Like how Grady’s thick, dark brown brows knit together with concentration as he applies the paint to the nails. When he messes up and gets some on her skin, he scrapes it away with his thumbnail before wiping it off on his sweats. The black material has little purple spots where he’s done it more than once. He’s wearing a Powder Ridge snapback on his head turned backwards, messy honey blond pieces hanging out from underneath and curling around his ears.
His eyelashes are dark and long. Curly. From here, it looks like they’re fanning over the apples of his cheeks with the way his eyes are downcast onto Suzy’s feet, but every once in a while,he’ll glance up at her face, a smile spreading that warms my chest. She sits so patiently while he works.
I never noticed before how nice his bone structure is, but I can’t help but track it with my eyes. His nose is straight and narrow, cheeks high, jawline prominent. Lips are full and cherry red, his teeth clamp down on his bottom one currently as he works. It’s endearing and kind of adorable how focused he is on making sure he does a good job.
Grady finishes up. “What do you think, pretty girl?” he asks her.
“I love it!” She turns her hands toward me. “Look at my toes, Daddy!”
“They look very nice. Looks like Uncle Grady knows what he’s doing.”
My gaze meets Grady’s, and something flashes through his eyes that I can’t place. He swallows, and I can’t help but look down and track the way his Adam’s apple bobs in his throat. Grady’s the first to break eye contact, moving his attention to Suzy as he hands her the nail polish bottle.
“Your turn, Suzy Q.”
She squeals with excitement, and he quickly shows her how to pull the brush out and wipe it on the edge of the bottle as to not make a mess. She still makes a mess, mostly all over his fingers, but he’s a good sport the entire time.
Grady looks up at me as she’s busy painting his thumb nail, catching me watching him. My heartbeat thumps loudly in my ears at being caught, and I feel my cheeks heat.
“Everything go okay today?” he asks coolly.
I nod once. “Yeah, it went fine.”
“It’s done?”
“Yup.”
“Are ‘congratulations’ or an ‘I’m sorry’ in order here?”
The sincerity in his tone makes me chuckle. “Somewhere in the middle, probably.”
He grins. “Well, congratu-sorry then.”
That really makes me laugh. “Thanks, G. Appreciate that.”
Neither of us looks away, and the air in here feels thicker somehow. Like it’s evaporating around us. I can feel his gaze on me like a physical force, and it’s confusing…but alluring at the same time. I don’t get it. The hairs on the back of my neck stand and the organ in my chest clenches. His eyes are soft on mine, and they melt something inside of me.
My tongue feels thick in my mouth, and I swallow against the dryness coating my throat. I should say something, break up this tense silence, but before I can, movement catches to my right. Turning my gaze over there, I spot Jade standing in the doorway, her eyes trained on Suzy painting Grady’s nails, the smile on her face genuine and bright.
Guilt racks my nerves as I stand off the bed. I don’t understand the feelings bubbling inside of me. They’re foreign, but happening more and more. Jade steps into the room, taking my place on the bed, and I excuse myself, telling them I’m heading to the gym. Maybe a hard, long workout is just what I need to get out of my head.
18
Grady Wilde
Hannah: Hey, can you meet me at Powder Ridge in an hour?
I’m sitting in the parking lot of the arena, re-reading the text for the fifth time in the last fifty minutes. It’s nearly three in the afternoon, and I’m scheduled to meet with Hannah in about ten minutes, but my nerves are shot. It’s last minute, and I don’t do well with last minute. Did I do something wrong? Do they not want to work with me anymore?Oron the flip side, are they finally offering me a permeant job? I’m anxious and sick to my stomach. I’ve enjoyed doing photography for them over the last few months. I’ve been happier doing this than I was the entire last three years I was at college. I’ve been working my ass off with no real guarantees, putting all of my eggs in this one basket, and I desperately need it to pay off already. I need this to sway in my favor because, frankly, I deserve it.
Getting to see my photos on their social media accounts, seeing people comment on them, share them, fawn over them…it’s surreal. I love it. I don’t think I ever fully let myself believethat I could make photography a career up until recently. But what if Hannah is about to burst my bubble and crush my dreams?
I might puke.
It’s a big possibility.
Hopefully, not in her office. Hopefully, I can wait until after.
Turning my car off, I climb out, pocketing my keys and my phone as I cross the parking lot toward the front door to the arena. The sun is shining in the sky, not a cloud in sight, but it’s chilly out. Spring is around the corner, but it’s definitely not here just yet. Hannah’s office is on the second floor, and it overlooks the actual arena. A quick knock on her door and a muffled “come in” has me twisting the knob and pushing open the door.
