“Well, there’s your first mistake. Not that it’s an excuse, but don’t drink while alone with a man you have feelings for.”
“No shit. Lesson learned.” She snorted, and neglected to add,in the middle of the night while both parties are grossly underdressed. “When you met Dad, I know you guys hit it off right away. But... was there that electricity, like they talk about in sappy romances?”
“I know that’s not an easy thing to find, but... yes. I knew.” Her smile blossomed through the airwaves; Claire didn’t need to see her mother’s face to know she was blushing. “There was that instant lust, then that foolish feeling that he was my soulmate, then that level-headed, oh-crap, he’s too stubborn and enjoys action figures more than a grown man should, and... I dumped him three weeks in.”
“What? You never told me that.”
“It’s a scary thing, finding someone that upends your world.”
“This may sound shallow. But, what if I leave Ryder, who I really do care for, even though he drives me crazy sometimes, and hang my hat on the possibility with Grady, and then three weeks in, discover that he’s not what I thought?”
“Love is always a risk. Listen to your head and your heart. And if they are telling you gibberish, then wing it.”
“Wing it. Okay. I can wing it.”
“No offense Claire, but I’ve never seen you ‘wing it.’”
“Not my thing, but I’ll figure it out.”
“Let me know how it goes. Call tomorrow?”
“You bet.”
Angry at himself forhis typical indecision and gutlessness, Grady paced outside. He stalked out to his car, opened the door, then slammed it shut again. Why did he have to kiss her? Better yet, why had he poured them so damn much whiskey? Isn’t that how Zane got himself hitched?
Answered his own question there. Yeah, he’d worked up the nerve to let her know how he felt... if thrusting his tongue down her throat counted as expressing his feelings.
This morning, he’d eaten the world’s slowest breakfast. Which, yeah, he did every Monday morning, stalling as long as possible before dragging his ass in to work. Lincoln was going to dock him for tardiness pretty soon. As salaried partners, not likely. But as a friend, he would be fully justified to call him on shaving off the start and end of the workday as often as possible.
He’d left Trace with a friendly peck on the cheek. Nothing. Not a zap.
Not trusting himself to decide anything with regard to his pathetic love life, he picked up the phone instead and called a friend.
“Hey,” Asher answered.
“Hey, man. I, uh... Fuck.” Grady ran a hand through his hair, having no idea why he’d even called.
Asher laughed, teasing him already. “You’re having a rough time there. What’s going on?”
“I’m trying to figure out how to say this without sounding like a... I don’t know. I... How quickly did you know Sophie was the one?”Real manly there, Grady. Totally normal conversation.
“Uh-oh, who is she?”
Grady had no idea how to dodge that little truth. Might as well be honest. “Ryder’s fiancée.”
“Figures. You two looked pretty cozy at Ahab’s. I’d say I didn’t think you were that stupid, but, well. You are you.”
“Yeah.” Non-phone hand in his pocket, he paced around the side of the house. Kicking a rock, he tried to land it in the pond. The rock flew wide, missing the target and sputtered to a pathetic stop in the shrubs. Why hadn’t his mother enrolled him in soccer like Ryder?
Thankfully, Asher didn’t sound condescending or judgmental. More sympathetic than anything. “I’m sorry, man. One look, and I knew.”
The next rock hit the decorative rockery around the pond and ricocheted back at him. He hopped on one foot to get out of the way and narrowly dodged a self-inflicted injury. “That’s what I was afraid you were going to say. What would you have done if she were already with me?”
“Tough call. I can’t say for sure. You know me, I wouldn’t have waited in the wings. Besides, Sophie would have wanted to make an informed decision, on her own, without pressure. So, don’t be an ass about it, but give Claire the choice. Think she’s into you?”
“Um...”
“That’s a heavy ‘um.’”
