Page 144 of Keep Me Never
“I’m sure he messaged me,” I say as I pull out my phone to see if he’s tried to call, then my eyes widen. “Ohhh.” I wince, looking at the girls.
“What?” they all fire off at the same time.
“It died last night, but the flight was at like seven a.m., so I figured I’d wait until we got on the plane, and then I fell asleep. It’s been off for pretty much an entire day.”
“Uh-oh,” Ari singsongs.
“Yeah, I bet I have a message waiting.”
“Girl, you probably have fifteen messages from him. Any minute now, he’s going to blow up all our phones and the group chat, checking to see if we’ve heard from you.” Cameron grins. “He’s going to hit the road the second he realizes you’re home.”
“Don’t tell him! I don’t want to stress him out. I’ll call him as soon as I get back, that way I can tease him a little. Maybe I can even connect with his dad and go surprise him at home, even if it’s only for a day or two.”
“Aw, that would be so cute!” Ari gushes.
I smile, shoving my door open.
We roll the suitcases in, and then we’re out the door.
“Yes!” Cameron squeals. “Coffee, here we come!”
We don’t stay gone all that long but I’m exhausted when I get back to my building, and I’m surprised when I see a familiar SUV parked against the curb, my grandpa leaning against the back door, his eyes closed.
I pick up the pace, worry settling into my stomach and call his name when I know I’m close enough that he’ll hear. “Grandpa?” I call out, jogging the last few feet. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
His expression is crestfallen, and he reaches out, touching my cheek.
“You’re scaring me.”
His lips twitch lightly, and he lets his arm fall to his side. “Sweetheart, I’ve gone back and forth with this, but you deserve to know. I don’t want you to be blindsided, and it seems hedidn’t do as I asked and end this kindly. He took the coward’s way.”
“What are you talking about?”
He sighs. “There’s something I have to tell you, and you’re not going to like what it is.”
“What it is?”
“It’s about Chase.”
My heart falls to my feet, and I reach out, clutching his bicep. “Tell me.”
He opens his mouth, and with every word he speaks, he breaks me a little more.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Paige
I never did power on my phone like I had said I would the night I got back.
Instead, I numbly fell into bed and that’s where I stayed. No, not numbly, that’s the wrong word.
Devastatingly.
Heartbreakingly.
I stayed up for hours and hours, and I have no idea when jet lag finally claimed me, but it’s a quarter past seven in the morning on Friday, two days since I landed.
Two days since my grandpa turned my world upside down.
