Page 119 of Eleanor & Grey

“Ugh! I cannot believe this!” she hollered as she hopped out of the car and started kicking the air before pounding her hand against the hood of the vehicle.

“I don’t think that’s going to fix it,” I commented, making her stand up straight. “Need help?” I asked, making her turn around to face me. When she did, she looked seemingly flustered, almost embarrassed by me catching her in the middle of her breakdown.

“Oh, Greyson, hey. Sorry. My car just isn’t starting and I had plans to go to Laurie Lake tonight since it’s my mom’s birthday. Plus, I’ve been trying to call my father all day to check in on him, but he’s avoiding my calls again. I haven’t heard from him in weeks, actually, and I’m starting to worry. Especially on days like today, because I know how hard they are for him…” She released a heavy sigh. “And obviously that’s too much information for you, but seeing how I’m having emotional breakdown and all...”

“Take one of my cars,” I offered. “Any one you want.”

Her eyes widened and filled with tears. “Really? That’s okay?”

“Of course.”

She rubbed her hands over her eyes and took deep breaths. “Really, really?”

“Yes, of course, as long as it gets you to Laurie Lake.”

Then, she leaped forward and hugged me.

Her arms wrapped around me, and she held on as tight as she could. At first, I stood still, taken aback by the embrace that seemed to come out of nowhere. Then, seconds later, I relaxed into it and held her back. I’d forgotten how good she was at doing that, how good she was at hugging me.

As a kid, her hugs had been one of my favorite things.

When she dropped her hold on me, she stepped back and combed her hair behind her ears. “Sorry. Like I said, I’m emotional today.”

“That’s understandable. I’m pretty sure I’ve had my fair share of emotional days.”

She smiled, yet I saw the sadness that sat behind her grin.

“Would you like me to join you?” I asked. “That way, you wouldn’t have to go alone.”

45

Eleanor

Would you like me to join you?

Greyson’s words kept dancing around my head as I stared his way.

He wasn’t wearing a business suit, which seemed odd. He was dressed in a simple T-shirt and jeans.

Kind of like old Grey.

“Yeah, I’m okay,” I lied, giving him a tight smile.

“Fake grin,” he told me. “I’ll go with you,” he offered once more, giving me those gray eyes that always gave me chills.

“What? Oh gosh, no. I can’t ask you to do that. I’m fine, really.”

“You’re not asking me to do it. I’m offering to join you,” he said, never taking his stare from me.

My heartbeats were untamed, and my gosh, I missed him. I missed Greyson so much. I hadn’t known I missed him to this extreme until I started to see the pieces of him that made up our youth. The parts that showed up for me when I needed him the most.

“All you have to do is say okay,” he told me. “Say okay, and I’ll come.”

I knew I should’ve said no because of what my heart was doing. I knew I should’ve walked away because my stomach was filled with butterflies for a man who wasn’t mine. Yet as my lips parted and I released a sigh, I whispered, “Okay.”

He came with me, just as a friend. As a companion giving me moral support on one of the hard days.

Nothing more, nothing less.

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