Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 128156 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 641(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 427(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128156 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 641(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 427(@300wpm)
Did I? I try to think. “I don’t remember him mentioning it.” I shrug, rolling my larger suitcase behind me and shoving it through the open door. “I’m sure he did it, and honestly, I think that’s exactly what he needed. These last few months were stressful for him.” I wait to see if they mention football at all, hoping he told them over break, but when no one’s comments I continue, “But anyway, like I said, the time zones were so messed up, it made talking to anyone super hard.”
“Uh, yeah, you woke us up with pictures in the group thread the first few nights, remember?”
I chuckle, stepping into the elevator. “See? It took me like five days to figure it all out. I usually waited until the end of the day my time to text him, and by the time he would see it, I’d be in the middle of a tour or excursion with my phone off or asleep by the time he could reply. It was a mess.” The elevator dings on my floor, and we step out, moving toward my room. “I can’t wait to surprise him.”
“He doesn’t know you’re home early?” Ari’s eyes widen.
“Nope.” I grin, the idea of sneaking up on him getting more exciting by the minute. “He’s not expecting me until Saturday.”
“Girl, he’s going to kick his own ass when he realizes you’re here and he’s not.”
My head yanks her way. “What do you mean?”
Ari winces. “He told Mase not to expect him when we got here. From what Mase said, he’s not going to be here until classes begin Monday morning.”
Monday? It’s only Wednesday now.
My shoulders fall and I can’t help the disappointment that creeps in. “Oh.”
“He would have been here if he knew you were coming back early,” Payton assures me.
“But he did tell you he wouldn’t be here until classes started, right, not when you were originally supposed to be home?” Cam frowns.
“I’m sure he messaged me,” I say as I pull out my phone to see if he’s tried to call, then my eyes widen. “Ohhh.” I wince, looking at the girls.
“What?” they all fire off at the same time.
“It died last night, but the flight was at like seven a.m., so I figured I’d wait until we got on the plane, and then I fell asleep. It’s been off for pretty much an entire day.”
“Uh-oh,” Ari singsongs.
“Yeah, I bet I have a message waiting.”
“Girl, you probably have fifteen messages from him. Any minute now, he’s going to blow up all our phones and the group chat, checking to see if we’ve heard from you.” Cameron grins. “He’s going to hit the road the second he realizes you’re home.”
“Don’t tell him! I don’t want to stress him out. I’ll call him as soon as I get back, that way I can tease him a little. Maybe I can even connect with his dad and go surprise him at home, even if it’s only for a day or two.”
“Aw, that would be so cute!” Ari gushes.
I smile, shoving my door open.
We roll the suitcases in, and then we’re out the door.
“Yes!” Cameron squeals. “Coffee, here we come!”
We don’t stay gone all that long but I’m exhausted when I get back to my building, and I’m surprised when I see a familiar SUV parked against the curb, my grandpa leaning against the back door, his eyes closed.
I pick up the pace, worry settling into my stomach and call his name when I know I’m close enough that he’ll hear. “Grandpa?” I call out, jogging the last few feet. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
His expression is crestfallen, and he reaches out, touching my cheek.
“You’re scaring me.”
His lips twitch lightly, and he lets his arm fall to his side. “Sweetheart, I’ve gone back and forth with this, but you deserve to know. I don’t want you to be blindsided, and it seems he didn’t do as I asked and end this kindly. He took the coward’s way.”
“What are you talking about?”
He sighs. “There’s something I have to tell you, and you’re not going to like what it is.”
“What it is?”
“It’s about Chase.”
My heart falls to my feet, and I reach out, clutching his bicep. “Tell me.”
He opens his mouth, and with every word he speaks, he breaks me a little more.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
Paige
I never did power on my phone like I had said I would the night I got back.
Instead, I numbly fell into bed and that’s where I stayed. No, not numbly, that’s the wrong word.
Devastatingly.
Heartbreakingly.
I stayed up for hours and hours, and I have no idea when jet lag finally claimed me, but it’s a quarter past seven in the morning on Friday, two days since I landed.
Two days since my grandpa turned my world upside down.
My cheeks hurt from all the crying and my heart just feels…beaten.