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ChapterTwenty-Seven
HARLEY
Everybody has to start somewhere.
Cat’s words repeated in my thoughts later on. I had to start somewhere with Grant right now.
Where was I going to start? My mind spun back to when I decided to come up to Alaska.
I didn't want to stay in my apartment because, well, my roommate had been bonking my boyfriend. Just to reiterate, it didn't break me up all that much. It taught me who I couldn't trust. Between that and my older sister’s boyfriend hitting on me, well, it was safe to say I was skeptical about romance.
I'd thought with Diego here, it would be fun to visit Alaska. After arriving here and experiencing it—so breathtaking, so beautiful, and welcomed into the family at the resort—I thought I could have a fresh start. I didn't have to have a life that felt defined by who and where I'd lived before.
I sighed as I drove into town that afternoon because, sure, I was in a new location, but I was still the same old me. I was proud of how I'd grown my business and grateful that I could do it anywhere in the world. Yet I couldn’t help but wonder if I’d boxed myself in. I told myself I didn't need to overthink this.
I stopped by the grocery store. With Cat at play practice most nights and Grant gone for two whole weeks, I needed some basics. I was making my way through the cracker section when I felt someone stop beside me. Glancing over, I instantly recognized Layla. She happened to look toward me at the same moment and smiled. “Oh, hi.”
“Hi,” I replied.
Layla was one of the women Grant hooked up with. I had no idea if that had stopped.
“You’re Harley, right?” she asked.
I kept a polite smile pinned on my face and nodded. “Yeah. You’re Layla, right?”
“I'm friends with Grant,” she replied as she nodded. She was quiet for a moment and appeared to be considering her words. “I ran into him just the other day.”
“Mmm,” I replied vaguely, unsure what else to say.
“He mentioned he was leaving for a two-week trip for work. You work at the resort too, right?”
I nodded again, gritting my teeth because Grant even toldherhe would be out of town. “Yeah, I don't fly the planes, though.”
“Oh, cool. I used to be closer to Grant, but I think he's involved with someone.” She didn't even seem bothered.
I wanted to scream. More than that, I wanted to be nosy, which I wasn’t about to do in the grocery store in front of her. I simply made another vague humming sound and shrugged.
“Grant's a good guy. He should settle down,” she said, almost as if she were talking to herself.
“Mmm.” That was my go-to in this convo. Blessedly, my phone rang, and I practically snatched it out of my purse. “I need to take this,” I said quickly. It was my sister. I didn't have to take it, but it would get me out of this conversation.
“Good to see you,” Layla said with a wave before she grabbed a box of crackers and made her way down the aisle.
I stayed put, answering the call. “Hey, Terese.”
“Hey, how's it going?”
“Pretty good. Just shopping.”
“What's the status?”
“On what?”
My sister’s sigh was audible. “You had an appointment with your doctor. You were starting your medication. How’s that going?”
“Everything's fine.” It was. Quinn said it would be, so I was going with that.
“Diego mentioned you had another episode.”
