Page 63 of Always Been Yours

Once she clocks my expression, a shit-eating grin slowly pulls on her lips, but it isn’t until she looks at Vivi’s horrible poker face that she loses it. “Oh, that’s too predictable, even for you, G. But it’s appreciated.”

“Whatever.” I don’t walk toward Vivi. I don’t know why but I don’t like the pressure of Lexi’s knowing eyes right now.

“Don’t get embarrassed. We’ve never had a man to take care of us that wasn’t one of her brothers.” She steps back into her side of the duplex and starts to close the door. “I’ll just… leave you guys to your… night or whatever.”

I don’t need to look at her to know that she’s not only amused, but smug.

“I was going to order pizza and watch some TV tonight, maybe get my schedule prepared for next week.” I nod, prepared for the dismissal I can feel coming but to my surprise she asks in a quiet voice, “Want to stay and hang out?”

“Yes,” I close the distance between us in only a few strides.

Later, I might be embarrassed at how eager I came off just now, but that’s a worry for another day. Tonight, I’m focusing on Vivi and that addictive berry scent.

Chapter Twenty-One

Vivi

Grady abruptly stops with his foot halfway through the door. He slowly looks back at me with a surprised expression on his face.

“What?” I follow his gaze back to the shelf next to the door.

He picks up a Ziplock bag that I’d forgotten about.

“This yours?” The amusement is thick in his voice as he takes in the joint that Asher left for me months ago.

“Technically, it is, yes.” The truth is, I haven’t smoked since college. And even then, it wasrare. I know that Lexi and Calypso like to hang out with Asher when I’m not there. They think I don’t know what they’re doing but I do. I’m not dumb. I just don’t care.

“Technically?” He raises his eyebrows but doesn’t put the bag back on the shelf.

“Yes,” I say slowly. “I had a pretty bad anxiety attack awhile back. Lexi called Asher; it was that bad… He was able to help me calm down without it. He said he was going to leave that for me since he likes to smoke when he’s anxious. He finds it helps.” And it does helpAsher. I’ve found it’s better to avoid that when I feel anything other happy.

He bypasses the questions I can practically see ontip of his tongue, instead asking, “You haven’t lit it yet?”

“Obviously not.”

“Why?”

“What do you mean? Because I’m a teacher.”

“It’s legal in the state of California, Viv.”

“No shit, Sherlock. That doesn’t mean it’sfederallylegal. Plus, it always made my anxiety worse.”

“Always?”

“I mean, notalways. Sometimes in college, when Lexi and I would get in comfy clothes, order a lot of pizza, it would be okay. I wouldn’t have to leave my blanket cocoon so there wasn’t anything to be paranoid about. It worked about half the time.”

He nods slowly, trying to fight the smile creeping across his face, but he still doesn’t put down the bag.

“Do you… do you want to gethigh?“ I whisper, for no reason at all.

He gives me a smirk and a small shrug. “No one would know. Except maybe Lexi.”

“I mean… we are ordering pizza anyway…”

“Wow, that didn’t take much convincing at all.” He’s smiling wide now.

“Shut up,” I mutter and take the bag out of his hand. “You cannot tellanyone; do you understand me?“ I point at him. “Not only could we be fired but our parents could find out.”

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