Page 24 of Speechless

“Sure. That sounds nice.”

“How do you feel about sushi?”

“Good, really good. Great, actually.” There’s a subtle smirk he’s trying his best to hide. “I just really love sushi. Haven’t had it in a while.”

“Same for me. Let’s leave here at seven.”

And just as quickly as he materialized, he disappears back down to the studio.

* * *

“So,everyone else told me their story the other night, but I just realized I still don’t know how you met Henry, how you got into all this.”

Once I tempted Graham with the offer of warm brownies, he agreed to skip surfing today. Instead, we’re binging on chocolate and watching reality TV. He has a massive flat screen in his room so we’re watching in bed for ultimate comfort, and to not bother anyone with our commentary. I’m particularly glad we’re alone so no one else can see me stuffing the banana pancake-brownie-sandwich in my mouth. Yes, it’s being dipped in whipped cream, and yes, it’s delicious.

“Ahh, you noticed that, eh? Was hoping I could avoid it to be honest. No one really knows exactly how Henry and I met, just that I was the first member of HAAAM and therefore the most important.” He smirks at me in his usual cocky-Graham fashion, but I’m definitely more interested now than before.

“Come on, you can tell me. I’m a great secret keeper.” I really am. I’ve told exactly zero people why I’m thirty and divorced, even though I want to scream it from a mountaintop most of the time. I take another massive bite of the sugar bomb.

Maybe it would ease the pain to talk about it more, to not feel so alone in my misery, but since being in Malibu, I’ve been too distracted to feel the doom and gloom that has surrounded me all year. Why would I want to give that up?

“You really have that innocent doe-eye thing going for you, you know. How do straight men ever deny you a thing?”

I want to appreciate the compliment, but Jack used to say something similar. I offer a tight smile but keep working the eyes because—it works.

“All right, short version,” Graham finally says, turning over to balance his head in his hand. “Try to limit your questions, okay?”

I nod. What is he about to tell me?

“I moved to New York after my parents threw me out when I was seventeen. They were very . . . religious. And that is a subject I’d really prefer not to talk about.” I give him another nod of understanding. “Once I got there, I realized playing in a band wasn’t actually going to pay my way to school, not even close. I was so broke it was laughable. Did some things I’m not exactly proud of. Henry helped me out.”

“Okay. But how did you meet him, you weren’t at Juilliard?”

“Nope, I never actually attended. But I was a pretty good guitar player, violin too. My whole family are musicians. You could say it’s in my blood. I snuck into a few classes when I was feeling ballsy, wanting to learn anything I could. And then I met Henry. He was halfway through his first master’s, already getting some job inquiries, and needed some help with the . . . uh . . . business side of things. He let me move in with him, got me out of a pretty bad situation. Even helped teach me to write music.”

I have a million questions swirling through my head.

“Lucy, stop looking at me like that.”

“Like what? What do you mean?”

“Like I’m some abandoned puppy dog you found on the street. I don’t need your pity. Things worked out quite well for me, don’t you think?”

“I don’t pity you. And I’m glad things worked out, but that doesn’t mean I can’t feel bad about the times that you struggled. No one should have to go through that.”

“Eh, things were rough for a while, but I would never be here if it had gone differently. I mean honestly, if I’d never left Brisbane, you may have never had the chance to meet me—and that would be the real travesty, don’t you think?” He smirks. “Life goes on, love. I never dwell on the past.”

Graham’s so tough. Seeing his inner strength match his outer muscles makes me smile. It also makes me feel small, like a child whining for their mom. I know I need to figure out how to get by on my own, but sometimes it feels impossible. Graham makes it seem so easy to put all the negative stuff behind him, to only focus on the good. I just don’t know how to do that yet. But I hope one day I will.

He must see the emotions clearly on my face. “Shake it off, Little Lu. Look around us. I live in a mansion, get to surf every dayandget paid to write music. Plus, Henry’s like a brother to me. I love my life.” He starts to tickle me until I’m smiling again. “All right, what’s next? Switch toTop Chefor more housewives from hell?”

12

Lucy

“This is not a date.”

“Seriously, Row. If you cock your head at me one more time I’m throwing out all the peanut butter. It’s not a date!”

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