Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 100750 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100750 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
He felt a hand on his shoulder as he closed his eyes, hoping to alleviate the pressure he felt. Grayson took a deep breath, and then another.
“Hey, man, we don’t have time for the Pledge—” Pearce stopped and moved to shroud Grayson from onlookers. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m good.” Grayson walked away from Pearce without looking at him. He didn’t want or need his pity or his questions. Pearce followed, but Grayson held up his hand. “I said I’m good.”
He walked to the middle of the key, spread his arms wide to show everyone his impressive wingspan and to prove to anyone who watched him that he was, in fact, okay, and then rested his hands on his knees. He figured no one would question him if he stood like this. Most athletes do when they’re tired. Except he wasn’t tired. He was suddenly exhausted. “Let’s go!” He clapped his hands loudly, hoping the others took notice.
Throughout the game, he spotted not only the guy from earlier chatting with Reid, but two others as well. The last one sat next to her and took all her attention away from Grayson, which he didn’t like. When he should’ve been focused on the game, he was distracted by what he saw going on in the bleachers.
When the final horn sounded, Grayson looked up at the scoreboard and tried to smile. They had won, but the margin of victory wasn’t what he’d come to expect. He changed his shoes, put his sweatpants on, and waited for Reid to join him.
“Who is that?” he asked for a second time today.
“Alaric.”
“What kind of name is Alaric?” There was no hiding the sarcastic tone emanating from him.
“The kind his parents gave him. What’s your issue?” Reid stopped walking.
Grayson turned to face her, waiting for the others to move on past them. “I don’t like men talking to you. Hitting on you.”
“Then do something about it,” she dared him as she crossed her arms over her chest and smirked.
He shook his head slowly. He knew better than to go down this road with her.
“Look, Grayson . . .” The door behind them opened, and Pearce walked out.
“You guys heading home or to the Green Turtle?”
“Turtle,” Grayson said without making eye contact. “We’ll meet you there.”
Pearce looked at them and nodded. As soon as he exited, Grayson looked down at Reid. He wasn’t sure what to say, and he wasn’t sure he wanted her to finish her tirade.
“I’m going to start dating,” she blurted out. “And I’m not going to listen to you complain about the men I go on these dates with. Someone out there is the right guy for me.” Her eyes bore into his.
“The dating pool sucks.”
“Yeah, well . . .” She walked past him, paused, and turned around. “If you’re not going to date me, then I’m going to go on dates. There are things I want out of life, and one of them is to fall in love, get married, and have a family. You don’t want that, at least not with me, so I need to move on and close the door on these feelings I have for you.”
Grayson couldn’t find the words to tell her she wasn’t going on any dates. He shook his head and started to speak, but his words caught in his throat just as his heart seized. He placed his hand over his heart and leaned against the clothing rack for some stability. Grayson gasped.
“Knock it off,” Reid seethed. “You don’t get to pretend like you’re hurt,” she told him. “Every day, I wake up wondering if this is going to be the day when you start dating someone else or when you finally tell me that you’re in love with me, which I know you are, but you’re too chicken to say the words to me.”
Grayson’s eyes watered as he gasped for air. “Help.”
“Help, what? Help you with your broken heart? No, I won’t. You can’t do this to me.”
He fell to his knees and somehow managed to mutter, “Nine one one.”
Those three numbers caught Reid’s attention. She was by his side and guided him to the floor instantly. “What’s wrong?”
He could only pat his chest.
“HELP! SOMEONE HELP!”
TWO
REID
Her screams had been answered when a janitor came running toward her with his phone pressed to his ear. He’d asked Reid questions about Grayson, which she’d answered. It was scary how much she knew about him. Her best friend, Melanie Scott, often told Reid she was far too intrusive into the life of a man who didn’t want to be with her. Reid knew Melanie meant well, but it still always felt like a slap in the face.
Now, her knowledge of Grayson’s life would come in handy.
After the ambulance arrived, the medics quickly took over. Grayson’s eyes stared off into space, and his head lolled from side to side. Reid tried to stay in his line of vision, hoping to show him that she was still there. They loaded him onto a stretcher, and Reid followed them out of the recreation center.