Page 28 of Yours, Always
Gabe smiled and answered how he always did when she asked that question, “I’m waiting for you to come to your senses and see that I’m the better Atwood brother for you, Pru.”
“I take it back, Gabe. You’re not a hopeless romantic—you’re just hopeless.” Prudence knew that Gabe had had a small crush on her when he was younger, but it had dissipated as quickly as it started after his first serious high-school girlfriend and now it was their joke. “What’s Grey doing upstairs?”
“Well, hewaspouting, but now he’s taking a shower. He’s got a pretty bad bruise on his side. Said he just wanted to get into bed after, that you’d see enough of him tonight, and he didn’t want you to be sick of him too soon.”
Prudence’s mind started wandering when Gabe mentioned Greyson in the shower, thinking back to that morning. Was it only that morning? It seemed like an eternity had passed.
“Earth to Pru?” Gabe waved a hand. “Where did you go? You look flushed and you’re not answering me.”
“Sorry, Gabe, I’m tired already. You’ll need to show me how to work this contraption you call a coffee pot if I’m going to make it through the night checking on him.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll make a pot right now. If you want to eat something, there is leftover chicken primavera from Wood Fire in the fridge.”
“My hero!” She moved to the fridge and began getting the food ready to reheat.
“I see you brought some work with you. Are those my flooring samples?”
“These are for a new project proposal I have next week, but I can leave them if you’d like. Still thinking about updating the basement?”
“Yeah, I’d like to start on it this spring, but I’d be ready to do it any time after Halloween. I’ve decided it’s the perfect space for a bar and game room.”
“I think you’re right about that. You’ve got plenty of bedrooms upstairs, you could use the extra living space, I’ll leave a few for you to think about.”
“Thanks, Pru.” Gabe hit the start button on the coffee machine then slung his cross-body bag over his shoulder and headed for the back door. “The Tylenol is on the bedside table—he had some earlier—and water bottles in the fridge. I’ve gotta head out. I’ll be home around three thirty. Greyson has the only other finished room upstairs, I haven’t furnished the other two since the remodel, we’ll have to go shopping sometime to pick things out. Go ahead and crash on my bed, and I’ll check in when I get home.”
Prudence nodded along to all Gabe’s instructions before waving him away. “I’ll see you later. Will you lock the door on your way out?”
“Will do,” Gabe called as he left the kitchen. A few moments later she heard the door click.
This is going to be a long night. It was only seven p.m., but the doctor had said Greyson might be sleepier than usual that first night. He didn’t even say goodnight, so she knew he was feeling bad. Sitting at the table with both her meal and laptop she started on her work.
The first fifteen minutes passed quickly, and she said, “Alexa, stop,” to quiet the alarm and soundlessly ascended the stairs.
Greyson was sleeping so peacefully, she felt bad waking him.Might as well get used to it. Prudence reached out and gently shook his shoulder. “Greyson. Greyson, you have to wake up.”
“Hmm, Pru, beautiful girl. What are you doing here?” Greyson asked sleepily, reaching out and grabbing her hand.
Prudence blushed. “Greyson, you need to wake up and answer a couple of questions.”
“I am awake, Pru.”
“What day is it?”
“Wednesday, if it’s before midnight. Thursday if it’s after.”
“What’s your full name?”
“Greyson Walter Atwood.”
“All right, go back to sleep now.”
Prudence repeated the process until she was to the point of only needing to wake him up once per hour, each time asking Greyson different questions to ensure he was okay.
She packed her items and put them by the front door, turning off the coffee pot and the lights downstairs before she went to Greyson’s room with her overnight bag. Stopping by his closet and closing the door a bit, she turned on the light.Crap.She hadn’t packed pajamas. She rooted around in the closet and found an old T-shirt, quickly slipping out of her clothing to put it on. It was a little short, skimming the tops of her thighs, but it would do in a pinch. She folded her clothes, turned off the light and stood at the door. Watching Greyson, he looked more relaxed than she had seen him during waking hours in years.
Prudence walked over to the bed, “Greyson.” She placed a hand on his shoulder, sliding it down his arm. “Greyson, wake up.”
Greyson rolled over. He reached his hand out and touched her now bare thigh. “Beautiful girl, don’t leave me this time.”