Page 31 of Built to Fall
“What?” He grins like the devil himself. “She was all cuddly. Told me I had nice arms. Tried to pet my hair.”
“What?” I practically screech. It’s a girlish sound that I’m not sure I’ve ever made before. It sounds like something reserved for Eden.
“This is the best breakfast we’ve had in weeks,” Meredith says under her breath. It’s rare for her and makes me even more aware of the situation.
Here Grant is, teasing me—flirtingwith me—while everyone sits around entertained, like we’re in some sitcom where Grant and I are the infamous will-they-won't-they couple.
I bury my face in my hands, groaning.
“I’m shocked you don’t remember,” Grant says easily. “You even asked if I do this for all the girls or just the special ones.”
My hands drop, and I shoot him a glare, but there’s a flicker of something traitorous in my chest. Something I’m trying not to name. “I can’t believe I’d even ask that when the answer is so obvious.”
Braxton’s eyes widen from where he sits next to Meredith. “Holy…”
“Speaking of…” Meredith perks up, like she’s prepared to stir the pot. “Why isn’t Savannah with you? I could have sworn I saw her head upstairs with you after you got back from taking Lina home last night.”
Meredith is usually the last person to speak in social settings, unless she senses drama, then she’s a front-row spectator.
Grant doesn’t even flinch. Just lifts a brow and smirks. “She did.”
The table goes quiet for a beat. Even Braxton looks vaguely uncomfortable. That is his twin sister, after all.
Meredith’s eyes gleam, but Eden gives her a warning glance. I feel like the only one not surprised.
“And?” Eden asks, leaning further across the table.
“We watchedGladiator.She fell asleep halfway through.”
I fight the urge to roll my eyes for what feels like the thousandth time. It might be a good movie, but it’s wildly inaccurate. Everything is dramatized, and the politics are oversimplified. Still, it makes for a gripping story. One I’d find difficult to fall asleep to.
Then again, falling asleep in general is a challenge for me.
“Is that what they’re calling it these days?Falling asleep?” Meredith mutters.
“Only when you’re in bed with Grant,” I retort as a joke, but Grant’s face stays stoic. It kind of bothers me.
He still doesn’t falter. He leans into me, his breath grazing my ear and leaving me frozen as he says, “Want to find out?”
I shove his shoulder, but it only makes him smile more.
“You’re seriously flirting with Lina when you had Savannah in your bed mere hours ago?” Meredith asks, narrowing her eyes at him.
“I don’t kiss and tell.” Grant winks when he sees our expressions. “Relax, princesses. Savannah and I—we’re friends. With… you know, benefits, sometimes. No one’s catching feelings. I’m not that kind of guy, and she’s not that kind of girl.”
I try to focus. Try to pretend I’m not hyper-aware of the way Grant’s knee brushes against mine under the table. Once. Twice. Not enough to be on purpose, but also not entirely accidental.
And when our food finally arrives—pancakes, burritos, greasy hash browns that smell like heaven—I dig in gratefully, hoping that—despite it being impossible—I can eat enough to erase the memory of my night.
CHAPTER EIGHT
LINA
The clock on my phone reads4:47 a.m.when I finally give up pretending that I’m going to fall back asleep. The sheets are tangled around me like they’ve been trying to strangle me all night, the air in my bedroom feels stale, and my brain won’t stop spinning.
It hasn’t since the funeral. It’s the type of overthinking I never experienced before my mom’s death. Like grief followed me from Boston to New Haven and unpacked its bags without asking.
Yale is supposed to be my way back to normal. But I’m still dragging around the weight of home like a second skin. Nothing has changed since I got here. Nothing has gotten better.
