Page 62 of Always Been Yours

“Are you saying that you want more surprise visits and beach picnics?”

She nods against my chest. “I haven’t had a picnic on the beach since that last time we went, around my fifteenth birthday.”

I squeeze her tight. “I haven’t either, Viv. I promise to take you on as many beach picnics as it takes to make up for the years we didn’t go.”

“Okay, Grady.” She kisses my chest, right where my hearts beating for her. “I can show you where the generator is but that’s all the help I can offer.”

“No, love, that’s okay. Just point me in the direction of the garage.”

She points down the hallway to the door on the left.

As I’m about to turn the knob she pokes her ahead around the corner—it’s too dark to see anything, but her hair is like a burning ember—and warns, “Just so you know, it’s a shared garage with Lex. I don’t know if she’s home.”

“Guess we’ll find out,” I mutter.

I like Lexi, more now that I’ve gotten small glimpses into her friendship with Vivi.

I don’t like the idea of Lexi deciding to spend time with us tonight.

I want Genevieve to myself for once.

Using my phone flashlight to find the generator in the corner, a sigh of relief falls out of me when I realize that it’s similar enough to the one I had in Phoenix.

As I’m switching the fuel valve on, I hear someone walk into the garage.

Without looking up I say over my shoulder, “Hey, it’ll just ta—“

“AHHGH!”

I jump up, looking for the wounded animal that must have gotten trapped in here because that’s the only thing that would make a sound likethat.

I shine my light around until I see a figure standing in the door—not the one that I came out of.

“Fuck, Lexi,“ I mumble, rubbing my chest. “Are you trying to give me a heart attack?”

“Excuse me?” she screeches at the same moment Vivi sticks her head in, phone flashlight in hand. “This ismygarage, Grady Miller. I was going to turn on the generator. I wasn’t expecting to find an ax murderer hanging out in here.”

Vivi puts two and two together, cackling at the scene. “Oh my god, I was really worried for a second.”

Lexi doesn’t dignify that with a response, instead she stares at me, clearly waiting for me to explain what I’m doing here.

“First of all, you didn’t find an ax murderer,” I scoff, rolling my eyes even though she can’t see it. “You foundme. Second of all, I’m nothanging out here. I’m trying to get this started for you sinceapparently neither of you were paying attention to Hudson.“ The frustration is dropping from my tone.

“What’s up his ass?” Lexi turns toward Vivi.

“He’s mad that we don’t know how to do this ourselves and are two helpless women living alone susceptible to ax murderers.Obviously.”

“It’s California. We never get storms like this,” Lexi states in a matter-a-fact tone.

“Yup,” Vivi pops the P. “That’s exactly what I said.”

“You both can go back inside now, thanks,” I mutter.

Of course, they ignore me, so I turn back to the generator.

I feel Lexi’s assessing look before I hear her accusing tone. “What are you really doing here anyway? Did you show up just to check on our generator?”

I turn and give her an annoyed look at the same time the lights flicker back on.

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