Page 124 of Doctorshipped
Grant is unguarded and open in a way I never could have expected. Is this all moving too quickly? Maybe. But, I can’t seem to muster up the desire to find a brake pedal. If anything, I want to speed us up to the point where we’re finally fully together. I won’t, but I sure want to.
And he’s constantly asking me questions about my life before we met. His curiosity about me feels like another form of compliment—as if he needs to discover me inside and out. And I am here for all of it.
The whole week following our trip to Columbus, I’ve only seen Grant when Fiona’s around. We give each other a quick kiss hello and goodbye each time I come over. Out of consideration for her, we keep things easy-going and intentionally put distance between one another when she’s around to give her time to adjust to the idea of us being in a relationship. Regardless of her positive initial reaction, we know she needs to acclimate to this change. After all, it’s been less than two years since she lost her mom.
I was hoping to spend the evening with Grant after Fiona was in bed, but my girlfriends reached out earlier and asked for an impromptu girls’ night. It’s been forever since we’ve had one, so we’re overdue. I already see the writing on the wall. I’m going to be the juicy topic of conversation. On the drive home from Grant’s to the Finch place, I mentally prepare myself for an inquisition.
Laura’s car already fills a spot on the driveway. It makes sense that she’d be here first. She and Rob don’t have kids, and they’re not in the honeymoon stage of their marriage like Duke and Shannon are.
Speaking of Shannon, she pulls in right behind me and hops out, rushing over to give me a big hug.
“So?” she asks, when we pull apart.
“So, what?”
“You know what.”
“I’m not going into the details about me and Grant when I’m only going to have to go through them again when we’re all inside.”
“Fair. But I’m pouting just a little. I mean, I am your roommate.”
“You will always be my roommate in my heart.”
We walk up the steps and into Lexi’s house. Yes, technically it’s my house too right now, but I don’t feel like it’s my home. I’m just temporarily crashing here. I’m grateful to have a place to stay, but it’s not mine. If I’m honest, Grant’s place feels far more like my home than Lexi and Trevor’s. Maybe one day, years from now, it will be.
“And I miss your smoothies,” Shannon says. “I will tell you, though, we had the most amazing smoothies in Antigua. Fresh Caribbean fruit blended in front of us at local stands on the beach. It was ah-mazing.”
“It sounds like heaven.”
Lexi’s in the living room when we come down the entry hallway. Groucho’s asleep under the coffee table. The cats are probably hunkered down in my room. They still haven’t adjusted to the move.
Trays of appetizers and finger foods fill the coffee table. Laura comes in from the kitchen carrying a pitcher and a tray of glasses. Em arrives a few minutes later.
Once we’ve all exchanged hugs and settled on couches, we start catching each other up on all the details of our lives.
I had anticipated feeling like a spotlight had been hung over my head. I pictured my friends grilling me about Grant and our new relationship, like a team of CSI detectives, prying for details until I cracked.
Instead, Shannon regales us with stories of her and Duke on their honeymoon. When she’s finished, Lexi laments about the downsides of being pregnant, then she shares some funny stories about Poppy. I’m feeling pretty invisible and overlooked by the time Laura informs us of a new direction Rob’s taking his YouTube channel.
I’m just about to come out of my skin. Why hasn’t anyone asked about me and Grant?
“Jayme, are you okay?” Laura asks.
“I’m fine.”
“Did you want to tell the class about your new boyfriend?”
“You totally don’t have to,” Lexi says.
Shannon adds, “We know you’re happy. Details aren’t required.”
“We totally get that you may not want to talk about him,” Em says.
“You guys!” I nearly shout.
“What?” they all say with equal looks of faux innocence.
“I’ll share.”
