Page 26 of Gravity

Without another word, I head out, sitting next to Dad to help him to eat and give Mom a break. As the food is handed out, we talk about everything and nothing. The sun is out, the smile on Dad’s face says it all, but it’s Grayson’s eyes that bring a chill to my skin the longer he sits across from me. I’ve rattled him, and I can’t work out if I’m pleased with it or not.

“Nora. Bubbles,” Dad says, nodding to where I left them this morning.

A smile breaks out across my face, and I jump up enthusiastically. “All right, Pop. You ready to watch the pro do what she does best?”

“What is with you two and bubbles,” Asher grumbles, coming back out from inside with another beer.

“Dad and I like them. What’s wrong with that?” I hand Dad the bubble tube to hold, making sure his grip is supported enough that he won’t drop it. “There you go. Hold as tight as you can. Let me know if it gets too slippery.”

When I turn back around, I catch Asher watching us, the look on his face unreadable. “What?”

He shakes his head before taking a mouthful of his beer. “Nothin’.”

I shake my head and return to what I was doing, wondering why men are so confusing at times. They’re all scowls and secrets.

“Okay you ready?”

“Go.”

The second I start blowing the bubbles, the excitement from dad makes my entire body fill with joy. He can’t do much, but doing this takes his mind off everything else, I know it.

Soon enough, we’re out of bubble mixture.

“Oh, man. This stuff never lasts long enough,” I say to Dad, poking my bottom lip out. “No wonder kids throw a tantrum when they are gone.”

“Nora, darling, your phone is going crazy,” Mom says. I head back to the patio table where everyone else is sitting. Grayson has hardly said a word since we came out of the kitchen, but that hasn’t stopped him watching me either.

“You all right, Grayson?” I ask, leaning over him to get my phone just as another text comes through.

“Fine.”

Sitting down opposite him, I hold his stare before I drop my eyes to look at my screen. Swiping across it, I see I’ve not one but four texts: one from Ryan and three from Makenna.

Ryan: Your first shift is at noon on Monday. I suggest you come in just before that so we can kit you out with the right uniform and go over a few things.

I decide to text him back first, grinning like an idiot before I read Makenna’s messages.

Me: Thank you so much, Ryan. See you Monday.

Makenna: What are you doing later? I have plans for us.

Makenna: Hmm… hello???

Makenna: You know it’s rude not to answer me, right? I do crazy shit when I’m ignored.

Me: I know you do. Sorry, I was sleeping and now we are having a cookout. Where’s the fire?

Makenna: I hear you have a new job. *Grins.* No need to thank me.

Me: You found out quick. I wonder how? *Wink*

Makenna: Perks of having a male friend who likes you to get naked. Your virgin body wouldn’t understand. Ha!

I giggle. She’s a constant tease.

Me: LOL.

“What are you laughing at?” Asher quizzes me with the same look on his face I always get when he wants to know the details of my life. “Who are you texting?”