I bit my lip and promptly released it with a sigh. Time to settle on a different subject. Sometime soon, though, we would have to talk about thatkiss.
"It's about Grayson,” Isaid.
He stopped and looked at me. I resisted the urge to tense or show any discomfort. It was an innocent question, something that had been bugging me for a while. When Bellamy didn't say anything, I took that as my cue toask.
"Why don't you likehim?"
Bellamy waited a beat before he set his paintbrush to the side and came around the easel. He didn't approach me, he simply stood in front of me and crossed his arms. "Why do you want to know?" heasked.
I raised my brows and blinked in surprise. I didn't know what I had expected, but it wasn't this defensiveness. "It's just a question," I said. "You and Marv both don't like him, you've made that clear. I just wanted to know why. If there was some bad blood between you or something. It doesn't make sense to me for you two to show such a hatred for him just because of me." I paused. "Isit because ofme?"
He closed his eyes and sighed, uncrossing his arms. "Harlow–"
"Is it?" I demanded again before he could say something to avoid thequestion.
"No," he said, opening his eyes and catching my gaze. "It's not just aboutyou."
"Just?" I repeated. "So, it's partially aboutme?"
"It's more complicated thanthat."
"Uncomplicate it then," Iinsisted.
He grinned ruefully. "That's your go-to, isn'tit?"
"Is it working?" I asked, dropping my arms to cross them over mychest.
He shook his head and sighed. "Maybe."
"Then yes," I said, "it's my go-to."
Bellamy’s expression gave me the impression he was trying not to be amused and was failing pretty horribly at it since I could see the twitching at the corners of his mouth. He strode to his bed and I turned to face him with my arms still crossed. He patted the spot next to him and I stepped forward, dropped my arms, andsat.
"When I say it's complicated, Harlow," he started, "I'm not saying that to piss you off. It really iscomplicated."
"Did you, Marv, and Grayson know each other before you met me?" I asked. He tensed and scratched his neck. I sighed. "It's not a hard question." I tried to make him meet my eyes. "It's a 'yes' or 'no'question."
"I didn't exactly know him," Bellamy said through clenched teeth. "But we were acquainted. He wasmoreacquainted with Marv andKnix."
"Knix?" I asked, surprised. “Really?” I frowned. “I mean, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised if Marv and Grayson knew each other. Marv really doesn’t like him. But, Knix? They knew eachother?”
Bellamy tilted his head at me and sighed, his eyes closing and then reopening after a moment. "Who do you think paid to have this place built?" He nodded towards our surroundings, meaning thehouse.
"Marv?" I asked. I hadn’t even realized that I had just assumed…but now, I wasn't sosure.
Bellamy shook his head. "It's not a secret that Marv has money, you've seen hisparents."
"I met his mom today," I admitted. His eyes widened, and I nodded. "Yea, he took me over to meet her and we had tea–well, Marv and I had tea. She hadchampagne."
Bellamy chuckled. "That's Caitlyn foryou."
"So... Grayson?" Iprodded.
Bellamy closed his eyes and stood. "I think it's something you should ask Knix or Marv. It's not really my story to tell." He held his hand out and I frowned at him as I took it. He chucked me under my chin. "Don't look so serious or your face will stick that way," he warned. "Do you need help getting back in theposition?"
I shook my head and retook my spot in front of the sliding door. I lifted my face and turned my body towards the window. As it was, despite my stance, Bellamy had to angle my face so that I was looking at him. It allowed me to watch the look of concentration that overtook his face as he dipped his brush into his paints and stroked it across thecanvas.
He had an assortment of brushes each tipped with their own color; some so dark I couldn't tell their color, but that didn't seem to matter to him. He would drop them into their various holders and then pick another to continue his work. I don't know how long I stood there, but when the sun eventually began to set Knix called fordinner.