Page 168 of Really Truly Yours

“Of course I should have, Sydnee Lou. You’re worth it, and we need to talk. But first, just let me…” Looking at his full hands, he sets the bags onto the kitchen counter, then drops down to help me gather the fallen items. Both of us kneeling, we look up at the same moment, nose to nose. “Please talk to me, Sydnee.”

His wonderful eyes plead. His scent floods me. I scramble to my feet. “I don’t know, Gray...” You just prayed about this, Sydnee.

Donny clears his throat. “Now, Sydnee, you know you’re my favorite girl in the whole world, but you can be stubborn. My boy’s got some things to say that you need to listen to.”

Gray pleads with those sweet toffee eyes. “Can we go for a drive, maybe? Please say yes.”

Unfair. I can’t say no with Donny’s skinny, sallow face watching me, silently begging.

“But the groceries. There’s ice cream…”

Gray spins. “You’ll get this stuff, right, Tripp?”

Tripp salutes. “Tell you what. I’ll stick around and unload the groceries, and then Donny and I can visit a while.”

Tripp and Donny? Exactly what happened while I was at the store?

Magic, I guess, because the two men practically shoo us out the door.

On the sidewalk, I dig in my heels. “I really don’t want to do this, you know?” Liar.

“Aw, come on, Sydnee.” He reaches out. Stops cold. Like a bumped souffle, his enthusiasm deflates. “I’m sorry. If you don’t want to go…” He shakes his head. “I don’t mean to push.” He tucks his hands away in his pockets.

What? No flirting or cajoling? No pleading or coaxing? “What’s your game, Grayson Smith?”

He winces. Lines dig in around his mouth. “I know I come on strong, Syd, but I need you to know I respect you. I won’t push—even if I do feel like my life depends on you hearing me out. No pressure, though.”

I spew a laugh that simply can’t be helped. “Your life depends on me? Try again on the no pressure thing, Gray.”

Horrified realization sprouts across his face. “I’m sorry.” He backs up.

Slowly, I become aware of the fact that my entire body is trembling. On the surface and down deep. I want to hear what Gray has to say. It’s possible even that I, too, need to hear it. Despite our rocky start, I have no business fixing blame. Gray has been good to Donny, and for all his pushiness and impulsiveness, good to me, too.

He deserves to be heard. Thanks to Sam, I’ve recently been reminded of the importance of getting the other side of things. I don’t expect the same results here, but I’ll give Gray his moment. “Fine. We’ll go for a drive.”

He angles that stupid square jaw. “You sure? No pressure, now.”

Even he can’t say it a second time with a straight face.

The trembling of my limbs ramps up the moment we’re alone in the car. Gray overwhelms me and has since day one in that coffee shop, slumped in a chair, acting like a ball cap could hide him. Yeah, no one not notices a six-four hunk of athletic man with a perfect face and puppy eyes.

He’s also a dynamic, powerful, confident man, a reality that weaves itself into each and every interaction.

He drives to the park and we walk to the lake where we watched ducks swim and where we soaked up the gift of togetherness.

The memory makes me want to sulk and cry. My initial instinct was correct. I knew it couldn’t last.

I meet him at the front of his fancy SUV, arms crossed. If I don’t, he’ll hold my hand, and I can’t stand against his touch.

On the same bench as before, he knots his hands between his spread knees and looks at me. “You’re wrong, Sydnee.”

Quite a lead-in. I wince a smile. “Go on.”

“Last night, before the game started, you were wrong about me and that woman. Nothing happened that you need to be uncomfortable about.”

So he connected some dots. But now I’m just insulted. “Grayson Smith. One thing I have never taken you for is a liar. I saw you with her, watched you kiss her with my own two eyes.”

“Yeah, I kissed her. On the cheek.” His chin lifts, full of challenge. “And trust me, I won’t make that mistake again, but I’m telling you right here and now you’re likely to see her kiss me again.”

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