Shit. “Oh, I’m sorry. He looked good. He was there for a pro fight.”
She nods, and I see her smile wider, but it seems forced. “Good.”
I look at Charlie, and he gives me a reassuring smile of his own, but I still feel like I shouldn’t have said anything.
“Come on, we’re all celebrating,” Nash announces. “But first, you need to get changed. And shower, you fucking smell.”
I shove him and he laughs, but he’s right.
Everyone ends up at my parents’house after leaving the venue. Instead of me going with a driver, I go with Grayson. He’s the only one that hangs back to wait for me, and I’m surprised when I see him leaning against the wall outside my dressing room.
“What’re you doing?” I ask, pulling my hair up in a messy ponytail.
“You’re riding with me.”
“That right? Did you draw the short end of the stick or something?” I tease, walking next to him as we make our way toward the parking lot. Luckily, it’s cleared out a ton and we’re able to leave without being recognized and bombarded by fans.
“No, more like no one else wanted to deal with your backseat driving,” he retorts with a smile.
I roll my eyes. “I do not backseat drive.” He gives me a pointed look but doesn’t say anything. I smile. “Just say you’ve missed me.”
“I’ve missed both you and your backseat driving, Sunshine.” He opens the passenger door of hisextremely modestCorvette for me.
“I see you’ve driven your everyday car,” I joke, climbing into the low, sleek vehicle.
He joins me inside from the driver’s side. “Of course. This is the one that’s loud enough where I can’t hear your complaining about my driving.”
Grayson turns on the sports car and the engine revs loud enough to wake the dead to prove a point. I shake my head, but secretly like it. What you see isn’t always what you get, and that’s just one of the things I love about him. If you didn’t know he was a professional hockey player, you’d never guess it.
Yeah, he’s tall and muscular, but in the cool Denver weather he’s usually wearing a sweater or other baggy clothes that hide his physique. His dirty blonde hair always looks perfectly disheveled like he doesn’t care to style it. Then there’s the glasses, they give him a hint of a nerdy look. Especially when he pushes them up the bridge of his nose. When he sends a wink in my direction, I fight my instinct to melt against the seat.
He takes off, and I squeal at how suddenly I’m thrown back against the seat from the speed. It doesn’t matter how fast or seemingly reckless he drives; I don’t question my safety with him for a single second. Even if I’ll jokingly complain, I don’t mean it.
I roll the window down, the cool air feels good against my skin while I look around and take in being back home. I love seeing new places and adventuring, but nothing beats coming home. The mountains, the air, everything is justhome.Closing my eyes, I lean against the door and let the air hit my face as Grayson clearly takes the long way back to my parents. I don’t mind because it feels good to be here with just him for a little while longer. Especially after the high of a show.
A comfortable silence is exactly what I need. And he knows it.
I feel a warm hand on my leg. Opening my eyes, I look at him, still focused completely ahead of us, but resting his handjust above my knee. I smile, knowing it doesn’t necessarily mean anything. But when I turn back to look out the window, I secretly wish it did.
CHAPTER 6
Grayson
It isn’t unusual for me to be touching Rae, or for her to touch me. We both come from loving families with lots of hugs and closeness, that’s why I know she doesn’t question my hand on her leg. And why I try not to read too much into her soft palm covering my knuckles and sliding her fingers between mine.
I want to read into it. Better yet, I want to know ifshe’sreading into it.
Instead, I don’t say anything.
We get to her parents’ house, and I park in the long driveway that already has several cars.
“Guess everyone beat us here,” I comment.
“Well you sure took your sweet time driving through the mountains,” she taunts, turning her head to look at me. I can’t help but notice that our hands are still pressed together and she hasn’t made a move to part them.
“I just figured you wanted to take a look around your hometown.” I squeeze her hand a little tighter. “Making sure you don’t forget it.”
“I could never forget.” She smiles softly, and I swear mychest warms at the sight.