Just One Reason by Kirsten DeMuzio Read Free Book Online

black army boots, faded jeans hanging low on his hips, black t-shirt snug over his chest and arms.  Arms that were covered in tattoos.  He was tall and rangy and his dark blonde hair was down to his chin.  He looked downright dangerous, and my heart rate kicked into overdrive.
    Since the day I decided to come back here I had wondered how he would react to seeing me again.  I had hoped for surprised excitement and had resigned myself to indifference.  After all it had been five years.  He could be married with kids by now.  But looking into his eyes now, I never expected the blatant and unadulterated rage I saw in them.  He looked all the more dangerous as he was over to us in three long strides, slamming his palms down on the table, making Leah jump.
    “What are you doing here, Bambi?”  He growled at me, leaning down so he was only inches from my face.  He used to call me Bambi as a term of endearment, but the way he said it now ma de it sound like a swear word.
    Leah recovered and shot him a dirty look . “Jesus, Grady!  What’s your problem?  And her name’s not Bambi, it’s…”
    He cut her off midsentence, his voice raised, “I know what her name is, Leah.  I want to know what the fuck she’s doing here!”
    Leah looked back and forth between us, catching on that we knew each other.  I could only sit there in shock and stare into his angry eyes as my own started to fill with tears.
    “Calm down, man,” Josh warned as he grabbed Grady’s arm s from behind and forcibly pulled him over to the bar.  Grady’s eyes stayed on me until Josh shoved him onto a bar stool and stepped in front of him, holding him in place with his hands on Grady’s shoulders.
    “Lindsay!  Oh my God.  Are you okay?  You’re shaking.  And crying.” Leah’s worried voice finally cut through the daze I was in, and I realized tears were streaming down my cheeks and I was trembling.  I wrapped my arms tightly over my chest and turned away from Grady.
    “What the hell was that about?  Do you know Grady?”  Leah was still asking questions.  Questions I didn’t know how to answer.  I stood up on sh aky legs and grabbed my purse.
    Leaning down to give Leah a quick hug, I said, “I knew Grady once.  I’m sure Josh can fill you in later, but I need to go.  I’m sorry, Leah.  I’ll see you at the office on Monday.”  I hurried out, not looking back, and hoping Leah would still be speaking to me on Mo nday.
    My breath was coming quickly and I was still shaking, so I stopped at the end of the block to lean against the building and try to calm down.  After several deep calming breaths I pushed off the building and kept walking.  Instead of going home I decided to walk the few blocks to the lake.  The sun was just beginning to set over the hills when I took off my sandals and sat down on the sand of the public beach.
    I hugged my knees to my chest and rested my chin on them.  How did I get here?  A college dropout who recently slept with her married professor and just got yelled at by her ex-boyfriend, whose heart she broke but who she still deeply loved.  There was no denying that my feelings for Grady were every bit as strong today as they were five years ago.  Maybe even stronger now that I knew what it felt like to try to live without him.  I think part of me wanted to come back here to see if he still loved me, because God knows I still loved him.  So much.  But he hated me.  That was crystal clear from the way he had glared at me.  He didn’t want me here.  He didn’t want me at all.
    I lay back not caring that I would get sand in my hair and stared up at the stars that were just beginning to shine in the twilight.  My phone started playing “Country Girl Shake It For Me” by Luke Bryan.  Taryn had programmed her own ringtone into my phone, and it made me smile every time she called.  Her timing was impeccable, because I was feeling extremely lonely right now.
    “Hi Taryn.”
    “Hi Linz!