Page 34 of Unspoken Hearts
Austin rubs at his greying jaw and sighs. “It doesn’t look good, but I spoke with Walter.”
“And?” I ask quickly, my pulse spiking with anticipation.
His deeper eyes drop, along with my chest as Grayson takes over. “It’s more damaged than we thought. I don’t know if Walter will agree to fix it, or just rebuild it instead. It’s an old house.”
My lips parts and my arms feel like numb weights at my side, frozen. All I hear is the thudding in my ears.
Rebuild.
“But… that’s my home,” I squeeze out. “It’s Axel’s home.”
“I’m sorry, M.” Grayson’s tone is gentle, but it does nothing to soothe the searing pain in my chest.
My head shakes quickly as I push away the tears threatening to flood my eyes. “I can’t believe this,” I whisper, arms wrapping tightly around my stomach. They don’t feel as comforting as I’d hoped.
“I’ll be meeting with Walter Tuesday morning to discuss—”
“I’m coming with you,” I cut Austin off, stepping closer. “I want to speak with him too.Please.”
Austin’s gaze meets Grayson’s for a beat, before he nods in agreement. “It’ll be good for you to come along. Grayson will, too.”
My eyes flicker onto Reid’s steady ones watching me. He doesn’t say anything, but I feel the sympathy radiating from him.
“You are staying here in the meantime,” Grayson adds, a faint smile curling in his mouth, but it doesn't bring one to mine.
Nodding slowly, my shoulders cave forward when Hazel speaks up. “You have nothing to worry about, honey. You can stay here as long as you need, and I’m sure Walter will do what he can to fix it for you.” Her positivity is trying to rub against me, but it doesn’t work.
A familiar arm surrounds me as Austin clears his throat, grabbing his hat from the stand. “We’ll try our best on Tuesday. Just don’t think about it until then.”
My forehead creases as I mutter, “How am I meant to do that?”
He looks to his wife, hoping she’ll say something, but all I get is a tighter hug from Hazel, and I know deep down that this is useless. That I’m going to lose the house. Myhome.
Looking at his sons, Austin nods his head to the back door. “We’ll need to move that tree.”
Grayson nods, glancing my way and quickly walking over, swallowing me up in a tight embrace. “It’ll be fine, M,” he utters into my ear.
My stomach continues to knot like a pretzel as I nod slowly against his chest.
Pulling away, he grabs his boots, following his dad out the door. Reid turns to me. Even though the weight of what’s happened presses down on me, I still get swirling butterflies as he approaches warily.
Hazel slips away from me, returning to the kitchen where her fresh bread is out of the oven and making the entire place smell like a bakery.
My stomach grumbles, but I don’t think Reid hears it. He holds out a photo frame to me. It’s one from when I was ten and Axel was only three. We stayed with my friend, Rosie, and her family over the summer break. They kindly took us in when our parents wanted to go to some festivaland had planned to leave us alone. Rosie’s mum gave me this photo to keep. It’s one of the few I have of Axel and I looking genuinely happy.
“Why’d you bring me this?” I ask quietly, not tearing my eyes away.
Reid shrugs, putting his hands back in his pants pocket like he seems to do when he’s close to me. Maybe it’s one of his nervous tendencies, like when he rubs the back of his neck. “I liked it, and thought you would want something while you stay here.”
I liked it.
I don’t know why that makes a rush of warmth spread through me, but it does, and I soak up the fleeting feeling.
Blinking up at him, the corners of my lips lift to reflect his. “Thank you. I love this photo.”
“You’re welcome,” Reid murmurs.
Hovering for a moment, my pulse flutters as I think for a moment he might hug me or something. The look in his eyes hints that he wants to, and the twitch of his hand sparks a flicker of anticipation in my chest, but the feeling dissipates as he turns away. Grabbing his hat and boots, Reid glances my way again as he strolls towards the back door.
