Greer’s hands went to my chest as she leaned over me and hung her head, her breaths just as labored as mine. When she tried to roll off me, my fingertips dug in to keep her in place a little longer.
She smiled down at me, sleepy and dazed but happy. Fuck if that didn’t soothe something, too.
Her gaze moved to the bedside table before that smile grew into a grin. “Happy New Year.”
I looked over to see it was shortly after midnight.
Which meant I started the year the same way I wanted it to continue.
In Greer.
With Greer.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
WE’RE ASKING THE QUESTION EVERYONE WANTS TO KNOW… WHO IS NEPO BABY’S NEW WOMAN DU JOUR?
GREER
Ireally need to comehome more often.
Fighting a grimace that turned into a gag, I hurriedly tossed out the rancid fruit from my fridge. Thankfully, there hadn’t been a lot of it—Tripp had pretty much taken care of my meager stock when we’d hidden away on Christmas Eve. But since I hadn’t been home in a week, what I did have leftover had turned.
Beyond turned.
I was pretty sure it was fermented.
It made me grateful that Maddie had asked to meet. Otherwise, it might’ve been another week before I’d come home.
I couldn’t imagine how it would’ve smelled after that.
After spraying the hell out of the fridge until the fumes gave me a headache, I bagged up the trash—rag and all—and took it down to the outside dumpster. I returned to my apartment to find Maddie waiting outside with her phone pressed to her ear.
She pulled it away and touched the screen when she saw me. “There you are. I thought maybe Tripp had you tied up somewhere.”
Of course she says that just as my neighbor steps into the hall.
“I could say the same to you about Easton,” I said, equally as loud. If she was making it awkward for me in our building, I would return the favor.
Even though she sort of had a point. If he wasn’t booked with his trainer for the afternoon, it was a safe bet he would’ve tried to convince me to stick around. And when that failed, he would’ve just followed me.
He wasn’t the only greedy man because Maddie smiled as she pointed down. “Full disclosure. Easton’s waiting for me in my apartment.”
My good mood soured worse than the rotten fruit as I thought about the last time she’d come to my place while her boyfriend waited downstairs. My already queasy stomach did a tumultuous flip as I let us into my place. I barely closed the door behind us before asking, “What happened?”
Instant understanding softened her face. “Nothing. This is a good visit, I promise.”
“Thank God. I don’t think I could take anymore drama.”
“Why? Did something happen?”
“No, the opposite. Mom is in Florence right now and seems to finally be enjoying herself, and I, uh, visited my dad.”
She gave an exaggeratedyikesface. “How’d that go?”
“Better than I thought it would, honestly.” I gave her a recap of my visit but evaded discussing any of the legal matters. I wasn’t sure how any of that worked, and I didn’t want to put any deal at risk. Maddie didn’t ask, though I was sure she was curious since her parents were impacted by his bad decisions.
She did, however, hesitantly ask, “Where, uh, is he staying?” When I told her about his small apartment, she leaned against the kitchen counter—the picture of forced casualness. “And he lives there alone?”
