Page 125 of Meet Your Match
He.
That confirmed my suspicion.
That night in Austin, she’d told me in the most adorable but firm way that she was taken, dating some guyshe’d met camping. Judging by her tear-stained face, the guy had blown it.
Idiot.
“You okay?”
Her smile waned. “Yeah, yeah,” she said quickly, waving her hand in the air like she was swatting a gnat away. “It’s his loss. And probably good I found out now before…” She shook her head, her voice fading. “Nothing a little sunshine and salt water can’t fix.”
She forced another smile, and I frowned, stepping more fully into the room.
“You don’t have to do that.”
“Do what?”
“Pretend to be fine. Pretend like you’re not hurting. Pretend like the bright side is all you’re thinking of.”
Her eyebrows slid together, but then she looked down at where her hands still clutched the balled-up tissue, and she shrugged.
“It’s easier than admitting the truth.”
Carter called my name from downstairs, and I cursed, stepping out of the room and down the hall a bit before yelling, “Be right there!”
Then, I slid back into the doorway, chest aching at the sight of Grace so small on that large four-post bed.
“Go,” she said with a weak smile. “I’m fine.”
But her eyes said differently.
“What are you doing tonight?”
She arched a brow. “Hosting a ball. Isn’t it obvious?” She splayed her hands, waving them out over herself and the room.
The corner of my mouth twitched up. This girl was heartbroken, and yet she was making jokes.
“What if we drove?”
“Drove?”
I nodded.
“Where?”
“Anywhere.”
She folded her arms. “And my brother?”
A warning flared in my gut, but I ignored it. “Do you tell your brother everything?”
Mischief bloomed to life in her sea green eyes, the first real smile I’d seen since Austin curling on her light pink lips.
I should have walked away. I should have shook my head and said nevermind and bolted out of that room. This was a girl with a broken heart, fresh out of a relationship that clearly hurt her. This was a girl, period — one far too young for me.
This was Grace Tanev, my teammate and one of my best friend’s little sister.
Walk away, common sense begged me. This is not your place.
