Chapter 8 #2
“God, I hope so.”
Something about her words had me stilling. “He still hassling you?”
She shook her head. “Just a couple of texts. He couches it as a friend checking in, but…”
“It doesn’t feel that way.”
Grae nodded, defeat filling her expression.
I bent, pressing my lips to her forehead. “He’ll start to get the picture.” And if he didn’t, I’d have some strong words with the guy.
The screeching of a chair against the floor had me looking up to see Rance shoving back from his table and stalking out of the restaurant.
Grae bit her lip. “I can’t tell if that’s good or bad.”
“I’m going with good. He’ll go from pissed off to moving on in no time.”
We sat at the booth, and Jeanie took our orders. The tourists ignored us, but we were an afternoon show for the locals.
Grae squirmed in her seat as she nervously picked at her club sandwich. “I hate people staring.”
“Ignore them.”
“Easier said than done.”
“Eyes on me, Gigi.”
Her gaze snapped to mine.
“There’s no one here but you and me.”
Grae’s breath hitched, and her attention dropped to my mouth as she swallowed hard.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
“Just you and me,” she whispered.
“Eat,” I commanded, my voice gruff.
That broke the moment. Whatever lust swirled around us melted away as Grae scowled at me. “Don’t take that tone with me. I’m not some employee you can boss around.”
The corner of my mouth kicked up. “A little role-play might be fun, though…”
Pink hit Grae’s cheeks. “Whatever.”
She looked down at her insulin pump and hit a few buttons.
Any remaining amusement fled my system. “What are you doing?”
Grae didn’t bother looking up, just kept at what she was doing. “I’m covering for what I’m about to eat so my blood sugar doesn’t spike.”
“But this is okay, right? You don’t need something else?” Panic edged my voice.
“I can eat whatever I want. I just have to plan accordingly.”
A little of the tension in my chest eased.
Grae lifted her gaze to me. “I’m not going to combust. I’ve been living with this for a long time. I know how to deal.”
But I knew better than anyone that things could go sideways when we least expected it and send our worlds spiraling. And Grae was at higher risk for that than most.
The reminder of that fact had my appetite vanishing, but I forced myself to choke down the burger and fries. To answer Grae’s questions and ask some in return. But I was somewhere else. Not truly here with her.
Grae stood as I signed the check. “I need to run back to my house to get my swim stuff.”
“I’ll come with you.”
“You don’t have to.”
I shoved out of the booth. “It would look weird if I didn’t,” I said quietly.
Her nose scrunched. “Fine.” But she was already heading out of the restaurant.
“Hey.” I hurried to catch up with her as she stepped out into the sunshine. “Why are you leaving me in the dust?”
“You always get weird with my diabetes. Like what I have to do is gross or something.”
I jerked upright. “I don’t think it’s gross.”
Her hands went to her hips. “Then what?”
My heart pounded against my ribs, and my palms dampened. “It reminds me of that day, okay?”
Grae stilled. “When I got sick?”
I nodded. “It’s not one I like reliving. Sorry if that means I go weird on you.”
Empathy filled her face. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.”
She let out a breath. “But if we’re going to do this, you’re going to have to get used to Isla and Dex.”
My brow furrowed. “Isla and Dex?”
Grae grinned and patted her insulin pump. “Isla.” Then she lifted her shirt sleeve to show a small device the size of a Bluetooth earpiece taped to her arm. “Dex.”
“What’s the second one?”
Her finger ran over the tape surrounding it. “It’s a Dexcom continuous glucose monitor. It checks my levels and sends alerts through my phone.”
I frowned at the device. “So, there’s a needle in there?”
Grae nodded. “It sends continuous readings to the app. I’ll share the info with my mom if I’m going on a long hike or something. Just in case.”
My mouth went dry. “Does it hurt?”
“Only when I don’t get it in right or if it’s been in the same spot for too long.”
I hated the idea of Grae hurting for any reason. But because some random disease had picked her to attack? It pissed me the hell off.
Her mouth kicked into a smile. “It isn’t that bad. It only really sucks when I hit Isla on something, and she gets yanked out.”
I grimaced. “That sounds painful.”
“It’s not rainbows and kittens.”
“I’m sorry, Gigi.”
She scowled at me. “I don’t want your pity.”
“It’s not pity.” I squeezed the back of her neck. “But I hate that you have to deal with this. It’s not fair.”
“No, it’s not. But I don’t think anyone on this planet gets the promise of fair. We all have our shiz; it’s just different for each of us.”
A smile played on my lips. Grae had always had a pretty foul mouth, the byproduct of growing up with four older brothers. But when Lawson had his first kid, she’d made a vow to clean up her act so Luke’s first word wasn’t an F-bomb. She’d replaced all those curses with non-curse variants.
“I guess we do all have our shiz.”
Grae stuck out her tongue at me. “Come on, or I’m going to be late, and I really don’t want Jordan reaming me out.”
“Okay, Gigi.” We started down the sidewalk, and I had the bizarre urge to take her hand again. There was no reason for it. We’d made our public displays. Rance had seen us, and so had what seemed like half the town. Yet my fingers flexed at my side, wanting to get to her.
What the hell was wrong with me? I didn’t hold hands with women. I’d open doors and guide them with a palm on their back but not take their hands in mine.
I needed to rein it in. To find a way to put some emotional distance between Grae and me. I’d never make it through the next month if I didn’t.
Grae turned up the steps to her cottage. The tiny bungalow fit her, with its welcoming porch and pots of brightly colored flowers on the front steps.
As she came to the door, she pulled up short. “That’s weird…”
“What?” I looked over her shoulder and saw that the door was wide open.