Chapter 31 Always
Ryland
Gracie looks at me with a smug look on her face. “Ha, you just got your ass kicked by a girl.”
She beat me! No, scratch that, she destroyed me. We played three games, and she won every single one. It is the girls’ night tonight because Lola beat Ben, too. Though I have a feeling he let her win.
Gracie laughs loudly, and she comes over, kissing me softly. “Aww, sorry, baby boy.”
The look on her face tells me she is not sorry at all.
I shake my head, chuckling. “Yes, you like you mean it, not.”
I am a competitive person by nature, but with Gracie, it doesn’t bother me at all that she beat me.
“No, I am not sorry, not one bit.”
“So, what do you want? Spill it. I know you have been thinking about what you can make me do since you won the first round.”
I don’t know if I want to know what she is thinking. I am the one who came up with the idea, so I have no one to blame but myself. Gracie snakes her arms around my neck.
“Anything?” she asks, and I nod. “You can start with a date every day this coming week.” She adds with a smirk.
“That was mine if I won.”
“Well, no, it is mine. But if you want to?” she says and pulls herself away from me, going to walk away.
I am not going to let that happen. I swiftly take hold of her hips and bring her back to me, pulling her around to face me.
“I want to, badly,” I say honestly.
Gracie kisses my cheek. “Then that is a start.”
We get ourselves organised and head out. We are going to grab pizza. We can leave our cars here and walk to the pizza place since it is a nice night. Pizza was the girl’s choice, we agreed. They decided that, because they had won, they would choose where to eat. We didn’t argue with them on it.
Gracie comes to my side and links her arm through mine. “Thank you for making my bad day better.”
“Anytime, beautiful,” I reply and unlink her arm from mine.
It is only for a moment. I slip my hand into Gracie’s, letting our fingers intertwine. Gracie smiles brightly at me.
Lola points between Gracie and me. “I am curious, what is going on here?”
I wish people would stop asking me that because I can’t give them an answer yet. Gracie’s grip on my hand tightens the second Lola asks.
“When we work it out, we will let you know.”
I try to laugh it off, hoping Lola will drop the subject, since it is making Gracie uneasy. I can sense it from her. Lola nods and lets it go. I think she too realises that neither of us was ready to discuss it. Gracie’s hand relaxes in mine.
“Sorry,” I say.
Gracie shrugs it off. “No, it is okay.”
I know it wasn’t okay, but I nod anyway. I kiss her softly as we approach the pizza place, and we all head inside. We ordered two pizzas to share between the four of us. We settle down at a table.
I slide my hand under the table and gently caress Gracie’s wrist where the bruising is. She turns to me, smiling softly.
“Can I stay with you tonight?” she whispers, “If not, it is okay.” She trails off.
“You can stay with me anytime you want, Gracie,” I whisper back.
“Thank you. I don’t want to stay at home, but I will need to show my face. I will go straight to my room, block the door, and get what I need for school, then sneak back out of the window. I can return home early tomorrow morning before he wakes.”
“Anything you need.”
At least if she is with me, then I know she is safe. I will sneak her back in. If I could sneak her into my house every single night and keep her away from home during the day. I know that isn’t possible or practical.
Gracie rests her head on my shoulder. “You are the best.”
Gracie wouldn’t be saying that if she knew everything about me. She was afraid I would run when she told me the truth. I am terrified about what she will do when she learns the truth about me. I sigh and kiss the top of her head, slipping my arm around her.
I know telling her the truth will have to be done sooner rather than later before either of us gets into too deep. I find myself already getting in too deep with her. I am smitten, I can’t deny that. Tonight, I want everyone to relax and enjoy the rest of the night without any issues or worries. My past can be dealt with another day.