Page 150 of Just for the Cameras
She’s going home with him again?
Looks like the boys were wrong.This “grand gesture” sucked. Good for the zoo, but no change between Maple and me.Fuck.
“Hey, thanks for the mural, man,” Hank says. “That was huge of you.”
The urge to plow my fist through his skull is incredibly overwhelming, and the only reason I haven’t is because I know Maple wouldn’t approve. Punching Slutty Little Glasses might feel good in the moment, but it will get me nowhere with Maple, so instead, I take a calm approach and simply nod.
“Yeah,” Maple says, surprising me. “It was…it was really nice.” She smiles softly, her gaze falling on mine.
That smile.
Those eyes…
Fuck, there are so many things I want to say to her. So many things I want to do as a storm kicks up inside me, pushing me in her direction. But I hold still, because even though when she walks into a room, I feel my pulse kickstart, I’m not about to have a conversation with her with Hank present.
No goddamn way.
So I just nod as well.
“Here you go,” Hank says, handing her bag to her. I feel her eyes on me one last time before they exit the building.
Sighing, I lean forward, pressing my head to the cabinet above the sink and wishing this was so much fucking easier.
I give them a second to leave and then pull my phone out and watch the video of Maple taking in the mural for the first time.
I watch as her expression morphs into awe.
As tears fill her beautiful eyes.
As she commits the wall to memory and speaks on how amazing it is.
It gives me a sliver of hope. Not much, because Slutty Little Glasses is still in the way, a fucking thorn in my side. Unsure how to handle him, I lean into the one source I wish I didn’t have to use.
The Gladdy Daddies.
Graydon:She liked the mural. A lot.
I head out toward the parking lot while I wait for their response. Hopefully, Maple and Hank will be gone.
OC:Fuck yeah! So are you guys good?
Graydon:Not quite. Slutty Little Glasses is taking her home.
OC:What? Why?
Bennett:How did that happen?
Graydon:Because when I say I fucked up bad, I did. She could barely look at me. Not sure the grand gesture worked.
When I arrive at the parking lot, I’m happy to see that they’re gone, so I hop into my truck and buckle up, but don’t start it yet.
OC:Are you sure you did it right?
Graydon:There is only one way to do it, you fuck. There’s just too much animosity there. I hurt her.
Bennett:You did, but this is the perfect opening.
Graydon:What do you mean?
