“All right.” She pushed her plate to Lyn. “Eat this. No arguments. It will taste better than salad.”
“What about you?” Lyn asked.
Anne grinned. “I may have helped myself to a couple while I was back here today. I’m Danished out.”
Despite my mood, that drew a laugh. I promised Lyn I’d let her know if I was going to be delayed, for whatever reason, texted Grayson to say I was heading over, and if they were there, I wanted to talk, and was on my way with Anne.
She pulled up in front of their house, and squeezed my hand. “We’re here if you need anything.”
“Thank you.” I already knew it, I’d do the same for her or Lyn, but hearing it was reassuring.
I strode up the front walk with my back straight and my thoughts racing. My apology and request hovered on the tip of my tongue, rewriting themselves and infinite number of times with each step I took.
The door opened before I knocked, and Grayson stepped aside to let me in, before closing it behind me.
Jax stood a few feet away, in the living room, and Grayson stepped back to join them.
The atmosphere was so heavy I could choke on it. Instead, I lingered in the entryway, back to the door. The cool steel pressed into my palms, giving me a place to focus.
“I’m sorry for overreacting last night,” I said. That wasn’t so hard. Then again, it was the easiest thing I had to say. “I let the heat of the moment get to me.”
Jax cleared his throat, staring at his feet. “I’m sorry too.” He looked up. “I was hurt, and I didn’t mean the things I said.”
I dragged in a deep breath, to steady my thoughts more than anything. “I did. For the most part I meant all of it. I adore you both, but I’m not a two-guy girl. I can’t see myself sharing my love like that.” It hurt to say. I loved them the way I loved any of my friends, but romantically? I couldn’t do that.
Grayson worked his jaw a few times, and I braced myself for Round Two of last night. “So now what?” He asked.
Now I said the rest of what I came to, and hoped it didn’t cost me too much. “I want... Can we still be friends?”
“Yes.” Jax’s answer was instant.
So far so good.
“Maybe eventually.” Grayson’s reply was a knife through my heart. “I need time, and I don’t know if we can ever go back to what we were.”
Anger rose inside, fueled by hurt. “So you were only ever friends with me for the hope of more?” The instant the words passed my lips, and his face twisted to match what I felt inside, I wanted to rethink my approach.
“No.” Grayson’s voice was stone. “But we both made assumptions, and some of those can’t be taken back. I can’t pretend I’m okay any more than you can step into a relationship that doesn’t feel right to you.”
“All right.” I reached for the doorknob.
“Sadie.” Grayson’s voice sent a shared of hope through me. I looked at him, not daring to say anything. He handed me my spare car key. “Probably give this to someone else to hold onto.”
And that was that. I closed my fingers around the cold metal, the teeth biting into my palm. That was that.