“Breathe,” Jagger whispered under his breath.
I’d seen the possibility of her beauty while she lay comatose, but Grace awake was far more than I could have imagined. Her tiny feet kicked lightly and her smile was infectious and full of such joy that I knew I was totally screwed.
I couldn’t even bring myself to hate the woman who would steal away the man I loved.
“Hi,” Grace said, looking us all in the eye. When she reached me, her eyes widened for a split second before she spoke. “Thank you for letting us barge in on you like this.”
“It’s no trouble. I’m Paisley, and you must be Grace,” Paisley responded, southern manners to the rescue. “Grayson, why don’t you settle her at the table?” Her chair creaked on the floor as she pushed back and headed to the cabinet.
“Where do you want this?” Parker asked, pointing to a small suitcase. “Mia said you have a thing for this peppermint-mocha coffee creamer she made us bring.”
Grayson smiled. “That’s for Sam, actually.”
“I’ll take it. Thank you, Parker.” I wound my way around the table to take the suitcase from her.
“Wow, I didn’t realize you were still living here, Sam.”
Oh, her claws were out. “Parker,” Grayson growled as he settled Grace into the seat closest to his on the corner.
“Not for long,” Parker whispered in my ear, and then skipped over to Grayson and gave him a hug. “I’ve missed you, Gray!”
“You are tougher than this, and that man worships everything about you, Sam,” Paisley said, squeezing my hand as I put the creamers into the freezer.
I nodded, unable to say anything.
“So let me guess who is who?” Grace asked as Paisley set places in front of her and Parker. “You must be Jagger, and you’re Josh.” She turned, sending me a kind and curious smile. “So you must be Sam? Grayson’s other roommate?”
Paisley was wrong. I was so not tougher than this.
“Actually, Grace,” Grayson started, sending me a smile, but I shook my head. I wasn’t going to destroy this girl at the dinner table. That was a private conversation for them to have. His face fell, and I dropped my eyes, skimming past him to take my seat.
“What?” Grace asked.
“You know he thought she was a guy when she first moved in,” Josh supplied. “He didn’t realize she was a girl until he met her.”
Grace’s mouth popped open in a perfect O. “What happened?”
I gave my first genuine smile. “He basically implied that I was sleeping with these two”—I pointed to Josh and Jagger—“and then I slipped off the counter and fell.”
“She’d been standing on it to reach the coffee,” Grayson explained, dishing food onto her plate. “I’ve since moved the coffee lower, of course.”
“You weren’t hurt, were you?” she asked.
“No,” I said softly as he took my hand under the table. “Grayson caught me.”
She turned a soft smile on him. “Good. He’s got good reflexes.”
Even though it was my hand he was stroking, the smile he gave her made me feel like I was intruding on an intimate moment. I didn’t see a cheese-grater, but it felt like one was shaving down my heart a little more with each passing second.
“It’s so good to see you guys side-by-side,” Parker cooed. “It’s like high school all over again!”
Grayson stroked his thumb along my palm and dropped my hand to put food on his plate. “Yeah, except that it’s not, Parker.”
She cut into her steak with quick, angry motions.
“Sam?” Grayson asked. “Did you want some steak?” He held out the plate.
“What’s wrong, did you lose your appetite?” Parker asked so sweetly she would have given a dentist cavities.
I took a piece just to spite her.
“So this was a long drive for you ladies to make on the fly,” Josh said, breaking the silence.
“We flew, actually,” Grace offered. “I wanted to see Gray and his new life, and Parker was kind enough to bring me. We cleared everything with the doctors, of course.”
“So you’ve planned this for a while?” Jagger asked.
Grace looked from Parker to Grayson. “For about a week now. Parker said you’d like the surprise, Gray. She said you’d been down lately.”
“I’m always glad to see you, Grace,” he answered.
“Good, because you’ve got us for three whole days!” Parker finished.
Kill me now. Right now. Lightning strike me dead.
“I figured I could take the couch, and Grace could bunk with you?” Parker flashed Grayson a smile.
I sputtered mid-sip of my tea, and Grayson took it from me while I coughed. “Are you okay, Sam?”
I nodded, still hacking. “Wrong pipe,” I managed.
Paisley’s hand peeked above the table, brandishing the blue bic Grayson used to light the grill. She shrugged when I laughed softly.
“Parker is kidding. We wouldn’t dream of putting y’all out. We saw a hotel down the road. We can stay there.”
Crap, I really liked Grace.
“No. You’re barely standing. I’ll take the couch, you and Parker take my room.”
Crap, I hated my boyfriend.
After the most awkward dinner ever, I helped Grayson change the sheets on his bed. “I’m so sorry about this,” he said after we fluffed the comforter.