His Sweet Revenge

Chapter 25.

I turn my attention back to her. "What? Nothing. Sorry. I think you should go. We'll have many more Fourth of July's with the family."

She chews on her bottom lip. "You think so?"

"Totally."

"Okay," she grins. "I'm gonna go call Baker."

Iris leaves me alone at the table. A few moments later, Grandpa fills her chair, sitting beside me.

"Is everything okay, Laylabug?"

I smile at him. "Yeah, I'm good, Grandpa."

"Are you excited to see Casablanca later at the drive-in?"

I sip some more lemonade from a pink straw. "Totally. But I'm most excited about that insane cookie they sell at the concession stand. I've been craving it all year."

Grandpa laughs, pouring himself a glass of lemonade. "Grayson looks like he's starting to enjoy himself here."

I turn my head to look at Grayson again. He and Brett laugh loudly as they tease Asher by holding him over the pool. I feel my chest flutter as I watch him and hear the sound of his laughter.

"We were apprehensive that he wasn't going to like it. Or even get along with anyone, but he's proving us wrong."

I don't know what to say, so I nod.

"But Hale is worried," Grandpa adds, this time quietly.

That makes me turn my attention straight back to him. "Why is that?"

Grandpa sighs and shrugs, setting his glass of lemonade down. "Grayson has a history. That worries Hale. His father is trying to get him to see him. And despite the situation with his father, Hale believes something else has been going on with Grayson since he got here."

I remember the silent conversation between Hale and Grayson about how his father wanted to see him. I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear, and I'm suddenly hit with the memory of Grayson doing the same thing Friday night.

"He talked to you about it?"

"Yes, alone, without your mother. He wanted my advice on how to approach Grayson about it. Grayson is very sensitive with talking about matters relating to his father."

And he has the right to be.

"I came over here because I thought you could try to bring it up to him. Hale believes he should see his father, hear him out, and I do too."

"Why me?"

Grandpa shrugs, sipping from his glass. "You seem to get through to him. It's worth it to go there and figure out why the sudden change in his father's attitude toward seeing him."

"Okay," I nod. "I'll try."

Grandpa pats me on the shoulder and leaves the table to converse with his children by the barbecue station.

Once the burgers are ready, we all gather around the table to eat.

Everyone seems lost in private conversations, but I'm sitting in silence.

"Not hungry?" Hale asks Grayson quietly, my mom sitting between them.

Grayson hasn't touched his food, and I realize neither have I. He eyes my plate, then meets my eyes. "No," he says, looking back at his uncle.

My mom places a hand on Grayson's shoulder, and I see him tense. "Are you okay, Grayson?"

Grayson exhales. "I'm fine. I'm just not hungry."

Grayson looks at me again, and I have to look away this time because something in his gaze is different, and I know something has changed between us.

Once everyone is done eating, the whole family heads over to the drive-in. I'm sitting in Iris's car with her and Maya, and because I drove, I'm in the Driver's seat. Iris has her legs up on the dash, and her seat is pushed back.