Page 116 of Return to Us
She gives me the side eye and smirks. “Okay then.”
Chapter 29
Grayson
“So, what do you think they’ll serve for dinner?” Jessica asks while we stand in front of the large wooden double doors.
“Hopefully, they’ll be eating crow.”
Her hand tightens around mine. I dropped Amelia off at my sister’s, refusing to bring her into this place in case things went bad. Plus, Jessica and I haven’t had a night alone in two weeks, and I need her. I need to be alone with her tonight, love her, and not worry about everything around us.
“It’ll be fine, Gray.”
I shake my head.
God, I hate this house. All the years of happiness I had were destroyed because of the people who still live here. Now, all I see is the anger and disapproval lurking in the shadows. Bringing Jessica here goes against every protective instinct I have.
“You say that, but you don’t know them.”
“Oh, I think I do.”
I look over at her, she’s wearing a navy dress, and her hair is curled and pulled to one shoulder, allowing me to see her tattoo. Strength isn’t measurable. God, how true that is because I feel like all the strength I have is being sucked away by this fucking place.
“You look beautiful,” I tell her again.
“You’re stalling.”
“I’m just ready for this to be over already.”
Jess turns, her honey-colored eyes staring into mine. “The sooner we go in, the sooner we are done. I . . . there’s stuff I want to talk to you about, good things, all good things, but I want to get through this dinner so it can be just us.”
I rub her cheek with my thumb. “You have me curious.”
She smiles, and her fingers wrap around my hand. “Good, now let’s go inside, eat, and get out of here without bloodshed.”
The door is yanked open before we can say anything else, and my father is standing there. “Are you planning to come in or make us wait on you?”
And so it begins.
He takes a step back, indicating his question didn’t require a response and we’re to enter. We take a step forward, my hand on the small of Jessica’s back, guiding her into the family room.
“Hello, Dad.”
“Your mother is in a mood. A lot is going on, and . . . well, it’s better we get this over with.”
I have no clue what the hell that means, but he looks irate and not just because he had to come let us in.
It’s been almost fifteen years since she’s been here, but the place is exactly the same. My mother had this ridiculous house built when she was pregnant with Joshua. It’s exactly as she wanted it and completely over-the-top.
There is a grand staircase that can either be climbed from the right or the left with a huge open balcony that you can look down from. As we walk under those stairs, we descend the two steps into the grand family room. I don’t know why we call it that since no one is ever in here, but I guess the grand part is true.
Large triangular windows allow maximum light in, and the entire back of the house is windows. The entire thing. Aside from the two front guest rooms, every room has a mountain view. Where the house is positioned there is one hundred percent privacy. My parents ensured as much.
My mother rises to her feet with the grace of a ballerina. “Hello, Grayson.”
“Mother,” I say as I kiss her cheek. The hair on the back of my neck stands as I look around.
“Jessica, it’s lovely to see you. I’m glad you could make it.”
