Page 181 of Things I Wish I Said
I roll my eyes. Ever since Grayson and I got back together, all Katie talks about is finding a boy exactly like him. Apparently, she seems determined to meet one on vacation.
“Ryleigh, Grayson’s here!” Mom calls up the stairs.
“Shoot!” I slam my suitcase shut and put all my weight into it, squealing in victory when I manage to zip it closed. “Are you walking me out or staying here?”
Katie scoffs. “And miss seeing Grayson? I’m walking you out.”
I laugh as we head for my bedroom door and take the stairs down to the first floor. It’s been almost eight months since Mom and I moved into John’s house, seven since they’ve beenmarried. I was shocked when Katie insisted I take the bigger bedroom, even more so when I realized it had an en-suite bathroom. I might have cried tears of joy at the water pressure, and sometimes, I still can’t get used to the fact that we have two floors or that the sink doesn’t drip in the kitchen.
“There are my girls.” John beams at us while Grayson takes my suitcase and carry-on from me.
“Do you have your supplements?” Mom asks, her forehead creased in concern.
“I have them,” I promise.
Satisfied with my answer, she turns her attention to Grayson. “I know you’re running late, so we’ll let you two go. Tell your mother we’ll let her know when our flight gets in next Saturday. It was sweet of her to offer to pick us up.”
“Will do.” Grayson smiles. “She’s already talking about all the food she’s going to make and the places she wants to take you.”
“I can vouch for this. She’s talked my ear off about it all week.” I grin. “I think I got more work done than she did.”
Grayson glances at his watch. “I hate to cut this short, but . . .”
Mom jumps to attention, ushering us toward the door. “We know. Get going, you two.”
Grayson opens the front door and takes my bags outside with a final goodbye to everyone inside while I pause on the doorstep and turn, pulling them each into a tight hug. I go to John last, his big burly arms coming around me in one of his familiar bear hugs that I used to cringe at but I now sort of love.
I spent nineteen years without a father, so I’m not sure calling John “dad” is ever in the cards for me, but in the last year, that’s exactly what he’s become.
“Drive safe,” he says before releasing me. “And let us know once you’re there.”
“I will. See you next week,” I call out, before I turn and head toward Grayson’s car, smiling when I slide into the passenger seat.
He reaches out and grabs my hand with his right, expertly backing down the driveway, and we’re off.
Several hours later, we arrive in the Hamptons just past two o’clock. I stare in awe at the passing scenery. The huge houses with wraparound porches providing gorgeous views of the strip of dark blue sea in the distance. By the time we pull up to the De Leons’ vacation home, I’m unsurprised to find it’s every bit as lavish. The massive cedar-planked home towers in front of a backdrop of sandy dunes. Beach grass waves behind it in welcome.
“Wait until you see the inside,” Grayson says, gauging my reaction.
He steps out and opens my door, pulling me from my seat. “Come on. Tour first, bags later.”
We mount the steps of the massive wraparound porch to the front doors where he punches a code into the keylock then pushes it open.
I step inside an entry room, which leads to an even larger living room with plush sofas, accented with blue-and-whitethrow pillows. A large kitchen with white cupboards and state-of-the-art appliances connects the space with a screened-in porch off the back.
But what stops me in my tracks is the giant wall of glass windows overlooking a breathtaking view of the ocean.
I step closer, my gaze soaking in the breaking waves, sand, seat oats, and seagulls. “It’s beautiful.”
Grayson comes up behind me and wraps his arms around my waist, pressing a kiss to my shoulder. “I see something more beautiful.”
I glance up at him with a smile. “How many floors are there?”
“Three.”
“Which one is our bedroom on?”
“The floor below this one.” He grins. “Why?”
