Grayson's Vow (51)

I shivered at the thought alone. I agreed though. And I would not let this become my friend’s problem. “I will. Thanks, Kimberly.” Please let that marriage license come soon. I just needed to cash that check first…

I hugged her tightly, promising to visit soon and update her frequently, and then I watched her car drive out the gate.

I turned, staring blindly at the nonworking fountain, wondering what it would look like when it was fixed and flowing, wondering how far it was down on Grayson’s list of priorities. Grayson… He had spent the entire weekend in a state of utter torment thanks to Charlotte, and yet he’d selflessly cared for me, soothing my fever, and making sure I was never alone. Apparently, I’d been wrong about the Dragon, in some ways at least. He wasn’t the uncaring beast I’d originally thought. I pondered momentarily how he’d been betrayed by his brother, father, and stepmother. He was just a man—a man who held deep hurts and was trying his best to get by in a situation that, until me, had offered very little hope.

And I thought again about how I knew he’d been wronged not only by his own father but by mine too. Would he understand why I hadn’t mentioned that if he knew? I thought about telling him now… Only, our plan hadn’t changed. We would still part ways soon enough. What purpose would it serve?

My mind filled with worries, I wandered back into the house and headed toward the office—the room where I’d first officially met Grayson Hawthorn. I sat down at the large desk and started rifling through the pile of new mail Charlotte must have retrieved from the mailbox when she returned this morning, along with the large pile of old, unopened envelopes, separating it all into three piles: what looked like bills, junk, and personal correspondence. There were several unopened letters addressed to Grayson in what looked like a feminine script. I set those aside, but when I came to a postcard with the picture of a bicycle leaning against a tree and turned it over, I noticed the same handwriting and that it was dated very recently. I hesitated only briefly before letting my eyes drift away from the address to the message.

Grayson,

Remember when we were thirteen and I splashed mud all over you with my bike and felt so bad? You told me it was impossible to stay mad at me for long. I’m praying you still have it in your heart to forgive me. I’ll never stop trying…

All my love, Vanessa.



Vanessa. All my love? She still loved him? She was trying to persuade Grayson to forgive her? For marrying his brother? A strange ache had settled in my chest, making my skin feel prickly. I didn’t like it. And I didn’t like that I didn’t like it. Because none of it was my business.

I started to put the most recent mail aside, deciding I was done with the task, when I came upon a business envelope addressed to me. I sucked in a breath, tearing it open. I let out a small shriek, the prickly feeling dissolving into hopeful excitement when I saw that it was our official marriage license. I tossed the other mail onto the desk and walked quickly to the front door, calling toward Charlotte in the kitchen, “I’m going into town. I’ll be back soon.”

I heard her singsong, “Okay,” before the door swung shut behind me.

I had some money to collect. Quite a lot of money, in fact.





CHAPTER THIRTEEN


Grayson



By three o’clock, I was too exhausted to work for another minute. I returned to the house where the smells of Charlotte’s blueberry scones hung sweetly in the air. “You don’t play fair,” I said, feigning hostility as I entered the kitchen. “I was going to give you the silent treatment for at least another day and a half. Give me one of those.”

Charlotte beamed happily, placing a warm scone on a plate with a dollop of clotted cream on top and a spoonful of jam on the side.

“Cheater,” I mumbled. “Don’t think this means I forgive you,” I said after I’d taken a big bite of heaven.

“I do apologize,” Charlotte said. “I caused you pain, and I would never have done such a thing on purpose.” She studied me for a moment. “I just—”

“You want Kira and I to have a real marriage.” I shook my head. “I’m sorry, Charlotte, that’s not going to happen. I don’t have the time or desire for a wife.”

As far as the physical aspect…I had tried. Not that Charlotte needed to know that—it’d just give her false hope. Kira had said no but I wasn’t going to give up on that front. After all, for now at least, we were husband and wife—why not reap the temporary benefits? I couldn’t stop imagining it. And the more I imagined it, the more I wanted her. But surely two months, perhaps a little less, would be plenty of time to quench that fire. I’d know the feel of her under me, around me, on top of me…and then it would be over. I’d be sated. And I would move on. And so would she.

“I didn’t give you that herbal mixture so you’d act on a physical attraction to her, you know,” Charlotte said, seeming to read my thoughts. “I hope more for you than that. That was just to get the blood flowing, if you know what I mean.” I scowled. Disgusting that we should discuss this. She had practically raised me. But she continued on before I could stop her. “To the body and the heart. And as for Kira, she doesn’t want a purely physical relationship with you either, you know.”

Purely physical? What did that mean? That she wanted more? I paused, not able to help my interest. “How do you know that?”