Page 71 of The Roommate Problem
“I’m getting tired.” She snuggled into the covers, closing her eyes. “I think I’ll rest my eyes for a bit now.”
He glanced over her with concern, but her color was good, breathing steady—it appeared she just needed a rest after the long day she’d had. Probably for the best. Still…
“I’ll be right in the other room if you need me.”
She cracked one eye open, glaring at him with a shake of her head. “Stubborn.”
“What?”
“Nothing.” Her eyes closed once more. “You just sit out there and think about your life and what really makes you happy. You can grow flowers anywhere, Auggie, but love can only grow in your heart if you open yourself up to it.”
What the hell did that mean?
“Go on now. And while you’re waiting, there’s a folder on the kitchen table that I think you’ll find makes a good read. Look it over,” she said with a yawn.
He rose from the bed, slipping out the door to his grandmother’s soft snores. He made his way into the kitchen. The folder was on the table, right where Gran had said. Patricia was in the living room watching some game show on TV.
But August didn’t sit down to read. Instead, he pulled out his phone and started searching for nearby hotels with open rooms. He couldn’t go back to the apartment. Just the thought of facing Mo again…his stomach cramped. No. No way could he go back there now. The pain was still too fresh, the wound too raw. A shit-ton of information had been dumped on his head tonight, and he needed time. He needed space.
He wished he could believe his grandmother. Believe that spark in his chest that roared to life when she said Mo loved him. The tiny part that whispered he might love her, too…
He finished booking a room, his gaze settling on the blue folder on the table. A slim slip containing sheets of paper and months’ worth of lies.
A cold ache spread through his chest. His hand fisted, crushing the phone in his hand to the point where it made an ominous cracking sound. He eased his grip, but it did nothing to quell the misery within.
He wanted to believe in Mo so badly, but how could you love someone when they hadn’t been honest with you?
