Page 29 of The Seascape Between Us (The Men of Saltwater Cove #4)

Chapter Twenty-One

Daniel

I followed Grey up some metal stairs, a duffel bag over one shoulder and the only suit I owned still wrapped in its dry-cleaning bag draped over the other. At the top, Grey pushed open the door to his living space and stepped back so I could go in first.

Like downstairs, it was huge and open. Floor-to-ceiling windows offered a view of the river, and wood plank floors and exposed brick walls with colorful art mounted on them turned the space into a mix of modern and rustic.

“This place,” I said, not even trying to hide my awe, “is gorgeous!” How could I not be impressed? Especially knowing he designed it himself. It was everything I had imagined for him, everything I had wanted for him.

I thought about his father interfering in our relationship all those years ago, and I understood why he did it. He didn’t want his son to throw his chance for all this away. Grey might've been pissed, but I got it. I wouldn’t have wanted to stop him from achieving everything he could.

“You like it?” Grey asked, a hint of uncertainty in his voice.

“How could I not? It’s very you .”

He frowned. “I’m not sure how I should take that.”

“You amaze me, Grey.” I leaned down and kissed him. He pulled me closer, deepening the kiss and infusing it with filthy promise.

“Shit.” Grey stepped back and rubbed his chin with the back of his hand. “We need to stop, or we won’t be going anywhere tonight.”

“Wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world,” I said softly. “Staying here with you.”

Grey took another step back as if he didn’t trust himself to stand too close. “Nope. No way. I’m taking you out. We’re celebrating. We should get ready if we don’t want to miss the reservation.”

I changed into the suit I brought. I'd bought it for Ryan’s funeral, which felt a little morbid, but it was the only one I had. Besides, no one would have laughed harder than Ryan at the idea of me wearing my funeral suit on a date.

Only you, man. Only you.

I couldn’t remember the last time I’d gotten dressed up to go on a date.

Hell, I couldn’t remember the last time I’d gone on an honest-to-god date.

There had been hook-ups over the years—I wasn’t a monk—but I just didn’t have time for dating or relationships.

Not that what was happening between Grey and me was a relationship .

Living together for the last month had confused things.

Now that the hotel was finished, I could move back into the hotel, and Grey could come back here.

He probably missed being home and his normal life.

Being here, in Grey’s space, felt like shining a spotlight on just how different we were.

It was easy to forget while we were staying at his father’s house.

We could fall into our domestic routine and forget how far apart our lives really were.

But there was no hiding from reality here, surrounded by the evidence of everything Grey had accomplished, and it was very clear that I didn’t fit into this part of his life. How could I?

Expensive dinners. Designer clothes that weren’t bought specifically to bury your best friend. The art on his walls probably cost more than everything I owned. It was all part of life so far removed from my own I might as well be visiting an alien planet.

I emerged from the guest bathroom and returned to the living room, where Grey waited. He’d changed into a blue designer suit that made him look stylish and hot. I, on the other hand, dressed in my black seven-year-old suit, looked as if I was going to a funeral.

“God, you look good enough to eat,” Grey said.

I grinned, even though I was sure he was just being nice. “Promises, promises.”

He leaned in like he might kiss me, but backed away before he did. “If we start up, we’ll never get out of here.”

Chuckling, I followed him out. The restaurant was only a few blocks away, so we decided to walk.

The night air still felt warm—a sure sign that summer was just around the corner.

The streets were busy with slow-moving traffic and pedestrians hurrying along the sidewalks.

Most shops we passed had closed, but the bars and restaurants in the busy downtown were crowded.

We stopped outside a sedate brick building, and Grey opened the door for me. Inside, the lighting was low, warming the muted colors and deep woods, and diners spoke in hushed voices. The scent of rich food teased my nose despite the nerves making my fingers tingle.

The place was nice, nicer than anywhere I’d been in a long time—probably ever.

I felt awkward and out of place, gangly and oversized.

It reminded me of how I felt when I had my first real growth spurt in high school, and my limbs didn’t feel like they belonged to me.

The sensation had returned, standing there in my funeral suit that pulled just a little too tight across my shoulders.

As if sensing my discomfort, Grey linked our fingers together, squeezing my hand gently. I looked over at him, and he smiled.

“Relax,” he said. “You’re supposed to be having a good time, remember?”

“I am,” I lied, hoping my smile didn’t look as forced as it felt.

A hostess dressed all in black took us to a table in a private corner tucked away near the front of the restaurant, and the tension gripping me eased a little. At least here, out of sight, I didn’t feel so conspicuous. Here, tucked away, no one could look at me and guess I didn’t belong.

After Grey ordered wine for us both, I turned my attention to the menu. No prices on anything. If you have to ask…

“Hey,” Grey said. I looked up to meet his gaze. He was frowning, watching with narrowed eyes. “Are you okay? You’ve got your stressed look.”

“Stressed look?” I had a stressed look?

“Yeah, you get this sort of pinched thing right here.” He reached out, gently smoothing the skin between my brows.

I rolled my eyes and leaned back from his touch. “I’m fine, but this place… It’s just… I’m… This place is fancier than I’m used to.”

“It’s a nice place, and the food’s amazing. That’s why I brought you here. You should try the New York strip. You’ll love it, and you belong here as much as anyone else. You deserve good things, more so than a lot of people, actually.”

“So do you,” I told him, meaning it. “When I saw your place… I’m just really happy for you. You did so well for yourself. I’m not surprised, though. You were always smart and talented.”

He set his menu down and gave me a long, measured look. “You are, too. You know that, right?”

“It’s not the same. Look at everything you accomplished.” He couldn’t compare what he did with what I did. I ran a broken-down hotel, struggling to keep the doors open and to keep it from collapsing in on itself. He built a billion-dollar company from the ground up. We weren’t the same.

He looked like he wanted to say more, but the server returned with our wine and took our order. I asked for the New York like Grey suggested. When the server left our table, Grey turned his attention back to me, his expression unusually serious.

“I inherited money,” he said. “When my grandmother passed away, on my mom’s side, she left me a lot of money. I could buy the loft, start my company, and put all my time and energy into it. I didn’t have to stretch my funds between my business and caring for an ill parent.”

“I get what you’re saying—”

“Do you? Because your tone says otherwise. I’ve been fortunate, and while I worked my ass off, I wouldn’t have had the success that I had without that money.”

“You would have,” I said. “It might have taken you longer, but you would have done it. It’s who you are.”

“Maybe,” Grey conceded. “But you would have too if you’d had the same opportunities.” Somehow, I doubted it. Still, he pushed on. “You’ll see now that the work is done, and you don’t have that hanging over your head. Now that you can just focus on your business, you’ll see what you can accomplish.”

I hoped he was right. My god, what if we did all this work, and I found myself in the same place I was in a few years down the line?

What if Grey’s investment in the hotel, in me, was a total waste of money and time?

What if I couldn’t make it work, even with all his help?

Sweat slicked my skin at the very thought.

“Grey!” A man’s voice rose up over the din of dinner conversation, loud and grating in the otherwise quiet restaurant.

A few diners looked up as an attractive man wove between tables, heading straight toward us.

His hair was light-blond and swept back from the well-defined lines of his face and square jaw.

He was tall and lean, the swimmer’s build, and very attractive.

His eyes, the same color as the Caribbean Sea, were fixed on Grey.

“My god, it’s been forever,” the man said, a wide smile lit his face. His hand landed on Grey’s shoulder, squeezing gently.

I tensed, fighting the urge to leap out of my seat and knock his hand away. I got myself under control… barely.

Grey’s eyes widened briefly, flashing me a look close to panic. “Jack, it’s been a while.”

“Too long,” Jack agreed. “I’ve been meaning to call you.”

Grey eased back, dislodging Jack’s hand from his shoulder. “This is my date, Daniel. Daniel, this is Jack Warner. He’s a real estate agent that works with my company.”

“Nice to meet you,” I said, but I didn’t mean it.

Jack glanced my way, his handsome features pulling into a slightly perplexed expression. “Nice to meet you too.”

He probably didn’t mean it, either. After turning his back to me, he focused on Grey.

“I have a place you might be interested in. It’s a three-story walk-up just a few blocks from here.

Needs a little work, but mostly aesthetics.

It’s a great investment and right up your alley.

How about lunch next week, and we can talk about it? ”

His hand was back on Grey’s shoulder, and I wanted to rip it away more than ever. I hated this man touching him. I hated the innuendo in his voice. He wanted to do more than have lunch and talk about a building, and he clearly wanted everyone to know it.

The man nibbled on his lip and watched Grey expectantly.

“Things are busy for me right now,” Grey said, once again easing back from the man and out from under his hand. “But I can have Finn call and set up an appointment.”

Jack’s shark-like smile spread wider, and I tensed. I wanted to get between them, force Jack to step back and give Grey some space.

“I was really hoping we could catch up.” Jack glanced back at me. He clearly wanted me to know that he and Grey knew each other, and they weren’t just business associates. They had obviously been something more. Maybe they still were. My stomach churned sickly at the thought.

Grey and I had never talked about exclusivity. Why would we? We weren’t even really dating. Business partners-with-benefits . It looked like Grey had made similar arrangements before, and he would probably make them again long after we both went back to our own lives.

I suddenly wished I’d stayed back at the hotel. Back where I belonged. This part of Grey’s life, I didn’t fit in.

Grey’s gaze narrowed on Jack, and his friendly smile fell away. I remembered that uncharacteristically cold look from when he first came back into my life all those weeks ago. “Like I said, I’m busy. I can have Finn look at the building, but I’m not available.”

Jack frowned and stepped back. Just seeing a little space between them eased some of the tension gripping me.

“Well, can’t say I’m not sorry to hear that.

” He glanced at me dismissively before turning his full attention back to Grey.

“If anything changes and your schedule opens up, give me a call,” he stated, with the last part in a lower voice.

“Nice meeting you, Doug, ” he said dismissively.

I didn’t bother to correct him. “Yeah, you too.” Asshole .

Once the man left, Grey's attention returned to me immediately. “Sorry about that. He’s someone I—”

I shrugged. “It’s fine. We’ve both seen other people over the years.” Still, I hated to think that maybe he was still seeing Jack or someone else. “Are you guys still together?”

“We were never together,” Grey said quickly.

“Just another business partners-with-benefits thing?” I asked, wishing my voice didn’t sound so sharp like a jealous boyfriend.

“Not even that much,” Grey said firmly. “We’d hooked up a few times, but I haven’t seen him in months. Long before you and me.”

I shrugged again, trying not to sound as hurt as I felt. “We’re not exclusive. You don’t owe me any explanations.”

Grey hesitated, as if he was uncertain how to respond. “There hasn’t been anybody else for me since I came back to The Square. I wouldn’t do that, see someone else while I was with you. I don’t want to see anyone else while I’m with you. Have you been seeing anyone else?”

I snorted before I could stop myself. Yeah right. “There’s been no one but you.”

Though why it mattered when all this would be coming to an end soon, I didn’t know. After the opening, he’d be coming back to all this, and I would stay right where I’d always been. Still, the weight pressing on my chest lifted a little, and I could breathe again.

Grey smiled brightly, but it didn’t quite meet his eyes, and I wondered if he was thinking the same thing. “Well, I guess it’s good we cleared that up.”

I nodded. “I guess so.”

The server returned to our table and set our plates in front of us.

The savory scent of steak teased my senses, but my stomach didn't respond. I’m sure it would have tasted delicious, but I barely noticed.

I couldn’t stop thinking about Jack and Grey and how much someone like Jack would have fit effortlessly into Grey’s world and far better than I ever could.