“Is Cassidy awake?” he asked, as if sensing my presence.
“I seriously doubt it. She’s been up through the night with Gramps.”
The silence outside made me wonder if they’d moved on.
“Just knock, you idiot. I’m sure she’ll want to see you.”
I jumped back from the door.
“I doubt that.”
“Did something happen in LA?”
“I don’t want to talk about it,” he mumbled before slamming his door.
Grayson exhaled heavily. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
After I’d showered and dressed, I wandered up the hallway to check on Liam but froze when I overheard Adam’s voice coming from his room.
“I’m so sorry, Gramps. It was selfish of me to stay away.”
“There is no need to apologize. We all deal with these things in different ways. I’m just glad you’re here.”
“Are you in pain?”
“Cassidy is helping with that,” Liam said, deflecting from the awful truth. “She’s a very special girl, that one…but I think you know that.”
My chest caved at the silence that followed.
“You need to tell her, Adam,” Liam said finally. “Don’t deny your heart from love.”
“I’m going to screw it up.”
Liam sighed. “You’re your own worst enemy.”
“And you’ve always been my voice of reason. Who’s going save me from myself after you’re gone?”
“With her, I don’t think you’ll need saving.”
As my heart crumbled, I rushed toward the library. I promised Liam I’d find one of Betty’s favorite books and read to him that day, so I had the perfect excuse to hide out until the coast was clear.
“Hey,” Adam said from the doorway, only moments later.
I jumped, more guilty than surprised. “Oh, you’re back.” He must’ve seen me rush past Liam’s room.
“Yeah.” Adam rubbed his jaw as he stepped into the room. “What are you doing?”
“I’m…um…” I fumbled over my words and turned back to the bookshelf. “I’m looking for a book. It was your grandmother’s favorite, but nothing is alphabetized in here.”
“I think I know the one.” He sidled up beside me and slid a tattered book out of the shelf. “My grandmother had her own system.”
“Thanks,” I muttered as I fiddled with my obsidian bracelet. I wasn’t ready to be close to him. His energy was too unstable, and I was already exhausted.
“Would you mind if I read to him today?”
“Of course not.” An invisible weight lifted. “Liam would love that.”
He stared at me for a moment before breaking out of his daze. “Then I better get to it before he falls asleep again.”