I thought I was a patient man before this. Don’t make me beg.
He found my response no doubt after practice.
I wouldn’t mind seeing you beg.
After all, the brownies are delicious. I think they're worth the effort, don’t you?
It didn’t start out flirty. Believe me, if it had, I would have told him to shove his hockey stick up his ass. But over the passing week it just…evolved. I can’t help it, the man is easy to flirt with.
Although, not all the notes have been flirty. Some asked me to reconsider the proposition. In others he thanked me for the food I cooked for him, the laundry I cleaned, the coffee I made. He’s thanked me for every minuscule task, even going so far as complimenting what I wore that day. Which was when I found out the hard way he was checking his Ring camera as I entered his house.That should have freaked me out, but the idea of Grayson checking his camera every morning to catch a small glimpse of me only resulted in warmth filling my belly.
On one particular day, he left me two notes, one on the whiteboard and another tucked under my favorite candle in his house. It was a compliment of the sweater I had worn the day prior. And if I didn’t know any better, I’d say his writing was a little shakier than normal.
I’d do unspeakable things to see you in red again.
I’m a little embarrassed to admit that I held that note to my chest…along with pocketing every paper note he leaves me. I began storing them all in a box under my bedside table. That said box is currently now stashed in my car because I’d die of mortification if anyone found them.
I’d look like a love sick puppy, and I am anything but. They just…brighten my day, that’s all.
At least, that’s what I tell myself.
I flop onto my bed, Layla doing the same as sweat beads along her brows. “Either way, it doesn’t matter. I’m not going to consider it.”
I’ll just have to deal with the burning hot flush that enters my bloodstream anytime I think about another woman touching him or being close to him. I’ll just have to deal with seeing their smiling photos online and in magazines.
God, I’ll probably have to see her around the house too. Though, I’m doing a fantastic job at avoiding Grayson, I’m sure I’ll be able to avoid her as well.
Sitting up, Layla pops her head in her hand. “Fine, if you won’t fill today with good news, then I will.”
Scrambling up on the bed, my eyes search hers to find them wide with such joy, hope, and happiness that tears spring forth as I ask, “Did they contact you? Did you hear from Berlin?”
She nods her head feverishly before she whispers, “Yes, all the stars you wished upon worked. I’m going to Berlin. They’ve accepted me into their trial?—”
Layla cuts off as I fling myself at her with a scream.
“I’m going to miss you like crazy but I’m so happy for you!” I can’t help it, I start crying, big heaving sobs that only spur on Layla’s tears.
The sound of the front door opening can’t drag us away from the excited tears spilling down our cheeks.
“What happened? Is everything okay?” my mom asks, rushing into the room much faster than she should.
Layla smiles through her watery gaze as she announces, “I’m going to Berlin for a year. One of their candidates dropped out of the experimental program.”
My mom’s eyes widen before they, too, fill with tears, and not long after all three of us are hugging one another as we weep.
Perhaps miracles do happen.
Layla stayed well into the evening, joining my mom and me for dinner and several documentaries on true crime that, in all honesty, Laylashouldbe watching considering she’s the most gullible and kindhearted person I know and she’s about to be alone in a foreign country.
Now brushing my teeth after the long day, I should be thinking about how much I’m going to miss my best friend, about how happy I am for her at her shot of hope with her health, but instead, all I can think about is the note I found tucked under the candle in Grayson’s living room.
I’d do unspeakable things to see you in red again.
I’m fixating on the note so thoroughly that I jump when I catch my mom standing behind me in the bathroom mirror. Yelping, I quickly rinse my mouth and spin. “You scared the crap out of me!”
She chuckles softly. “I called your name three times, love.”
Sheepish, I can’t help but blush at the reason why I was distracted. “Sorry, I was just going through a mental list of what I have to do tomorrow.”
