Page 31 of Keep Me Never
I thank her again and hop in my car, letting the AC blow me in the face for a few minutes before I dig around for a charger, to no avail. “Awesome,” I mumble, dropping my dead phone into my purse and making the trip back in silence.
The time passes in a blur and before I know it, I’m back in town, driving in the general area where I was told the restaurant was.
Thankfully, when I pull up to the promenade, the girls are standing around outside, waiting for me. I honk my horn and Cameron whips around, relief on her face. She gives me a thumbs-up, and I turn into the parking lot in search of a space.
They meet me halfway, smiling and laughing. “Okay, one, I know what I’m buying you for Christmas this year—a portable freaking charger.” She laughs. “And two, thankfully you pulled up because we’ve been calling you to make sure we didn’t hear you wrong ’cause, girl, this place is fancy. Like, lobster risotto fancy and we’re broke college kids living on ramen and sandwiches.”
Ari laughs, looping her arm in mine, and we fall in step beside Payton. “Okay, Paige, spill. We can’t go in unprepared.”
My mood lifts just being in their presence, and a small smile finds my lips. “Okay, so, maybe we should pause for this.”
The girls stop walking, forming a little circle. “So this long-lost grandfather of mine, he’s, well…rich.”
They nod, waiting for more, but I just stare.
“Okay, are we talking likeGossip Girlrich?” Cameron takes a guess.
“More like Taylor Swift rich.”
Their mouths drop open, and I can’t help but wince.
“Dude.” Cam is the first to speak. “I got this dress at a garage sale!”
A loud laugh leaves me, and I slide my free arm through Payton’s, who snags Cameron, and we start for the restaurantdoors again. “Trust me, you could be wearing Ari’s wedding dress and it wouldn’t matter.”
“I feel like I’m supposed to take offense to that, but oddly, I’m not offended.” Ari grins.
“Good, because you’re going to be the prettiest bride anyone’s ever seen, and my poor friend is going to weep the moment he sees you. But let’s not talk about weddings in front of my grandfather. He’s… Yeah. Just don’t.”
“You got it.”
“Why exactly did he want to meet us?” Payton asks, quickly adding, “Not that I’m against it. I think we’ve all been pretty curious about him ourselves.”
“He wants to get to know me better, and he said that includes getting to know my friends. Sometimes all I can see is a businessman, but every now and again, he’s softer than I think he even realizes. I think he’s genuine.”
“So you don’t think he’ll judge our outfits?”
“Not to our faces.”
The girls laugh and we slip through the door.
Here goes nothing.
I’m not sure what I expected, but I’m pleasantly surprised by how well lunch goes.
The girls keep him laughing, and he seems to do the same. He even shares a few stories about my mother when she was young, though it looks a little painful for him to talk about. Understandably so, being that they cut each other out of their lives based on the way she chose to live hers, not knowing they wouldn’t get a second chance should they decide they wanted one.
Part of me thinks she didn’t tell him about me and the small stint when she was sober because she was waiting until her life was fully on track, not expecting it to derail all over again.
Or maybe not, considering my dad was led to believe she had no family at all.
Grant pauses right before the exit, allowing all of us girls to step out first. We walk a few feet out into the waiting area of the restaurant and turn to one another.
“Well, ladies, I had a fabulous time, and I hope to have you for dinner in my home sometime soon.”
The girls sneak a quick look my way, and I smile.
“Whenever Paige is up for it, we would love to,” Ari responds, reaching out to accept his handshake as he makes his way down the line of my friends. When he reaches me, he leans in, giving me a small hug.
