The Frenemy Mistake by Laura Brown

Author:Laura Brown [Brown, Laura]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Laura Brown
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

*****

Lexie

I stood by Grant’s Jeep in the cool March air, fighting to keep the tears from falling. Was it really too much for my grandfather to behave? Instead he had to sprout family demons like a fucking merry-go-round.

I kicked the curb, smudging my shiny boots, as a tear sneaked its way down my face. With my sleeve I brushed it away. Footsteps fell behind me, then an arm wrapped around me from one shoulder to the other, pulling me back to a warm body.

Two more tears defied me.

“I see why you two keep your distance. I don’t see why you keep visiting him.”

“He’s the only family I have left.”

Grant turned me around to face him. His blue eyes shone fiercely as they took in my appearance. I brushed my tears away. “What about your father?”

“We’re not close.”

“You call that close?”

“I call that the man who raised me since I was born. That’s not my father.”

I waited for him to bring up the drugs, or anything else Walter had let slip. Grant pulled me to him, two lips lingering against my forehead.

“You’re not ungrateful. He’s ungrateful.”

“He has his reasons.”

Grant took a deep breath. A breeze ruffled his hair. “Okay, I’m breaking our agreement but only for two seconds. He’s obviously blaming you for things that you didn’t do and had no control over. He doesn’t see who you are, only who he thinks you are. Don’t let him win. You’re wonderful and don’t deserve his crap.”

Grant let go of my shoulders. My heart tore and mended at the same time and I didn’t know which way to go. No one had ever said anything like that to me.

I stared at the ground as the image blurred completely. Before I could move, or punch something, Grant pulled me to him. One hand held me tight. The other brushed back my hair while he made soothing sounds. Against my usual instinct I clutched onto him like he was my lifeline, sobbing pitifully into his jacket.

I hated myself for the display of emotion, but he held me tight and my internal chaos soothed at the action. He didn’t move, didn’t give me any indication he wanted to let go, and I breathed in his scent of pine, the way it felt to be wrapped in his arms. I couldn’t remember if or when I had been held like this. Mostly because I didn’t need to be.

I cried on my own. Alone.

I pulled back, wiping my eyes, wishing we could get in the car and pretend this never happened. He didn’t move and I forced myself to look at him. Raw emotion etched on his face, tugging at my heart. I pushed myself up on my tiptoes and kissed him, hard. He met my intensity. Emotions swam through me. Not passion, not desire. Emotion.

A cold dose of terror had me pulling back. This wasn’t me. This wasn’t the light and fluffy relationship I wanted. If he felt the shift he didn’t let it show. He brushed my damp cheeks with his thumbs.

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