Page 33 of Keeping You

I chew on my lip, and Grayson says, “She’s right. You’re always the go-to for the nurses when they want a last-minute shift covered. They owe you.”

I don’t know how Grayson knows that.

“You deserve some time to relax,” Bailey says.

“Honestly, anything would be better than your mom’s party. I’m not sure how you’ve put up with those for so long,” Zoey says. She went with me one year after me begging her not to make me go alone. I had just gone through a rough patch with my mom and knew not going would just make it worse. At least if I brought a friend, she couldn’t lose the perfect facade she keeps up because she couldn’t risk her perfect reputation. It worked, but Zoey still got to see how stuffy the party was and how everyone was there just to gossip.

I grab my drink and take a sip, not wanting to verbally agree with her because she is right. Thankfully, everyone seems to drop the conversation and move on to new things. I’m beat after this week of long shifts and am ready for bed.

Grayson waves over the server as I yawn and grabs the bill. It’s not until he says, “Well guys, we should get going,” and gets up that I realize he paid for both our meals.

“I could have paid for my own meal,” I huff quietly as I stand.

“Spitfire, I can pay for my wife’s dinner.”

I shake my head and make my way around the table hugging my friends before I follow Grayson to the car.

When we enter the apartment, I head straight to the bedroom but stop when Grayson says, “A week away could be good. You could spend time outdoors, maybe ride a horse, go for a swim. It could be fun.”

“If I say yes to spending a week with you at your parents’, it doesn’t mean anything. It just means I need a week away, and I really don’t want to attend my mother’s party.”

He stares at me for a few seconds before he nods. “Fine. It means nothing.”

“Then fine, I’ll go.”

After all, I’m already married to the man, how bad could a week in a small town with his family be?

CHAPTER 12

Grayson

Hannah’s yes has me feeling both excited to be able to spend an entire week with her out of the city with no worries about work or anything else and anxious about the phone call I know I’m going to have to make tomorrow. My mom is going to be crushed when I tell her I got married and she wasn’t invited to the wedding and hasn’t met my wife. She would have wanted to dote on my fiancée and make sure she got everything she wanted when it came to the wedding.

I know when her and Hannah meet, they’ll get along better than pigs in shit, as my dad would say. I can’t wait for them to meet. Hannah missed out on that loving mother figure I was so fortunate to grow up with. Chloe always wanted a sister, so she’ll be excited to have another woman at family dinners to help her gang up on me. I’m not sure how Dad will take the news. I never thought I’d be in a position like this, worried about what they’re going to say to me eloping with a woman they’ve never met. I go to sleep knowing I’m going to need to face the music in the morning.

In the morning, I make myself some coffee and settle back on the couch, staring at my mom’s contact pulled up on my phone. Her contact picture is of the two of us at my med school graduation. She couldn’t stop crying and smiling. She was so happy that I had accomplished what I set out to do.

I chug my coffee, set the cup on the coffee table, and press the call button. I listen to it ring. As usual, Mom picks up in three rings.

“Hi, Honey. How are you?” Mom’s singsong soft voice carries through the phone.

“Um, I’m good, Mom. How are you?” My voice comes out scratchy, and I know she noticed.

“Honey, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” I sigh. “But, Mom, I’ve got to tell you and Dad something.”

“Randy,” Mom yells, and I pull the phone away from my face. I can hear the worry in her voice.

“Mom, everything’s fine. Please don’t worry.”

“Honey, when you sound like this, it’s something big. I’m your mother. I’m going to worry.”

The shuffling of a chair comes through, and then Mom says, “Okay, your father’s here. What’s up?”

“I’m married.” I pause, letting my words soak in for a second before I say, “I’m bringing her with me when I come for the Canada Day celebration.”

My phone begins to ring with a FaceTime call from Mom. I quickly put in headphones and answer.

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