Page 26 of Unspoken Hearts
“No,” he admits, looking between the two of them before adding, “But you need something. The gas still works. Heat up the beans while I get the popcorn ready.”
Grabbing two pots, he gets to work shaking the popcorn as I stir the baked beans. I’m glad I had these in here, saving them literally for a rainy day—just like today.
The beans were mediocre, but I got them down before they cooled. I had just finished rinsing out the pot when Grayson handed me a bowl of salted popcorn.
“Should we play a game?” he asks, finding a spot on the couch to sit.
Nodding, I walk over to the bookshelf that has only a couple of books. Everything else is random bits and pieces of my aunt’s life. After searching for a brief moment, I find a deck of cards.
Holding them up, I shrug. “Better than nothing.”
“We can make it work.”
Running through several rounds of cards, with Grayson winning all of them—because I supposedly have a terrible poker face—I stack them up and finish off my popcorn.
Grayson empties the bucket of rainwater that has unfortunately filled up halfway, pouring it down the sink, and sticking it back in the same spot.
Exhaling glumly, I get up, taking our dishes to the sink. Leaning against the bench, my eyes shut as I take in the beating down of rain and the ground trembling. It’s beginning to smell damp in here. I peer up at the ceiling to see the puddle has grown darker.
“It’s getting dark. We’ll need some candles if you have any.”
“I have a couple in my room,” I say and hurry to retrieve Laynie’s Christmas present. Lucky she gave them to me, otherwise Grayson and I would be just sitting in the dark all night.
Bringing them out, I strike a match, lighting three of them for enough light to see the coffee table and Grayson’s face.
Darkness looms outside as it continues to cool down, and Grayson and I huddle together on the couch under a blanket.
“You know, we haven’t done this in a while.”
I glance sideways at him, arching a brow before teasing, “Had a romantic night in?”
He sniffs a laugh. “Hardly. Could you imagine us being together?”
My spine shivers at the thought. “Ew, no. No offense.”
“None definitely taken.” He grins at me. “I meant having a night to ourselves. It was always us with Axel, or Laynie, or my brothers. Man, I miss it just being us two.”
“Yeah, but we normally have TV to watch,” I remind him.
His cobalt eyes roll. “We can survive without one for the night.”
Resting my head on his shoulder, I nod, thinking about what’s happening at his home right now. What his family is doing. If Reid is joining in on games, or off in a corner reading with a torch.
Probably the latter.
My heart flutters thinking about Reid and wishing he was here with me. I don’t think he sees me as anything but Grayson’s friend, but I’ve seen the glances and compassion in his eyes, making my insides warm. Then I remember that his brother is sitting right beside me. The one who told me to stay away from his brothers.
I know Grayson has always disliked how Reid was more popular than him in school, despite being the quiet one of his friends. The girls used to talk about him, asking Grayson to put in a good word to Reid, and it drove Grayson mental—hence why I was told to not fall for him or any of his brothers.
Well, I did… but he doesn’t need to know that.
I clear my throat, pushing the memories away. “How do you feel about Reid taking over?”
He glares down at me, jaw locking, and I almost shiver from the intensity. “What do you think, Macie?” He aggressively runs his hand through his hair.
My tongue swipes my lip before shrugging. “You haven’t spoken much about it.”
“Because there’s nothing I can do. He’s being given the ranch because he’s the oldest.”
