6. Chapter Six
Chapter Six
Laynie
Grayson grins as he stands me to my feet and nudges me inside, his hand resting on my back.
Freddie jumps off the couch as soon as I walk into the living room, stretching like he’s actually done something today for once, even though we both know he has slept for the past ten hours, before trotting after me into the adjoining kitchen.
Grayson trails us after closing the door and puts everything down on the bench. He picks up my impatient cat. Freddie meows as if I’ve let him starve for a week.
“Hi, Freddo Frog. It’s good to see you like always,” Grayson drawls, rubbing his face on the cat’s.
Freddie purrs louder in response.
My eyes roll as I grab a sachet of food from the pantry and rip off the top. “You’re the only one who calls him that, you know.”
“It’s because I always pick the best names,” Grayson retorts, winking at me.
I break contact, filling up Freddie’s bowl. He thrashes in Grayson’s arms to be released, making me snort.
“Impatient little thing,” Grayson mutters, dropping him on the floor.
Freddie busies himself with his food, his world no longer tilted.
I turn to the bag of groceries. “You didn’t have to get me things.”
Grayson shrugs, taking things off the bench as I unpack the contents one by one. “I know I didn’t have to, but I wanted to.” My heart melts a little against my will. He adds snarkily, “Plus, you were the one who said they were too busy to text me back, so I figured this would help you out.”
Holding in a groan, my mouth twitches as I fold the paper bag and shove it under the sink. “I didn’t mean to ig—”
“It’s fine, L.” Although, it sounds anything but.
I watch his shoulders curve downward slightly, and the swirling in my stomach starts up again.
Leaning over the edge of the bench, my eyes fall when Grayson’s movement forces me to glance his way.
The crease between his brows deepens as he steps closer, and I have to ignore the tingling in my fingertips.
“You’re my best friend. If something is wrong, then you can always tell me.” My heart squeezes involuntarily as he murmurs, “Even if it hurts me.”
I feel the figurative punch to my gut. I could tell him the truth right now, but there’s something stopping me.
The small voice in my head telling me that this isn’t the right time.
That I should wait until Scott contacts me back and I find out what he wants to do before Grayson is made known.
I feel like I should listen to that voice. It feels safer.
“I wasn’t feeling too well, and I didn’t want to bother you. I know you’re busy as well, with the ranch and all…” I run a hand through my long hair, watching his eyes track the movement.
Grayson holds my stare for a long minute, and when I think he’s about to question me further, he gives a small nod. “I’m glad you’re feeling better now.” His tone as flat as a pancake.
My throat works, and I turn away before the guilt starts eating me alive. Can he sense my lie?
“What do you say we make something salty and unhealthy for dinner?” I suggest, needing the room to feel lighter again as my anxiety builds beneath my skin.
Grayson sniffs a laugh, releasing some of the tension set in my shoulders. “Funny you should say that.” He pulls out a packet of spaghetti from the pantry. “I specifically bought this for you to make it for me.”
“For you?” I question, arching a brow.
Smiling, Grayson opens the fridge, grabbing out some more ingredients. “I mean, I am your best friend, after all…”
Snickering, my head moves from side to side as my gut clenches. “I think Macie might fight you on that.”
“Never,” he mutters, pulling a pot out from the drawer and filling it with water. “Besides, she has Reid now.” The look he gives me is loaded, and I can see the unsubtle annoyance in his eyes. “Which means we only have each other.”
Lips parting, I realise that he’s right.
Although Macie and I have been close since she moved to town, she’s found her forever friend to spend her life with.
Grayson might still be a little salty about their relationship, but he’s definitely coming around.
I think he sees how much happier they are with each other, and who would stand in the way of happiness?
“I guess you’ll have to do then,” I drawl with a grin.
Light eyes shine down at mine, ones I could definitely get lost in if he let me. A blush creeps up my neck at the thought. I turn my back on him, busying myself with the sauce to keep him from seeing how easily he affects me.
Freddie perches himself on the bench, watching the two of us like a hawk as we stand at the stove.
I stir the sauce on the pan as Grayson grates cheese.
My gaze locks onto his tattoo; the three mountains he chose after he lost a dare with Macie and I.
It was right after we finished high school, and the three of us were in Rafter’s Falls one Saturday night.
We thought of doing shots to celebrate the last of our exams, so we each dared each other to drink something putrid sounding, and if anyone couldn’t finish it, then they’d have to do something from their 30 before 30 list that we wrote when we were sixteen.
Macie ordered Grayson a cocktail that was a bright orange colour, and it didn’t look half bad, but it smelt so sickly sweet that even I wouldn’t touch it—and that’s saying something, since I’m the biggest sweet tooth of us all.
Grayson got halfway through before throwing it up in the beer garden and getting us kicked out of the joint.
So, as a way to remember the night, we chose for him to get a tattoo.
Macie and I let him choose the design, at least. But Grayson has never explained what the mountains mean.
Maybe it was the simplest design they had at the shop that he liked?
Lines appear beneath his skin, showing the clear definition of his muscles in his forearm, and I stare at them, mesmerised, when Grayson’s hand grabs a hold of my wrist. Blinking down at his fingers wrapped around my arm, I glance up to see his eyes watching me.
The air is sweltering, and I can’t tell if it’s because of the heat from the stove, or our closeness, but either way, my body soaks it up as soft music plays through the speaker.
“Were you trying to burn yourself?” His deep voice breaks through the quiet instrumental notes.
My eyebrows twitch together before realising what he did. I was millimeters away from burning my hand on the open flame when he caught me.
Cheeks pinking, I break out in a soft chuckle, the warmth of his hand holding mine sends an electric current through me, waking up my bones. “It wasn’t intentional,” I answer softly. “Luckily I have you to stop me from doing something...” A nauseating feeling waves over me again.
I did do something stupid, and he still has no idea.
His smile relaxes my shoulders. “You’ll always have me, Biscuit.” His words are as smooth as chocolate.
Swallowing, my teeth dig into my bottom lip as the pasta water starts boiling over the brim of the pot. Grayson turns down the heat, and I step away, wiping my sweaty hands on my shirt as my mind starts to churn once again.
“I’ll be back in a minute. Don’t burn the sauce,” I squeeze out.
“I can handle pesto pasta, Laynie. If you recall, I was the one who suggested this, so I think I will be all right to dish it out.” His grey eyes meet mine from across the kitchen as he smirks. “And I wasn’t the one who almost caught themselves on fire, was I?”
Choking on a breath, I toss a tea towel at him, making him bark a laugh as I disappear down the hallway. I hear him shout out how fabric is a fire hazard, and a snort escapes me.
Shutting the bathroom door behind me, I rest my head against it, finally feeling how fast my heart is racing.
How has he always had this effect on me?
Giving myself a few seconds to collect myself, I walk to the basin hiding the cursed tests I haven’t looked at since I broke down on the floor two days ago.
Every muscle in my body tenses as I reach for the handle, opening it slowly, as if something might jump out at me like a jack-in-the-box and scare the crap out of me.
One of the tests rolls to the end, clanging against the wood, and all I can do is stare at the two taunting lines.
Taking a hold of it, I look at my unplanned future.
Who knew two little lines could change everything in a mere moment?
Am I mad about this outcome? Honestly, no, I’m not. I always wanted to have kids of my own, and that was no secret. I just wish it was with the man that I have loved my whole life, and not someone I was with in a moment of weakness.
Sucking in a breath, the thought runs through my mind. Grayson should know. He will find out eventually, and I would want it to be from me and not someone else in Ashwood Creek. We all know how some of the older ladies like to gossip like there’s no tomorrow.
Despite my brain telling me that I should tell him now, the sickness in my stomach is saying otherwise.
Dropping it back in the drawer, I slip my phone out of my pocket and pull up the website once again.
It’s been up for a few days now in my browser.
My toes wriggle as I make the appointment for later in the week, knowing that either Sadie or Macie will need to come with me.
I don’t think I’ll be able to walk into that doctor’s room alone.
Confirming the appointment, I suck in a deep breath and pull up Scott’s contact number. Three calls and none of them have been returned. I think it’s time to break the ice with a message.
LAYNIE: Hey Scott. I’m not sure if you remember me, but I’m Sadie’s cousin, Laynie. We hung out a few months back when I visited Sydney… Anyway, can you please call me when you get the chance? There’s something I need to talk to you about.