Page 110 of How to Love Your Neighbor
Sipping her soda as a distraction from the serious tone, Grace thought about what her friend said. “I’m determined. There’s nothing wrong with that. So are you.”
“I am. But when I was stressed out about the paper I was working on, Josh asked if there was anything he could do. I snapped at him that unless he wanted to make sure my mother got her birthday present in time, my emails were answered, and my bills were all caught up, then no.”
Grace cringed. “I’m sure he understands being stressed out.”
Rosie’s sigh was adorable. Grace was surprised cartoon hearts didn’t float over her friend’s head. “He does. He said to tell him what my mother liked, he’d grab it, he had no problem replying to emails, and if I gave him my bank number, he’d do the bills, too. He also said he’d pick up dinner. I burst into tears because I’d been so snappy and he was so sweet. But he said this is how we know what we have is real. We can see each other at our worst, build each other back up, and most important, rely on each other for anything. He said it’s when couples drown in their independent misery without reaching out, that you have to worry.”
Grace’s stomach tumbled. “This isn’t about me and Noah.”
Rosie shook her head. “No. But it applies to everything in your life, Grace. You’re not alone. Asking for help doesn’t make you weak. Picking up the pieces for someone you care about and letting them do the same for you is a sign of strength. What I’m saying is if Noah’s connections give you a leg up, own it, babe. Take it. Take it all. You’re no slouch. You work your ass off and no one is ever going to say life got handed to you.”
Grace clenched her teeth, then leaned forward. “But this job with Noah literally did get handed to me.”
“Because he saw your potential. He didn’t pity you or do you a favor. Let the people in your life help you. Stop second-guessing every step you make, because the people who love you aren’t judging you for the route you’re taking to the top. Which, if you haven’t caught on yet, is exactly where you’re headed.”
Grace’s throat tightened. She reached across the table, took her friend’s hand. “Not alone.”
Rosie tipped her head back. “Exactly!” She locked gazes with Grace, her friend’s eyes dancing with happiness. “Now you get it.”
“You’re such a dork.”
“You’re stuck with me. Let’s go grab some more pamphlets and then we can go through them all.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
Grace had spent so long being alone, even when she wasn’t,that she was scared to lean on or into anyone too hard. She didn’t expect people to stay, but she didn’t want to push them away quicker either.Stop expecting them to leave. Have a little faith.
She grabbed her phone, not giving herself a chance to second-guess.
Grace
I look forward to you coming home. I have a surprise for you.
She had three days to pull it off. As they walked to Rosie’s car, she looked over and said, “You said to ask for help when I need it.”
Rosie looked at her over the hood. “I meant it.”
“Good. I need your help. And Josh’s.”
She gave herself a minute to absorb the ask.Look at that. The sky didn’t fall because you made yourself vulnerable.She hoped that meant she could take the leap, give her heart to Noah completely, without landing flat on her face.
41
Jack laid out the photos on the table, showcasing the various transformations Noah’s house had taken. In the last six weeks, they’d renovated his kitchen, the living area, two guest rooms, the powder room, the upstairs bath, and Noah’s en suite. Noah had done most of the painting in his own bedroom, but Grace had helped him pick the furniture and accent pieces to finish it off. They’d discussed ideas for the downstairs room. It could be a bedroom or an office, but Grace had different plans.
“It’s a lot of work in a short period of time,” Jack said, moving the pictures around.
“It is. We’ve had a lot of help. Thanks for coming to do a few shots of this room. I have some friends arriving shortly so we’ll get to work right away.” She’d already painted the room a deep blue. It was warm and inviting, which she hoped would pair well with her design.
“My pleasure. I love watching you guys work. I’m going to go grab a few of the backyard now that the trees have been taken out and the yard has been landscaped.”
That had happened the day Noah left for New York. A crewhad arrived and worked with a speedy efficiency good money could buy.
Josh, Rosie, and Shane showed up at the same time. She’d told Noah this was what people, friends, did—they asked for help—but she’d been reluctant to take her own advice. She’d felt little wiggles of guilt but reminded herself she’d do the same for them. Plus, they were as excited as she was—thank goodness she hung out with fellow design lovers. Grace took a few minutes to outline her vision, and then they got to work.
While Grace and Rosie put furniture together, Josh took care of getting expedited deliveries on a huge television, a mass of books, the long list of games Grace had written down, including a PlayStation, an Xbox, and a Nintendo Switch.
Jack left sometime later that afternoon. He’d take the final shots another day, when everything was done. By late that night, they sat side by side on a kick-ass cozy couch, staring at the big-screen television that was framed by the custom entertainment unit Shane had whipped up with expert wizardry. They’d installed custom lighting so it could be dimmed for movies. There were a variety of seats, including the couch, beanbags, and a gaming chair. It was a decent-size room, even with the large unit that was filled with gaming equipment. They’d used the entire wall, placing custom shelves on either side of the entertainment unit, filling them with books and cool knickknacks that reflected Noah’s tastes. Board games sat on the bottoms of both bookshelves. On the wall behind the couch was a gorgeous photo Grace had blown up and framed of the New York City skyline.
