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Graham
“If Claire finds out about this, she’s gonna kill me.”
Graham snorted and gestured between him and Noah with his index finger to say,You and me both.
“Yeah, but I’ll leave behind a grieving wife.” Noah’s hands tightened on the steering wheel. “I shouldn’t have let you talk me into this.”
Graham gave him the finger.
Noah shot him a side-eye. “House arrest makes you grumpy.”
Graham didn’t feel bad for badgering Noah into driving him to the mountains. He had to get out of town and smell the mountain air. It was for the sake of his health.
Noah sighed. “Fine. But we’re going to a touristy overlook with benches where you will stay seated and enjoy being outdoors. Safely. Got it?”
Cocking a brow, Graham knocked on his cast with his knuckles.
“Hey, I wouldn’t put it past you to try to go on a hike or something, even with a cast and crutches.”
Noah had a point. If anyone would try that, it would be him.
Graham sneaked his hand through the open window, letting the wind brush past his fingers as Noah took the exit. Man, it felt good to be out.
Noah followed through on his threat and found a scenic turnout on Highway 285, but Graham didn’t care. It was kind of nice to see the Rockies from the exact location where some people experienced the mountains for the first time. While he preferred a more hands-on approach to the beautiful landscape, maybe it wasn’t a bad idea to stop and enjoy the view every once in a while.
Graham lumbered out of the car and slowly made his way to a bench. He sat, propping his crutches up beside him, and Noah sat on the other side. Graham pulled out his phone and typed out a note, then handed it to Noah.
Thanks for making me wear my helmet that day.
He’d thought about it several times since—and how much worse it could have been if he hadn’t been wearing it.
Noah shrugged and shoved the phone back in Graham’s hand. “Don’t mention it.”
They sat in companionable silence for a long time, content to just be in nature.
Noah was the last person Graham felt compelled to force conversation with, which in a situation like this was perfect. But in a rare moment of insecurity he wondered if Noah would prefer if Graham was a little less talkative in general, like now. Then he thought about Claire, and how frustrated she seemed sometimes when he couldn’t just pop back at her when she said something snarky.
She missed his sass, even if she’d never admit it. Graham smiled at the thought, and as he did, realized his face felt great today.
He widened his smile, just to test it, and it felt normal. Reaching up, he lightly rubbed a hand across the right side of his jaw.
It didn’t hurt.
Well, well, well. Claire was in for a treat tonight.
She came home in a shit mood.
She always came home hungry, which Graham had planned ahead for by ordering takeout from one of her favorite Mexican restaurants.
With an extra order of tortilla chips.
But the bad mood? He wasn’t prepared for that. She didn’t even notice the spread as she stalked past on her way to her room.
Thinking quickly, he grabbed two Coronas from the fridge, sliced up a lime, and added them to the table.
Damn, why hadn’t he gotten her flowers? This was a thank-you meal, not an attempt to woo her, but still. He intended to make it known he was in perfect condition to kiss that lovely mouth of hers if she was inclined to let him.
With the way she was slamming drawers in her room, it seemed the odds for any messing around were low. Which was fine, but he’d still offer because getting a little action usually made him feel better and it might help her, too.
