Page 61 of His Build
“What party were you at?”
Sadie pointed her thumb at the ceiling.
Lucy laughed. “How’d you manage that?”
“Horse girl is actually pretty nice,” she said, yawning, then threw an arm around Lucy. “But partying is losing its thrill, if I’m being honest.”
“I told you it would.” Lucy leaned her head into her sister’s shoulder. “Thanks for being here.”
“Of course. Anyway, itisyour place,” Sadie said.
Lucy laughed. “Thanks for being here for me, I mean.”
“Always.”
* * *
When morning came,Lucy woke in utter confusion. The light was streaming in from the window and she was in her own bed back at home.
Then the reality came crashing in like bricks. She turned, but the side of the bed Sadie had been sleeping in was empty.
Just then the bedroom door banged open and Sadie came in with a box from the coffee shop down the street, along with two of Lucy’s favorite travel mugs.
“Latte?”
“Oh my god, yes.”
Lucy sat up, her back against the bed. “Did you even sleep?” she asked her little sister.
“Of course! I just need less than the average person. I’m highly advanced.”
Lucy laughed. It was good to see Sadie again. She realized how much she’d relied on having her sister around to bounce her feelings off of. They chitchatted for a bit, Sadie telling Lucy all about Mrs. Devonshire’s cat, how it had caught a rat but then lost it again, because you know, it couldn’t see where it dropped it.
“God, I wish I could have come with you up to the lake—it sounds amazing. Fresh air, time on your hands. Remember how we used to pretend we were pirates out in the woods? The famous Fulham Pirate Women, taking over the seven seas!”
Sadie stopped talking as she saw Lucy’s eyes filling with tears.
“Oh man, I’m sorry—which part was it?”
“The country, Sadie. I wish I could have had some time out there that wasn’t marred with somemanwrecking it for me.”
“Did Graydon really wreck the countryside for you?”
Lucy looked down at her coffee mug. “No,” she whispered. She remembered them gliding across the water in the canoe at sunset, the glow in her chest she’d felt then flickering even now. “No, he made itmagical.”
Sadie reached for her sister’s hand.
They sat for a moment in silence. Then Lucy said, “I thought about what you asked.”
“About what?”
“Last night, when you wanted me to tell you about Graydon.”
Sadie grinned. “So tell me about him.”
Lucy couldn’t help but feel the tiniest sliver of lightness looking at her sister’s face. She had the most radiant smile—it lit up the whole room.
“Graydon Mitchell is the sweetest, kindest man I’ve ever known,” Lucy said, her eyes looking over Sadie’s shoulder as if he were standing right there. “He loves the town he grew up in and the lake he lives on now. He has a sister named Casey, who’s also the nicest, most easygoing person in the world, someone I could picture being friends with. Her son Sam is the apple of Graydon’s eye and so cute…” Lucy’s heart lifted at the memory of Graydon squeezing his nephew in a bear hug. Of him tossing the boy over his shoulder and Sam squealing with laughter.
