Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 99434 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 497(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 331(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99434 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 497(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 331(@300wpm)
I closed my eyes. I remembered wanting nothing more than to have him touch me during all those months when I lived for Saturdays. The truth was, I wanted nothing more than to have him touch me right now. I couldn’t deny the attraction was still there. The rise in my temperature when he stood behind me was more than just radiating body heat.
I finally turned around. Gray made no attempt to back up, staying firmly planted in my private space and staring down at me intently. When I chanced looking up, our eyes met, and I allowed myself to get lost for a minute. Out of nowhere, I found myself asking something that had been bothering me since he pushed his way back into my life.
“On the last day I came to visit, I signed in on your sign-in sheet and saw a signature above mine. I couldn’t make out the handwriting of the name, but the word written in the relationship-to-inmate column was clear as day: wife. That’s how I found out. I was friendly with all the guards by then, so when I asked if it was a mistake, they confirmed it wasn’t and said she hadn’t been to visit in a while.”
I paused, remembering how I’d felt like I’d been kicked in the stomach that day. “Why did Max come to visit if you were already divorced…or annulled?”
Gray looked into my eyes. “My father had passed out at the office. The next day, they made the diagnosis of an inoperable brain aneurysm. One of his friends reached out to Max to try to get a message to me. He had no idea what had gone down between the two of us. She showed up. It was the first time I’d seen her since I’d told her I knew what she had done and was having our sham marriage annulled. I was curious to see what the hell would make her show her face. She walked into the visitor room. I told her not to bother sitting down and to say whatever she came to say. She smiled at me and said, ‘Your asshole father has a brain aneurysm. He’ll be dead before you get out.’ Then she turned around and strutted back out the door she came in. Haven’t seen her since.”
I looked down at my feet. “So the day after the woman who stole three years from your life showed up and told you your father was dying, I told you to go fuck yourself and walked away.”
When I looked up, a wisp of hair fell into my face. Gray reached out to push it away and stopped, pulling his hand back. “It’s not your fault. I should have been upfront with you about Max from the beginning. Then you would have given me the chance to explain her visit that day.”
I nodded, but his trying to take ownership didn’t make me feel any better about what he must’ve gone through. “I’m sorry, Gray. I really am.”
Etta came into the kitchen. I’d almost forgotten she was here. Gray took a step back.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, but if I don’t turn the heat down on the gumbo, we’ll be eating out.” She walked over to the stovetop and took the large Dutch oven from the heat.
“What can I do to help, Etta?”
“You’re a guest. You go take a seat, and Gray will set the table.”
He didn’t need to be told twice. He reached into the cabinet and pulled down the plates before taking out utensils. Clearly, he knew his way around the kitchen, and that warmed my heart a little. A grown man who still listened and quite obviously loved his childhood caretaker was a loyal one. And that meant more to me than all of the chemistry that still sparked between us.
***
I couldn’t remember the last meal I’d enjoyed so much. Yes, the food was phenomenal, but the company was even better. During dinner, Etta continued to tell embarrassing childhood stories about Gray, and Gray seemed to relax more than I’d ever seen him. He smiled with his full face, flashing his dimples, and laughed from a place down deep that was reserved for true happiness. Our eyes met a few times, and I didn’t tear mine away. Instead, I allowed the evening to just happen and had a better time than I cared to admit.
When Etta started to nod off in her chair while Gray and I shared cleaning up, I realized how long I’d stayed. “I should get going. I’ve been here eight hours, and Etta’s tired.”
Gray’s face fell. “I’ll walk you out.”
Etta’s eyes fluttered open when I went to get my purse. I leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Thank you for an amazing meal and wonderful company, Etta. I’ll reach out to my friend at the traffic violations court to see if we can take care of your ticket without you having to appear.”