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My sister left my side, and I wavered, in shock really. Nothing else could define the feeling I had seeing my grandmother approach the gates of my parents’ home in her Sunday best. There was a girl at her side…
A girl I couldn’t get out of my head.
Aspen Davis was like a permanent fixture in my already fucked-up mind. I couldn’t get her out with a damn crowbar and here she was not just a vision. Here she was at my house with my grandmother.
And they were laughing.
God, were they laughing, the two like old friends. My grandmother had said something to Aspen, and Aspen put her head back in the sun, her laughter light and jovial. She didn’t laugh much with me. In fact, she spent more time insulting me and me her. That was just our dynamic and how that shit had me gone. Our banter was fucked, but I loved it. It got me hot. Got me hard.
But seeing her smile.
Something was different about her laughter, and that shit got all up in my chest. It nearly distracted me from the fact that she was with my grandmother, the two walking toward the gates of Reed Manor together.
What the hell?
My sister and I had been on the cusp of another search, but while we looked, I’d been about to break down and call my folks. I hadn’t wanted to, but I had no choice. My gram was missing.
At least, she had been.
Aspen spotted my sister first. Bow had been faster. My shock of Aspen being here (with my gram) legit slowed me down, but after seeing Bow, her gaze passed over to me.
Hey there, snow.
The sight of me rattled her, and well, consider her not the only fucking one. Her expression went from shocked to stony, but that didn’t stop her from being one of the most beautiful fucking things on this block to me. She wore not a stitch of makeup today just like that night at the motel. Her hair was bundled atop her head and her shorts were nearly hidden under a gray pullover hoodie. She looked the most basic she could look in her low-top Nikes and was a far cry from the red-carpet goddess I’d seen torturing the Grammys and MTV Video Music Awards. She had pictures from all those events on her social media, the girl high in demand since she performed with celebrities. She looked different today.
But different wasn’t bad. In fact, different let me see her, and despite the scowl she reserved for me, I was slowing for a different reason. I was just in fucking awe of her.
Wake up.
The guys were probably right that Aspen Davis was bad for me, and even though I was still pissed from that shit she said to me the last time we’d been together, I wasn’t caring about that shit right now. I ignored Aspen’s shocked expression and went toward my gram. I followed after my sister outside of our gates.
“Gram!” Bow started, getting to Gram first, but as soon as she did, she bit her lip. “I mean, Evangeline. You know you can’t just leave the house. It’s not safe.”
My sister realized her error, and even though I’d seen her do similar recoveries in the past, it didn’t stop the cringe I made that she had to do it.
Nor the tightness in my stomach.
That shit locked me all up, but I didn’t allow that to play across my features. My gram’s attention went from Bow to me after my sister’s correction, and her expression immediately brightened. Gram waved. “Nighty!”
Nighty.
Knowing that was me, I made my grin strong. I came forward, and when my gram brought me into her arms, I held her right back. She smelled like cinnamon and days by the fireplace or the piano. I didn’t play anymore, but my gram had taught me everything I knew. My hand covered her back. “Hey, Mom.”
I wouldn’t allow myself to cringe saying it. Actually, I said it so much lately that word just flew out of my mouth. My gram had fewer and fewer days where she was lucid. In fact, damn near none lately.
I peered over my gram’s shoulder, well aware Aspen was still standing there. She’d hung back, and her glare had shifted to something else. A heavy confusion narrowed her dark eyes, and I didn’t blame her for that. This shit was confusing.
But only from the outside.
Unfortunately, my entire family had been having to deal with this lately, so Aspen was the only one confused on this residential street. I pulled away from Gram. “Nurse is right. You can’t just leave?—”
“Oh, stop it. You both worry too much,” she said, swatting my arm. Nurse was my sister some days. Most days. Gram touched her sparkling gown. “And I should be mad at you. I waited for you at our place, and you weren’t there.”
Christ, that was where she was? This whole time…
I closed my eyes. “I’m sorry.”
“Yes, well, I’m only not upset because of Aspen here,” Gram stated, and my sister’s and my attention flew over to the girl who was trying to blend into my parents’ well-trimmed hedges. Actually, if Bow and I hadn’t done that, I was quite sure Aspen would have backed up and run. One of her Nikes had definitely been out to ease away. Gram waved at her. “Come here, dear. Meet my son and my worrywart nurse. Her name’s Rainbow. We call her Bow.”
