Page 142 of Breaking Point
A squeal of happiness has me jumping away from him. My mom is kicking her feet, her eyes wide with such joy I rush to her side. “What is it? Is it Dr. Stewart? Is it good news?”
She waves me off, turning to Grayson a moment before she launches her frail body at him, squeezing the giant hockey player in a hug. He catches her effortlessly, embracing the hug as my mom’s shoulders begin to shake.
Is she crying?
Before I can ask what’s happening, she turns out of his embrace and faces me, tears streaming down her cheeks, a pair of headphones on her head. Despite the tears, her face is bright and full of a lightness I haven’t seen since my dad walked out.
“Grayson downloaded my thriller books I’ve been wanting to read on Audible.”
My eyes move to him, the confidence he was oozing moments ago gone. His cheeks are now flushed, the shy boy I’m afraid I’m falling for standing behind my mother with such earnest sincerity I feel like my heart is melting into a puddle.
“Did you?” I ask.
He dips his head, and that’s when I realize I’m a fool for ever thinking he wouldn’t be able to handle this.
Pivoting back to my mom, I’m first baffled I never thought of it but endlessly grateful that Grayson found something to put so much love and happiness back in my mother’s heart. That he was the one that got rid of that dull, lifeless glaze that had begun to overpower her.
“You don’t have to watch any true crime movies anymore!” my mom squeals, but my jaw drops at her words.
“That’swhy we’ve been watching them? You missed your thriller books?”
She nods, her eyes growing wide as she points to her headphones. “They just found a body!” She sounds way too excited when saying it, causing Grayson and me to burst into a fit of laughter. She takes a seat, the world around her fading away as she listens to her book.
Facing Grayson, I point at him as I walk toward him until my fingers jab the hard ridges of his chest. “You, Mr. Crawford, just made two Stratford womenveryhappy.”
The smile he gives me is downright devilish. “Let’s hope I can continue to do so.”
BELLA
I’m so screwed
LAYLA
I’ve been waiting for this text
are you coming out of the denial bubble?
BELLA
I refuse to
LAYLA
how long will you stay in there for?
BELLA
until it stops working
LAYLA
was it ever working?
Chapter 36
Bella
GRAYSON
