Page 10 of Unspoken Hearts
I walking back over to my table and start packing up my laptop and notes left strewn about, shoving everything into my bag. Grayson appears at my side, helping me.
“Maybe we should do something?” His voice is loud over the machine.
My eyes flicker to his cobalt ones, one brow raised. “Like what?”
He takes a second to think; the machine starts frothing milk. “We could go out tonight?”
Lifting my bag onto my shoulder, I look past him to Laynie and Cole laughing about something. A soft smile pulls in my cheeks as I nod to Grayson. “All right. It’ll be good to do something. Get my mind off of everything.”
“Exactly.” He pulls me into a sideways hug. “Pub?”
“What else?” I answer with a soft laugh as he ruffles my hair.
I push him away, glad to be smiling right now after I cried in private this morning for longer than I’m proud of in the shower.
I hope my eyes aren’t still puffy.
“Should we meet up after dinner?”
“Yeah,” he chimes, peering back at Laynie behind the machine. “Do you want to come to mine? Mum won’t mind. In fact, she’d be appalled if I didn’t invite you over for her food.”
I shake my head regretfully because Hazel’s cooking is definitely my favourite. “Can’t. I already told Laynie I would eat with her,” I admit quietly. “I don’t think she wants me to be alone either.”
Grayson’s head tilts to one side, smothering a frown. “I never said anything about you being alone.”
I just stare at him, my heart rate ricocheting off my rib cage.
He shrugs nonchalantly, concealing his amused grin. “I just thought it would be nice. Thought you could use the company.”
“Laynie is good company, too,” I murmur, reaching to touch his arm. His dark top clings to his brawny frame.
His gaze flickers onto Laynie giggling for a moment, and I think I see a flash of something, but I can’t quite put my finger on it.
He turns back, a smile forming on his mouth. “You’re always welcome at the ranch, Macie Moo.”
My grin broadens at the nickname his brothers chose for me one summer that has stuck. Paper cups are placed on the bench beside us.
“All right, come and get them,” Laynie half yells, placing them into cardboard trays.
Cole takes one, and the other is picked up by Grayson. “We’ll see you both tonight. Meet us at seven.”
“Yep,” Laynie agrees, smiling as she watches the two of them leave the cafe.
Her eyes move back to me the moment the door swings shut, and my body stiffens before she even asks the question. “So, you’re going to see Reid tonight, huh?”
“So?” I drawl, avoiding her searing gaze as I dig around in my bag, trying to cover up the flaring of my cheeks.
Laynie chuckles. “Nothing. I just think it’s both cute and ridiculous that you have liked him for this long and still done nothing about it.”
I sigh, forcing my eyes to lift to her gleaming ones. “You know why.”
“Come on. Do you really think Grayson would hate you if he knew?”
“It’s not something I’m willing to risk.”
“Why not?” she asks, moving to clean the coffee machine.
I exhale again. “Because my brother just left, after my aunt and our parents. Besides, I don’t even know if Reid feels the same way. And I don’t want to lose Grayson as well, which will lead to me—”
