Page 74 of Faking Romance

CHAPTERTWENTY-EIGHT

Grayson

Hutch, Bray, and I sit at the bar waiting for Al to serve us our Thursday drinks.

“So, how are we getting you two back together?” Hutch asks as he grabs his drink from Al.

All eyes turn on me and a hush falls over everyone including Margie, Cornelia, Jessa, Troy, Cam, Carly, Drew, and even Ava. According to Cam, Roxy had to go pick up a last-minute shipment, so she won’t be here for a while. I’ve been trying to figure out a way to talk to her. To apologize for being an ass, to plead with her to give us a second chance. But I haven’t figured out a way to do that yet.

The door to the stairwell swings open and Jocelyn walks out, looking at all of us as we turn to see her.

“Uh, hi, I…” She trails off and looks around.

“Hey, come on over,” Al says warmly with a wave of his hand.

She walks over to us and stands at the end of the bar. She looks straight at me, and again, everyone is silent.

“How are you going to fix this?” she asks as her eyes search mine.

“Yeah, Gray, howareyou fixing this?” Hutch mimics as he leans over Bray to look at me.

I run my hand through my hair. “You’re freaking him out. Give him a minute. The boy needs to think,” Cornelia says as she gets up and walks over to me, patting my shoulder. She leans closer and whispers in my ear, “You do have a plan, don’t you?”

I close my eyes and sigh. How am I the last one to have known? Why did it take us fighting for me to realize Roxy is the best thing in my life? She likes me for me. It’s not about my family or their money or even my career. She just liked me for who I am. And I need that in my life.

“We can help,” Al offers. There’s a rash of nods and “yeses” from my neighbors.

“Bro, you need a giant-ass grand gesture,” Drew quips from where he sits behind me. “I mean like a motherfucking, sorry, Aves, mother-effing huge book boyfriend grand gesture.”

“That’s OK, Mr. Drew,” Ava says from where she is coloring at the table next to him. “What’s a grand gesture?”

“It’s like…crud, I can’t think of a cartoon grand gesture,” Carly muses as she taps her cheek, deep in thought.

“Oh, uh, remember how the Beast gave Belle that library? That’s like a grand gesture,” Drew says.

“Dude, that’s not a grand gesture. It was that ball thing when they danced,” Hutch says.

“No, it was when he fought off that jerk guy,” Cam interjects.

“Mommy, I still don’t get it,” Ava whispers.

Carly laughs. “It’s OK. I’m fairly certain I’m confused now too.”

“Oh, Mr. Gray?” Ava says and I turn to look at her. “Miss Roxy likes books. Why don’t you get her a book?” Her face lights up. “Or take her to see that new movie. Mommy, what’s that new movie you and Mr. Drew were talking about? Mr. Drew said it’s an apatation.”

“Adaptation,” everyone corrects simultaneously.

“Yeah, that,” Ava says. “What is that?”

“It’s when a book is made into a movie,” Carly says as she and Bray exchange smiles. God, those two need to hook up and get it over with.

“Movies are books?” Ava asks, her eyes wide.

“Some movies are,” Bray answers.

“Cool,” Ava replies with a grin.

My mind starts to spin. A movie. Shit, Pierce’s other project is working on a film adaptation of this super famous romance book. He had mentioned last week that the film tour was wrapping up here next week. We had been discussing when our film’s press tour would start and he had said it was perfect timing with the other one finishing up now. Roxy’s grand opening is supposed to be next week, although word on the street is she was wanting to push it back because she was worried what she had planned wouldn’t be enough. Which it is, but maybe, just maybe, I can help make it better.

---