His Sweet Revenge

Chapter 12.

I move forward as the voice approaches. He sees me, the phone still to his ear. I know him. Oh shit. The realization hits me, he's the guy that Grayson kept staring at in Bigs.

"Let me call you back, Luke," he says, stuffing his phone into his pocket. Then he smiles. "Hi. Should I call the police?"

I quickly shake my head. "No! I work here. I'm house-sitting for Ruth Elliot. Who are you?"

He extends a hand out in my direction. "James Elliot. Nice to meet you. My mom never told me we'd have a house sitter. She must think I'm incompetent after all."

I laugh at that, shaking his hand. But now I'm intrigued. He's the guy from Bigs, maybe even the guy who owned that Porsche. So that's why Grayson didn't want me here. "My mom would probably do the same. Why didn't you go on vacation with your family?"

James shrugs and heads over to the fridge, grabbing a soda. "I had some stuff to deal with here. Besides, they went to Cancun and I've already been there like five times. You want one?" He asks.

"I'm working."

He smiles charmingly. "Relax. I won't tell on you."

"Okay, sure," I nod as I head back to the sink to fill up the mop bucket. There's floor cleaner underneath the sink so I pour some into the bucket after it's full with water. James cracks open a Coke and sets it on the counter behind me. Then he hoists himself up and sits on the counter beside the sink, sipping from his soda can.

"You look familiar," he says, staring at me.

I avoid his gaze and start mopping the floor. "I've been coming to Redwood every summer since I was seven. And also you might know my grandparents. They're the Langleys."

"Oh," he says with realization. "Yeah. Nice couple. So, your mom is the one getting married this summer. The whole town won't shut up about it. Your grandparents are pretty popular around here."

So far he seems ... okay. He's not rude or anything so that's a good sign. And he certainly doesn't remember me from Bigs so that's also a good sign.

"Do you like him?" I'm mopping the other side of the kitchen when James speaks up again. I shoot him a confused look. "Your soon-to-be stepdad?"

"Oh, yeah. He's a nice guy," I smile, really meaning it.

James finishes his soda and crushes the can. "You never told me your name."

I'm finally done mopping the huge kitchen. I walk back over to where he's sitting and take a few sips of the Coke he set down for me. "I'm Layla."

James smiles, it's small but it's there. "I've definitely heard your name a few times. It's a big town but it's not big enough."

I lean into the counter behind me knowing I need to ask him, and instead, I'm hesitating. What if I don't want to hear the truth? What if there's a reason Grayson won't share anything?

I think he notices the swarm of thoughts running behind my eyes because he asks, "What's on your mind?"

I just have to go for it. "Do you know Grayson Wallace?"

James's eyebrows fly up in surprise. "Yeah, I know Grayson," he answers. "He doesn't like me very much for some reason, though."

I need to pry more. "How do you know him?"

James slips off the counter and stands right in front of me. He lets out a small laugh. "He told me you were a curious little thing."

I furrow my eyebrows at him. "What?"

When he doesn't respond I move past him to get rid of the mop.

"Grayson used to live here," he says, stopping me. "In Redwood. He lived here for about a year a while ago. He never liked me and he still doesn't. That's all."

Grayson lived here? Why don't I remember? But that does make a lot of sense. That's why all these people know him.

I turn back around. "That's all?"

"Yes," he nods, slipping a hand into his pocket.

It's silent again. I pick up the mop bucket and head to the washroom to get rid of it. It takes me a few tries to find it.

"So, what are your plans for tonight?"

I pour the murky water into the toilet and flush it. "Well, it's Monday night, so ... not much."

I know exactly what my plans are for tonight. Shower. Put on my pajamas. Jam out to Taylor Swift for a while. Then watch Sweet Home Alabama with some popcorn. But I don't tell him that because I think he'll live without the juicy details.

James leans into the doorframe. "Do you want to go out with me?"

What?

"Like a date? Coming on a bit strong there, buddy."

He shakes his head with a laugh. "No, as friends. I think I'd like to get to know the girl who's going to be in my house from time to time."

I scoff. "It's only going to be two weeks, and considering your mom hired me I'm sure you won't be around enough to run into me."

"Come on, we'll go have some dinner, that's all."

I think about it for a moment. He doesn't know Grayson like I thought he would so I can't really pry more. But I am pretty hungry. I could go for some food.

"We'll get burgers and shakes it'll be totally chill."

"Fine," I agree only because my stomach slightly grumbles at the sound of burgers and shakes.

I finish up in the kitchen and James leads me outside to his car, which is a Range Rover, so maybe he's not the Porsche guy after all. He opens the door for me and I slip into the car.

He asks me about college and stuff as he drives and I ask him a few questions of my own, but a call interrupts our conversation. Someone names Ant is calling. He answers the phone from the screen on his dash.

"What's up, Ant?"

"You said you were coming over, the game's about to start in five minutes."

James sighs. "Fuck, I forgot."

"Well, you better hurry up and get your ass over here. There's money riding on this."

"Give me fifteen," James quickly says before hanging up. "Shit, I'm really sorry, I have to be there."

"It's fine you can just drop me off at home."

He turns onto the next street. "You can come, too. There's gonna be pizza and beer. And I'm sure there'll be some girls your age."

I really don't want to go to some party tonight, but I agree because that's just who I am. I'll just have to find some way to slip out of there.

We arrive at the house and it looks packed and buzzing with people. I already want to leave. When we get inside an unusual amount of commotion is coming from the living room off to the left. It's crammed with people, pizza boxes, and empty beer cans everywhere. A football game is playing on the large flat-screen TV that everyone has their attention turned to.

And then I find Grayson sitting in the corner with a beer bottle in his hand with a blond girl next to him, chatting off his ear. If he's in a room, I'll find him. I'll feel him. My stomach slightly drops when his eyes meet mine. They travel between James and I as James laughs and greets his friends with me next to him.

Then Grayson's eyes turn irate, scalding mine. He disregards the girl next to him and strides toward us.