“Grayson.” I roll his name around, letting it float through my head. Strong and sexy. It suits him.
“We call him Gray. Do you remember me telling you about my friend Lorelei?”
“The one with the drug problem?”
Jessa frowns and looks at the sink. “Yeah. Gray is her ex-husband, and those are her kids.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah, oh.” Her sad eyes find mine. “They’ve been through a lot.”
“I can’t imagine. He seems like he’s doing good though,” I say, looking at him again.
This time he catches my eye, and I quickly turn away.
“He is, most of the time. But there’s a lot of baggage there, you know?”
“We all have baggage.” My baggage is named Todd and has left three voicemails on my phone already today.
“Maybe. But he also has three kids who are learning to live without their mom and a business. He has a lot on his plate.”
I toss the dishrag over my shoulder and turn to Jessa. “Is this your way of warning me away from him?”
“No. God, no. It’s just—”
“Spit it out, Jessa. We’re family. You can talk to me openly.”
“It’s just…I saw the way you two stole glances of each other during dinner, and—”
“Wait. You saw that?”
“You weren’t exactly being discreet.”
“I was trying to be.”
“Try harder next time.” Jessa smiles tenderly and touches my arm. “Gray is wonderful, but you two are at different points in your life, and I don’t want either of you to get hurt, that’s all.”
“You mean I’m a hot mess, and he has more responsibility than all of us combined?”
Jessa gives me a pointed look. “You’re not a hot mess. You’re young and have the world at your fingertips. Gray is, well, he’s been around the block a time or two, and you’ll be leaving soon—”
“Not until the end of the summer.”
She nods. “I know, but—look, all I’m saying is be careful. You’re a lover at your core. You wear your heart on your sleeve, and when you attach to someone, you give them your whole self. You’re a relationship kind of girl, and I just don’t think Gray is there yet.”
“I appreciate the advice, or warning, or whatever the hell that was, but you do realize I just got out of a relationship, right? One that didn’t end well. I’m not exactly in the market for a guy.”
“I wasn’t looking either when I found your brother.”
“Well, I’m telling you now, you have nothing to worry about. I’ll probably never see him again after tonight.”
“I’m not worried. You’re both wonderful. In fact, if you lived here permanently, and he was in a different place in his life, I’d think you and Grayson would be a great match.”
“But I don’t live here.” I live on a tour bus.
She shakes her head. “I love you both, and I don’t want either of you to get hurt, but more than that, I don’t want to see the kids get hurt.”
“Well, then it’s a good thing you have nothing to worry about. I don’t find him the least bit attractive; I like my men a little cleaner cut. Plus, he’s a little too old for my taste.”