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But she couldn’t.
Not when she had to leave.
Careful not to make any noise, Fawn left the bed and tiptoed into the bathroom to take a quick shower. After leaving a note for the prince, she hitched a ride with one of the bodyguards to get back to the mansion.
Swapping her gown for a shirt and jeans, she drove to the nearby restaurant where she and Grant used to date. But unlike before, she had no need to wait. Grant was already there, and the irony wasn’t lost on her.
Why now, Grant?
Why?
He literally jumped to his feet upon seeing her, knocking a glass of water off the table as he did, making Fawn gasp. She rushed to him as a red-faced Grant mumbled his apology, and once the waiter had finished cleaning up, she asked him worriedly, “Are you okay?”
“S-sorry.” Grabbing the bouquet on the table, he nearly shoved it at her, mumbling, “T-this is for you.”
Doing her best not to accidentally swallow some petals, she carefully pulled it away from her face and managed a smile at Grant. “Thank you.”
He pulled her seat out for her, and again, his lack of coordination caused a near mishap, the back of her chair bumping hard against the patron seated behind her.
The older woman sent Grant a quelling look, and Fawn was stunned to see Grant simply accept it. Instead of sitting, she touched his arm, asking quietly, “Are you okay? You don’t seem yourself.” And he didn’t, at all. Even though he looked so much better now, like he had actually gone to sleep and taken a shower before coming to the restaurant – he was still a far cry from the Grant Bennett she had grown up with.
Grant was smiling down at her like she had told him the secrets to the universe. “Thank you for caring, Fawn.”
When they were seated, he continued to look at her with too-bright eyes and a smile that made her feel like she was the only thing that mattered to him.
Once, that would have made her happy.
But now, it simply left her feeling confused, especially when Grant would jump at every loud noise he heard and almost every move he made would result in a mishap. Throughout the meal, she tried hard to be patient, hoping that he would open up. But when their dessert plates were already taken away and he still hadn’t said anything important, she knew she had to take the initiative.
“Grant?”
“Yes, luv?”
“What’s wrong?”
His smile dimmed. “W-what do you mean?”
“Something’s wrong, Grant,” she said gently, “and it’s clearly bothering you.”
He shook his head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about—-”
“Please don’t lie.” Frustration made her voice just a little sharp, but to her surprise, the impact on Grant was immediate and incredible, his entire body jerking in his seat.
“G-Grant?” Something was seriously wrong with him, Fawn realized.
He began wringing his hands together over the table. “I h-have something to tell you.”
It was painful to hear him stutter, and despite everything, Fawn’s heart ached for him. “It’s okay if you don’t—-”
“I h-have to.” His face completely stiff and pale, Grant told her everything about his affair with Lou. There was little he was telling her that she didn’t know or suspected, but even so—-
It hurt.
A sick expression had formed on his face by the time he finished, and his voice shook as he said, “I didn’t mean to hurt y-you. I w-wasn’t thinking. I’m s-sorry.”
Fawn could only nod. She had thought that once Grant made his admission, she would have so many things to say, but now that he did – she realized that words were no longer needed. He already knew how much she had been hurt. There was no need to say it out loud.
“I know I d-don’t have the right to ask you this, but…” Grant suddenly grasped both of her hands over the table, squeezing her fingers tightly between his. “Let’s leave, Fawn.” His voice became urgent. “Come back to me, and let’s start again. Let’s go back home.”
When she could only stare at him, he seemed to wilt, and his voice was desperate as he said, “I love you, Fawn.”
Ah. How she had treasured those words once. But it was completely different now. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “But it’s too late.”
Grant whitened.
“The prince—-”
Without warning, Grant bolted away from the table, and for one moment, she could only look at his departing back, completely shocked. But then she saw him rush out of the restaurant and she finally managed to make her limbs work, running after him.
“Grant?” She came out of the restaurant and turning around, she found Grant next to the bushes lining up the restaurant’s façade, throwing up. “Oh my God, Grant! Are you okay?” She hurried to him, rubbing his back, unable to understand what was happening.
