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“My best friend and the detective? No, I didn’t need you.” The sarcasm drips from every word.
“You’re evading the question? And…it’s making me more intrigued. Tell me about this girl.”
“Ryan, it’s no one.”
“And now you’re hiding something.”
I grab my phone and keys from my desk. I was already planning to leave for the day to go home and get some sleep before Maddie got out of school and now that Ryan is suddenly very curious about my new love life it’s time to go before my face gives it all away.
He follows me out of the office and the station and I’m not in the mood for this interrogation when he calls my name. “Grayson.”
I turn to face him when I’m just a few steps away from my jeep. “What?”
“I didn’t become a Detective at twenty-six because I let things get by me, you know.”
The implication is there, I’m sure of it. But what I’m not sure of is how he feels about it.
“And I didn’t become the Chief of Police by not taking chances. What’s your point?”
He shakes his head and looks away from me, staring into the distance before turning his gaze back to me. “You know what you’re doing?”
“No.”
He nods his head. “That’s honest. Do you love her?”
I let out a breath, preparing to lay my feelings for Maddie out for yet another person. “Yeah.” I nod.
“Damn.” He crosses his arms. “What about Henry?”
“You know about Henry?” I ask, suddenly confused that he became the focus of this conversation.
He shrugs. “Well, I can only assume he’ll be pissed when he finds out.”
“He already knows, and he’s definitely angry, and apparently taking it out on Aria.” I rub my forehead as I think about how heartbroken she looked when she left last night. I sent her home after about an hour and told her to try and get some rest because it looked like she hadn’t slept in a week.
“Well, with reason, I mean she’s half to blame.”
I rub my chin, my eyes narrowing slowly. “What? How do you figure?”
“Well, you two are having an affair,” he says matter of factly.
My eyes widen and the word escapes me in a shout. “WHAT?” I take a step back, suddenly confused. “I’m not sleeping with Aria. Why would you think that?”
He tilts his head to the side. “I mean…with Maddie moving out, and you and Aria clearly avoiding each other like the plague at work, and everyone knows she’s been having issues, I just…Wait a minute, why else would Henry be pissed?” I stare at my best friend for a moment, wondering how I’m going to blurt out the truth and more importantly how he’ll take it, when his realization beats me to the punch. “Holy shit.”
“Ryan…”
“Grayson.” He points a finger at me. “Tell me that you are not sleeping with Maddie.”
“I’m not sleeping with her, Ryan. I’m in love with her.”
He puts his hands over his face and bends over dramatically before standing up straight and putting a fist to his mouth his eyes wide with terror. “Are you out of your fucking mind?”
“I don’t know. Probably.” I shake my head. “But I’m tired and tense and I need to talk to her, so now is really not the time to read me the riot act.”
“How long?!” I start walking towards my car and he follows closely behind.
“Not as long as you think.”
