Page 9 of Love Me Back (Diamond Creek #2)

Jessie

He didn’t know.

I knew they hadn’t told him ahead of time that I would be the one helping him. But they also hadn’t told him the details of what they had asked.

“She’s staying here.”

“What?” Grayson swung his head in Carson’s direction. “Staying where?”

“Here. At the house,” Addie answered, her eyes firmly on her plate.

I couldn’t look at Grayson. When he asked me what time I would be back in the morning, I wanted to take it for what it was. He was conceding. He had finally agreed to let me help him. But it was short-lived when Carson and Addie confirmed I wasn’t leaving at all.

“Where is she supposed to sleep?” Grayson demanded.

It was a good question. I knew where I wanted to sleep, but that was a can of worms I would not be opening.

“She can stay in Tyson’s room,” Hudson offered.

“What?”

“Where the hell would I sleep?”

“Fuck no!”

We all answered at the same time.

I sat on one side of the long table, between Grayson and Tyson. Addie sat across from me, between Hudson and Emerson. And Carson sat at one end while Pops sat at the other.

“Well, with Tyson staying at the clubhouse more often than not, his room is empty.” Hudson smirked at Tyson.

“And with as pissed off as King is, I don’t see him letting you sleep here at night.

If you’re at the clubhouse, he can wake you up at two in the morning and make you scrub the toilets,” Hudson explained.

“Asshole.”

“Watch that mouth, boy; there are ladies present.”

Tyson rolled his eyes, and I couldn’t help but smile.

At eighty-three years old, any of these boys could take Pops down.

Even Addie was probably stronger than he was.

And while he threatened them with bodily harm often, if this dinner was any indication, he didn’t strike me as the kind of man that would beat children into submission.

Which meant they all respected him as the patriarch.

“I can sleep on the couch.”

“You aren’t sleeping on the couch,” Grayson whispered.

“She can have my room. I stay in town most nights anyway. And it’s the closest one to you if you need her,” Pops said.

“Oh no, I couldn’t take your room. I promise, the couch is fine. Or I could just come back in the morning.”

“No, Pops is right. He usually stays in town with me. In fact, we can move more of his things over and give you plenty of room,” Carson said.

“That’s really unnecessary. I’ll only be here for a few weeks, and I don’t need much, just some clothes. I don’t want to be an inconvenience.”

“It’s something we’ve been meaning to do anyway, Jessie. It’s not an inconvenience,” Carson assured me as he ate his dinner.

Grayson had been quiet since Pops offered me his room.

I chanced a look in his direction, but he was focused on his food.

I wanted to know what he was thinking. Did he regret his concession in letting me help?

Would he tell me again to go home once everyone was asleep?

Was he thinking about how he could slip into my room at night and climb into bed with me?

’Cause that was what I was fucking thinking about.

I had to keep reminding myself that he didn’t want me anymore.

He had made that abundantly clear. Addie thought he was pushing me away because of his injury.

And I had to admit, the way I caught him looking at me left me feeling like maybe she knew what she was talking about.

But the way he spoke to me. The way he demanded I leave, telling me he didn’t need my help.

It was hard to reconcile his words and his actions.

I wasn’t sure which ones were real and which ones might be a defensive shield against how he felt for me.

It was quite possible he found me attractive and wanted to sleep with me, while not wanting me to be a part of his life. Attraction certainly didn’t equal love.

When the meal was over, I quickly stood to help Addie clear the table. I had gone back to the table for a third round of dishes to be cleared when Grayson grabbed my wrist.

Heat seared my skin and shot up my arm. It happened every time he touched me, and I knew what it meant. I had read enough of Ellie’s books to understand that women felt this zap or zing when they met the man they were supposed to be with. I thought it was something made up until I met Grayson.

But even knowing that he might be the one person on the planet who was created for me didn’t stop me from pulling away. I rubbed my wrist, wanting to savor the feeling, but it always disappeared as soon as he stopped touching me.

“Did I hurt you?”

“What? No.” I shook my head and reached for the dishes.

“You’re a guest, so you don’t have to help.”

“I’m not a guest. I am literally being paid to be here and help.”

I reached over him to grab some silverware, and I swear I heard him inhale. Was he smelling me? Did I stink? I pulled away quickly, not wanting to offend him. I’d have to take a shower before bed.

“You’re here to help me,” he stated firmly.

“Is there something you need help with?” I asked, setting the dishes on the table. I waited for him to answer, only he continued to stare without saying a word.

“Then I’ll help Addie until you think of something.

” I turned away and heard him growl. He wasn’t making sense.

Everything he did contradicted what he said.

When he was being nice with his words, his actions said he was mad.

When he yelled at me, he looked like he wanted to swallow me whole.

I’d have to call Ellie tonight. I probably should have called her already and told her what I was doing.

But to be honest, I couldn’t listen to her tell me how much Grayson and I belonged together.

It didn’t matter how much I wanted to be his. It just wasn’t possible. Especially now that I knew he didn’t really want me.

“Oh, Jessie, you didn’t have to do that.”

“You cooked. The least I can do is help clean. Cleaning I’m good at.” I laughed at myself. It was true. I could clean like nobody’s business. In fact, this house would likely get a deep clean every week while I was here. I enjoyed cleaning. There was something therapeutic about it.

“Wish my brothers thought that way,” she mumbled.

“Tell them that.”

“What?” Her eyebrows pulled together.

“Tell them that if you cook, they have to clean up. One person shouldn’t have to do all the work. Especially when that person is also in school.”

Addie turned away. Her cheeks pinkened when I mentioned school, and I wondered what that was about. I looked over my shoulder at Grayson, who still sat at the table. He was waiting for something or someone, and a small piece of my soul hoped it was me.

I looked around the kitchen to see if there was anything left to be done. I could have stayed there for hours, organizing the cabinets, mopping the floors, and dusting the heat registers, but Addie deemed it clean enough. I folded the dish towel in my hands and set it on the counter.

“I’m going to bed. I have a test to study for. Why don’t I show you where you’ll be staying?”

“I’ll show her; go ahead up to bed,” Grayson said, his eyes on me.

Addie smiled and winked. “Goodnight, Jessie.” She shimmied over to Grayson and kissed his cheek. “Goodnight, big brother. Be nice,” she warned before dancing out of the room.

The towel I placed on the counter held my attention more than it should. I couldn’t bring myself to look up at Grayson now that we were alone.

“Follow me.”

I startled at his harsh command but followed him down the hall. He stopped between two doors on opposite sides of the hallway. He reached over and twisted the doorknob.

“This is Pops’ room. He hasn’t been here since the last time Addie changed the sheets, but it might be a little dusty.”

“It’s fine, really,” I assured him.

Grayson’s chair blocked the entrance into the room. “This is my room here,” he said, hooking a thumb over his shoulder, indicating the door opposite the one that stood open.

“Do you need help getting into bed?”

“You really think you can lift me from this chair?” He shook his head. “I don’t know what they were thinking bringing you here.”

I folded my arms across my chest. “They were thinking that I had the education and experience to help you.”

“But not the fucking strength.” He glared up at me.

“Do you want my help or not?”

“Not. Go to bed.”

Grayson spun around and opened the door to his room, rolled inside, and slammed the door behind him. His mood swings were really pissing me off.

Leaning over, I placed my ear to the door.

I wouldn’t be able to sleep until I knew he was in bed.

He mumbled a few words I couldn’t hear, but then everything fell quiet.

I waited another minute before I moved to my door.

My hand paused on the doorknob when I heard footsteps.

Emerson rushed down the hall, stopping abruptly when he saw me.

“Uh, hi, Jessie.”

I didn’t say a word. I just leaned against the wall with my arms folded across my chest and waited for Emerson to enter Grayson’s room. When the door opened, Grayson’s eyes locked with mine. He had the decency to look sheepish. I glared at him, then spun around and slammed my door shut .

He wanted his brother to help him, then so be it!

I threw myself onto the bed and pulled out my phone to call Ellie.

“Hey, Jessie, everything okay?”

“No, and I’m sorry for calling so late.”

“Um, it’s only seven.”

I sat up in bed and looked at the time on my phone and groaned.

He was acting like a child sulking in his room because he couldn’t have dessert after dinner.

Except we did have dessert. Addie had baked a cake yesterday knowing they would be having a full family dinner this evening after Grayson came home today.

“He’s such a baby. He’s in there right now, throwing a tantrum because he doesn’t want me here.

The man hasn’t left me alone for months, and now that I’m here in his house, he ignores me.

Unless he’s telling me to go home. Should I go home?

Should I just leave him to fend for himself?

Say to hell with him and he can just fuck off? ”

“Whoa, slow down. You’re at Grayson’s?”

“Yes, Addie asked me to come stay for a month and help him adjust to being in the chair.”

“Is the paralysis permanent?”

“We don’t know. He has to wait for the swelling to go down, and that could take weeks.

Addie figures if I am here to help him adjust and he doesn’t get better, then they are ahead of the game, and if he does get better and can walk again, then at least it made the month he was in the chair a little easier. She thinks it’s a win-win either way.”

Ellie’s chuckles on the other side of the phone had me scowling.

“What is so funny?”

“Addie has read all of my books,” she says as if that explains everything. She knows I can’t read her mind.

“So?”

“She set you up for forced proximity.” Her laughter was full-on belly laughs now, and I heard the baby crying in the background. “Oh shit, sorry, Bash, Momma is just laughing at Auntie Jessie.”

“What the hell do you mean?”

“Addie is forcing you and Grayson to spend every minute together so that you both get your heads out of your asses and realize that you belong together.”

“Oh my fucking God,” I groaned as I fell back onto the bed.