Secret Affection

Chapter 3

I answer the phone,

"Hello?"

"Aly!"

I groan,

"Yes?"

"Where you at, girl?"

"It's seriously only ten o'clock and you sound drunk. I literally just saw you an hour ago, I thought you were working out?"

"Well lifting b-tches is part of that game, Aly! Come down to the bar and have a drink!"

"Maybe later, I'm having lunch right now. I'll stop by when the sun starts to go down, like a normal drinker."

"You're no fun, Aly! You're on a date aren't you?!"

"I am not on a date, Roy. Lay off the alcohol until tonight and we can go out, okay? I'll meet you at our bar?"

"Deal! I love you!"

"I love you too you damn crazy person."

I hang up the phone and Phillip is giggling at me.

"What?"

"Your friend seems... energetic."

"That's one word for it, he's a handful. He's lucky I've known him for years or I probably would've kicked his ass."

She smiles down at her food, but it's not fully there. Her face seems focused and her mind seems to be somewhere else.

"You alright?"

She looks back up at me and puts a fake smile on her face.

"Yeah, it's just the name you said sounded familiar."

"Roy?"

She nods and I can see a sad smile pull on the corner of her lips.

"I grew up with somebody named Roy, we were thick as thieves. Once I got married, it all fell apart. Well, once Aly left-"

After she says my name, I zone out from our conversation, soaking in her appearance. I stop once I see her giving me a strange look with her head cocked to the side.

"You okay, Matt?"

"What's your name?"

She chuckles,

"I told you, until you give me yours-"

"I'm serious."

She looks at me confused, but notices I'm completely serious.

"Grace. Grace Phillips, well Austin  now."

My eyes widen and I start to panic. I pull my wallet out and place a few twenties on the table before I get up and leave the restaurant.

Grace? My Grace?

"Matt! What the hell?!"

She comes running after me as I keep making a beeline for my car. She grabs my arm as I unlock the door, spinning me around to face her.

"So I tell you my name and you freak out? What was that about?"

I run my hand through my hair, sighing and refusing to meet her eyes.