Page 100 of Teach Me Your Ways

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CECE

Lina’s usual bravado was completely shattered. She looked small and fragile wrapped in the blanket, her eyes downcast. I kept my arm around her waist to steady her as we walked toward the dormitory. Grady and Felix stayed behind, their voices low as they talked about dinner. I had a feeling Lina might be playing up her near-death incident. Again, my experience as a mother gave me an extra edge. Sophie pulled this same trick when she got in trouble for doing something that could hurt her. When she climbed the tree and fell, she knew she was in trouble. I doted on her for five minutes and made sure she was okay before I scolded her. And boy did I scold her.

Lina was doing the same thing. It wasn’t really my place to scold her. I was her equal. I wasn’t her boss, mother, or supervisor. Grady had already let her know she was an idiot. And I had a feeling she realized her mistake.

Once inside the dorm, I guided Lina to her room and helped her sit on the edge of the bed. She was still shivering, though whether from the cold or the shock of what had happened, I couldn’t tell. I grabbed a towel from the bathroom and handed it to her.

“Here,” I said softly. “Dry off and get changed. I’ll wait outside.”

She nodded again, her hands trembling as she took the towel. “Thank you. I’m⁠—”

“Don’t,” I interrupted gently. “Just focus on getting warm and rested. We’ll talk later.”

I stepped out into the hallway, closing the door behind me. I leaned against the wall, letting out a long breath. My heart was still racing from everything that had happened. The image of Grady emerging from the wreck with Lina’s limp body in his arms kept replaying in my mind. It could’ve gone so much worse. If he hadn’t found her in time… if she hadn’t been breathing…

I shook my head, trying to push those thoughts away. She was okay. We were all okay. But it had been a close call.

The sound of footsteps pulled me from my thoughts, and I looked up to see Grady walking down the hall. He was back to wearing just his shorts. His hard chest and flat abdomen was impossible not to look at.

“How is she?” he asked quietly.

“Shaken up,” I replied. “But she’ll be okay.”

“Good,” he said. “Any requests for dinner?”

I smiled and slowly shook my head. “Nope. I’m good with whatever.”

He looked at me like he was going to say something and then moved on to his room. I let myself into my room and quickly peeled off my swimsuit. I dressed in a pair of shorts and a loose T-shirt, then stuffed my feet into my sandals and walked back to Lina’s room.

“Lina? Are you dressed?”

“Yes.”

I opened the door and found her in bed, the blanket pulled up to her chin. “Can I get you something?” I asked.

“I’m not hungry.”

I had to clench my jaw to keep from saying something catty. She was such a little brat. Someone spared the rod with this one. I doubted she had ever been punished. No rules. Just does whatever she wants without ever worrying about consequences. Spoiled brats created obnoxious adults. I was going to make sure Sophie had some clear boundaries. I did not want her to grow up and end up like Lina.

“I’ll get you some water,” I said. “If you want dinner, you know where the kitchen is.”

I walked out of her room and into the kitchen. I grabbed two bottles of water because I didn’t want her to summon me for a second one. And she needed to drink water, not wine.

After I delivered the water, I grabbed my phone to call and check in with Mom. I was not going to tell her about the incident. While I was talking to Sophie about her morning at the park, Felix and Grady returned with a bucket of fried chicken. I had a feeling that was because no one was really interested in grilling. The relaxed mood had been ruined by Lina.

The three of them ate a quiet dinner. Felix claimed he had work to do and retired to his room. I knew I should go to my own room. Get away from Grady. Fantasies of him shirtless kept running through my head. He was wearing a plain white tee now, but I could still see the muscles in his forearms. I suddenly felt a little jealous of Lina. Grady had been her hero. He saved her. I kind of wished it was me he cradled in his arms.

“Thank you for today.” His low voice felt like he was running his fingertips down my bare arm.

“I’m glad we were able to find her in time.” I put the leftovers in the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water to take to bed with me.

I heard his footsteps on the floor and knew he was walking close to me. I swallowed and turned to face him.

“I should’ve been watching Lina. I missed that plume. I was focused on the structure. Your instinct saved her life.” He hesitated, and I noticed how close he was.

“Us,” I prompted, voice soft. “Both of us.”