your apartment in Montauk and found it empty.”
I moved toward him, wanting to be closer while also keeping my distance.
His eyes shot to my chest and he immediately smirked. “I like your necklace.”
The look on his face sent familiar flutters raging through my body. We’d been here before, and if I didn’t leave, I knew where this was headed.
“Thank you,” I said, stepping back, “but I better get back to work. I wouldn’t want them to send out a search party for me,” I nervously joked.
“They won’t do that.”
I cocked my head to the right. “Well, that’s rude. I’m very much respected at my place of employment.”
He crossed his arms, confidently standing in his doorway. “Oh, I know you are. But they won’t do that because I told them you’d be gone for the rest of the day.”
“Grey, what the fuck. You can’t just go around telling people when I will or won’t be at work.”
“I mean, as the owner, I can do pretty much whatever I want in regards to my employees,” he said, smirking. “Well, to an extent.”
“Y-you own A Second Cup? That’s the coffee shop you told me about? You’re fucking kidding me. Aren’t you trying to be a politician?”
“That’s what I wanted everyone to think, but like I told you, I have other plans.”
His words pulled the memory of that night on the beach back to the surface.
“The afternoon I spent with John and Jess changed things. They helped me see things from a different perspective. In a few short hours, they made me feel like I had a purpose. To live a life that Olivia would be proud of, a life that has meaning, a life that built on my dreams, not anyone else’s. And while I’d already started planning my departure from politics, my conversation with them only confirmed my decision and lit a spark of determination inside of me. So—”
I held my hands up in protest, cutting him off. “Grey—”
“MJ, do you know what my dad said to me the day he called to tell me there was a donor?”
I shook my head.
“He said ‘Don’t say I never did anything for you, son. One day you’ll be able to repay me.’”
Stunned, I couldn’t help but acknowledge him. “What? You found out you were having a lifesaving surgery, and that’s what your father said to you?”
Grey nodded. “See, the thing is, he didn’t see it as his son getting a lifesaving procedure. He saw it as a way to use my health as a pawn in his game. And for a while, it worked. I let it work.” He sighed. “But then I met the Mitchells. And it was in that moment that I knew I was going to do everything in my power to create something I was proud of, something they could be proud of, but I also knew I needed to be smart. So, quickly and quietly, I began acquiring different businesses that I found interesting, hoping I’d be successful enough on my own that I wouldn’t need him anymore.”
“And are you?” I asked, the words slipping out.
“ Breaking news, we’re coming at you live from the office of Mayor Stanley Prescott .” The TV in the background sounded crystal clear all of a sudden. I pushed the door open, stepping to the side of Grey until all I could see was the screen.
“Well, this isn’t exactly how I had this planned. A bit dramatic for me,” he scoffed.
“ Stanley Prescott has an announcement regarding his son and everyone’s golden boy, Grey Prescott .”
My head fell into my hands and the anxiety inflated like a bubble inside of my stomach. “I don’t know why you shared all of that with me. All it did was get my hopes up that maybe, sometime soon, things could somehow be different between us,” I cried out.
I quickly removed my foot from inside of the door and spun back toward the elevator.
“MJ, wait!” Grey’s voice was louder than normal, tinted with unease.
“Keep walking, you’re almost to the elevator, don’t turn around,” I whispered under my breath.
Pressing the button, the door dinged open immediately. I stepped inside and pounded the L button as fast as I could. The door creeped closed but not before I caught a glimpse of Grey staring at me, our eyes locking only for a millisecond but long enough that I saw the despair.
I could’ve sworn the elevator was caving in. Making it back down to the first floor, I rushed to the exit, desperately needing the frigid air to relieve the pressure inside my lungs. Shoving the door open, I gasped as the cold air stung my face. Being around him only reminded me of how much he meant to me, how much I missed being around him. Him having Liv’s heart didn’t lessen my feelings for him; it only made them stronger.
Remembering what Grey had said about my shift, I made the trek to the subway and back to my apartment instead.
I wanted to write. I needed to write. Seeing him brought up feelings that I only knew how to expel through writing.