Page 163 of On the Breakaway

“Everyone’s waiting for you guys,” Wyatt says before disappearing back around the corner.

Grayson’s hand combs through my hair to fix it. “You’re insane.”

“You knew this already.” I shrug, then saunter ahead of him and around the corner to find the entire group waiting for us.

“You guys okay?” Wesley asks.

“Um, yeah.” I scramble to come up with a story.

“Found it,” Grayson says behind me, turning the corner while holding his hand up in the air. He pretends to place something in my hand, but I don’t know what the hell it’s supposed to be. My eyes lock on his, panic setting in.

“Your earring,” he clarifies to the group. I relax instantly, pretending to put it back in my ear, thanking the heavens that everyone is too far away to see that I wasn’t missing an earring in the first place.

“Right, yeah.” I choke out. “Thanks.”

“Maybe now you can be a little nicer to me.” The group laughs, but Grayson’s eyes blaze into mine, his hand resting against my back out of view from the others.

“I’m plenty nice,” I argue back, letting my eyes linger on him longer than I should.

Then Grayson steps ahead, hand brushing mine as he passes in a touch too small for anyone to notice.

Except me.

The comfortable brush of his hand feels even better than the kiss.

I move forward, but Wyatt catches my arm.

“He’s serious about you, you know that, right?” His voice is quiet enough that only I can hear him.

I look at him, anger already locked and loaded, but there’s genuine concern in his eyes that has me reigning it in. “I know.”

“He’s the best guy I know.”

“I know,” I say again, trying not to let the frustration bleed into my voice.

“So if this is all some game to you…”

I cut him off.

“It’s not a game. Confusing, sure. A huge fucking conflicting problem to what I ever thought I wanted, sure. But it’s not a game.”

Instead of looking relieved, Wyatt just nods once.

“And it doesn’t have anything to do with you,” I add.

“Maybe not,” Wyatt’s eyes glance forward. “But I’ve watched him spend years putting everyone else first while he searches for a love that I’m still not confident even exists. And he’s looking at you like you’re it for him.”

I follow his sightline to see Grayson watching us. Wyatt’s not telling me anything I don’t already know. I see it every time Grayson looks at me. That’s half the problem. I don’t deserve to be looked at that way, not when I can’t commit to him.

“He deserves more than being someone’s secret. A lot more.”

The fight drains out of me, entirely.

“I know,” my voice sounds small.

Wyatt breaks away from me and heads up the sidewalk.

People funnel into the ice cream shop, and I can feel Grayson’s eyes on me more than once. When I finally look at him, there’s a silent question written all over his face.