Chapter 12 #2
Oli stands up, then bends down to hug Grey. His arm comes up around Oli’s back as he squeezes him. “I can’t fuc—fudging believe this,” he whispers, then kisses the top of Grey’s head. “I’m so sorry.”
Oli finally pulls back.
“I’m in pain every minute of the day, but I want to get better. I am getting better. I feel better.” Grey’s glistening eyes warm on me.
Has he thought about that kiss? I’ve never been kissed like that. Soft and delicate. A kiss that twists you up from the inside out. A kiss that makes you feel like you matter. “I guess this explains why you haven’t watched our games,” Oli says softly.
Grey reaches out, grabbing Oli’s hand and squeezing it. Then he looks at me. “Do you want to watch a game with me?”
“Me?”
Grey’s eyes crinkle with a laugh. “Yes you. On TV. I can’t be there in person yet. I’m in a lot of pain today and moving is hell. I did too much yesterday.”
“Too much?” Andre asks. His eyes pass over me then back to Grey. “What kind of too much are we talking about?” Oli backhands his stomach playfully. “What? Hey! I remember when we used to do too much.”
“We still do too much.” Oli kisses the side of Andre’s face.
“Enough. Both of you. Felix helped me around the house and then we went fishing.”
Andre smirks. “I bet you did.”
“This is why I don’t take you places.” Oli glares at him.
“Oli, you take me everywhere. Can’t get enough of me.” Andre leans down to Lianna’s level. “Are you ready to be the prettiest flower girl in the world?” Her face brightens, nodding. “You can pick whatever dress you want.”
“A princess dress?”
“Whatever dress you want, Bug.” Oli stands up, slipping his hand into Andre’s. “There’s also a plus one on that invite. Maybe find a date. You need to get L-A-I-D.”
“Laid?” Lianna’s brows scrunch looking at her uncle. “What does that mean?”
“She’s seven not four! She can spell, you idiot.” Andre shakes his head. “Ask your mother.”
“Do you have any schedules Thursday?” Grey asks.
“No.” Andre looks back at Oli, shaking his head.
“Why don’t you all come over. Invite Atlas. We can play a game or something.”
“Really?” Oli smiles.
Grey nods. “I miss hanging out like we used to. It’s time I accept this. It’s time Atlas knows too.”
“And then I told Carrie Ann, I know you stole all the red crayons out of my box. I know she did, but she lied anyway. She’s always lying.
She took every single shade of red in my box!
Then she waits for the teacher to come and starts crying.
” She flings her hand back with the biggest roll of her eyes.
“Then I got in trouble because I was getting my red crayons back one way or another.” Her ponytail swings as she shakes her head, taking a sip of her teacup filled with kiwi strawberry juice.
“I had to stand facing the wall all recess!”
“Who knew pinching was a capital offense.” I’m sitting in her bedroom with my legs practically up to my chest on this tiny chair at her table. “Did you get them all back?”
“Every last one.” She beams a smile displaying several missing teeth.
I pour Lianna some more “tea” and listen.
She’s so animated when she talks. After Oli and Andre left, I helped Grey into his room to rest. Alyssa called to let me know she was rushing, and I told her not to worry, that if she had errands to run or something, to go ahead. I don’t mind at all.
After I made her lunch and we watched a couple of movies and before we came in here, I checked on Grey. He’d passed out, thankfully. His knee is too swollen today.
“She only did it because she knows red is my favorite color. It’s girl code. You don’t steal someone’s favorite crayons.”
“She took them all?” She nods. “Even the scarlet?”
Her eyes widened. “Even the brick red. She knows that one’s my favorite.
“What a monster.” I take a sip of my drink.
“Thank you!” She rolls her eyes. She’s hilarious. “She’s mad because Tommy gave me a dandelion and she likes him. I don’t even like him back.”
“She has some nerve.”
Lianna takes a loud sip from her teacup. “Are you my uncle’s boyfriend?”
I nearly spit out my drink. Coughing, I shake my head. “No, no. I’m um, just helping him while he gets better.”
Her eyes narrow. “He looks at you like you’re his boyfriend.”
“What?” I cough, clearing my throat. “What do you mean?”
“He looks at you like this.” She places her tiny hands under her chin, batting her lashes dramatically. “It’s the way Tommy looks at me during art class, but I told him I’m not ready to be tied down.”
I smile. “Good idea. Boys are stupid.”
“Not my uncle, though.” Damn, she’s sassy.
“He doesn’t look at me any kind of way.” Our kiss comes to mind, and okay I may totally look at him that way. I’m realistic, though. Grey is built like a warrior and has a sweet side that’s making it harder and harder to ignore the way his looks make me feel.
“This is a tea party. You’re supposed to spill tea.”
“I don’t think that’s what a tea party is.
” My face heats. How am I being grilled by a child?
She taps her fingers on the table, waiting.
“Your uncle and I are friends.” Friends that shared an amazing kiss only yesterday.
I’ve yet to let it go. It was a ghost of a kiss, barely there but left to haunt me. It was amazing.
“Lianna?” I jolt. Grey stands in the doorway leaning heavily on his cane, and I almost do a double take, not recognizing him.
“Your hair.” It’s cut short now. And styled on the top, the sides shorter. His beard is also neat and trimmed. His eyes even seem brighter.
“Alyssa just did it.” My phone is in the other room. I didn’t even hear her come in. Damn. He looks incredibly handsome. More than that, he looks healthy. More confident. Happy. “Mom’s ready to go home, sweet pea.”
“Can’t I sleep over?” she whines.
He smiles at her. “Soon. I’m not feeling well today.” Alarm must fill my eyes. “I just need some rest is all. My knee is bothering me a bit more today.”
“We’ll have another tea party soon, okay?” I promise.
“Since this was your first time, I’ll let it slide, but I’m going to need something really juicy next time we do this.” Grey barks out a laugh, giving her a hug as she leaves the room.
“I didn’t realize how intense tea parties are.” Grey laughs at me, squeezing my shoulder, and heat spreads across my chest. I don’t know how to get a hold on what I’m feeling for him. I lift my gaze to his warmth-soaked eyes that are soft on me as I pass him.
Maybe he does look at me like that.