Dane and I had run out of time.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Kennedy
I WAS MAKING something to eat when Jade stumbled out of her bedroom. She’d arrived home shortly after Dane had left, and I didn’t want to see her until I was sure I’d be able to talk to her without wanting to tell her everything that had been going on. She was after all my closest friend, and the need to talk to her, confide in her, was only natural.
“Hey, girly.” I gave her tight-lipped smile. “How was your trip?”
Jade pulled her messy black hair from her face, and tied it into a topknot on the top of her head. “It was the longest four days of my life. But we laid my abuela to rest, and gave her a proper send off. How about you? Anything interesting happen in my absence?”
That was a loaded question if ever there was one. I wanted so badly to tell her about all of it, about Dane and me, and how the last four days had been the most bittersweet I’d ever had. But I couldn’t, so I lied.
“Nothing major, except that I fell down the stairs the other day, and twisted my ankle. That’s about as much excitement as I’ve had.”
The lie tasted sour as it spilled from my mouth with ease. This was the part I hadn’t really thought about though, what I would tell Jade when her questions didn’t have simple answers. It made me wonder what I was so afraid of? Did I think Jade would judge me? Was I worried about what other people would think if they knew?
It made me sick to think of Dane as my dirty little secret because I wasn’t ashamed of our…what did I even call it? Affair? Relationship?
It didn’t matter now, I guessed. I had to move on.
“Chase told me Grady is awake,” remarked Jade, interrupting my inner battle. Talking about Grady, and Chase was a safer topic, so I welcomed it.
“Yeah, I saw him the day I hurt my ankle. We should go see him, he’ll want to know how your trip went.”
She sighed, and took a seat at the breakfast counter. It was only twenty-four hours ago that Dane had taken me on that very spot and the fresh recollection sent a stab of pain straight to my chest. Our apartment was now filled with memories of us, and I had to figure out how I was supposed to keep living here without thinking about him constantly. Maybe after some time it wouldn’t be so difficult, and I could think about it with fondness rather than longing to have it again.
“I don’t think I want to talk about it,” said Jade. “But I could definitely do with a good dose of laughter, and gossip.”
“That makes two of us,” I replied. “I’ll send him a text, and let him know we’re coming.”
Jade smiled, but it was as fragile as mine had been, and I couldn’t help but wonder if there was more to her trip than her grandmother’s funeral. She hadn’t mentioned Reid yet, and that was unlike her. Whatever it was, I couldn’t expect her to open up to me if I wasn’t prepared to do the same.
“We need to get out of here for the day,” I suggested. “I need to go shopping for a new winter wardrobe.”
Jade perked up at the idea. “Yes!” Her response was a little too enthusiastic, and hinted that she might have been just as desperate for an escape as I was. “I haven’t been shopping in forever. We’ll stop by to see Grady, and then head into Brighton for the day.”
“Perfect,” I replied, finishing my breakfast.
We got dressed, and after I’d let Grady know we were coming, Jade and I climbed into her Audi and hit the road. Just leaving the university campus made me breathe a little easier.
Grady was propped up in his hospital bed when we arrived. He was mercilessly flirting with one of the male nurses who blushed furiously, and smiled shyly after we’d interrupted them.
“I’ll check on you a little later,” he told Grady.
We grinned – and it wasn’t forced this time – and rushed to Grady’s bedside so we could hound him for details.
“Now is that any way to greet your injured friend?” He chided, looking between Jade and me. “Lay some sugar on me you sexy bitches, I’ve missed your crazy asses.”
His face was already looking better, his bruises starting to turn yellow, and seeing him in high spirits was like a balm to my shattered heart. It was exactly what I needed, and I sensed what Jade needed too.
“Okay, Miss Barcelona, you first. I want all the dirty deets because I just know you have some.” Grady wiggled his eyebrows, and Jade looked away. Her reaction was a little confounding, and she looked…uncomfortable.
“I’m going to grab some crappy cafeteria coffee, and let you two catch up, okay?” I smiled at Grady, and he simply nodded his head. I was glad if Jade could confide in him. I wasn’t sure I’d be of much help given my own circumstances, and I trusted that Grady would be able to give Jade some sound advice, or be a good listener at least.