Page 15 of Falling for a Grumpy Hero

A light knock on my door saved me from obsessing about what had happened and I smiled, relieved that Addy was finally here. “It’s open!”

I stood up anyhow, striding over to the kitchen to slide two wine glasses out of the cabinet. Addy walked in clutching a bottle of white and brought it straight to me. “What do you mean you nearly got run over last night?”

I chuckled. “I texted you about that this morning. Are you still not over it yet?”

Her rich, dark brown ponytail swished behind her head as she shook it. “How can I be over it? I don’t even know what happened, but it didn’t seem like something one discusses over text messages and I knew I’d be seeing you for our girls’ night, so fill us up and then fill me in.”

“You have such a way with words, but sure. I’ll do all the filling.” I accepted the bottle from her and poured some into our glasses. “It was nothing really. My knee has been stinging a bit all day, but outside of that, I’m fine.”

As I moved out from behind the kitchen counter, her gaze dropped to my injury. It was on full display since I was wearing what I considered my uniform when I wasn’t at work—denim shorts and a flowing, flowery top.

She winced as she looked back up at me. “Ouch. That looks painful.”

I shrugged. “Ford warned me to clean it properly so it wouldn’t get infected. I think I managed to do that. Like I said, it’s just the stinging now.”

“Ford?” She frowned as she followed me back to the couch. “As in, your boss, Ford? Wait, is he the one who nearly ran you over?”

“No.” I scoffed down laughter and dropped into the spot I’d vacated a couple minutes ago, tucking one of my legs underneath and angling myself so I was facing her fully. “He happened to be driving by when it happened and he was kind enough to pull over to help. I don’t even think he knew it was me at first. I suspect he’s the kind of person who doesn’t really want people to know it, but he actually has a good heart.”

She smiled, looking me over like she was not so discreetly checking for any other injuries. Only once those dark eyes of hers had scanned every inch of my arms and legs did she finally speak again. “Well, thank God he was there, and thank God all you have to show for the accident is a skinned knee. It could’ve been so much worse, Li. Do you want to talk about it?”

I shrugged, smirking a little as I brought my glass to my lips. “Nah, you worry about me enough as it is. I wouldn’t want to give you something else to worry about.”

She pursed her lips at me. “Your parents are in Southern California, Lila. Someone within two thousand miles of you has to worry about your health and well-being. I feel responsible for you. You know that.”

“Yeah, but you don’t have to.” I finally took a sip of my wine and relished the tangy sweetness of it on my tongue, letting out a happy sigh. “I’m perfectly fine, Addy. My health has been holding steady for years and my well-being is doing okay too.”

She chuckled, exhaling a deep breath and pausing before she finally nodded. “I know, and I know I don’t have to worry, but I can’t help it. I wish I could live my life the way you do and just grab it by the horns and go for it, but I can’t. It makes me nervous even when you’re doing it.”

I winked at her. “I can teach you my ways, young Padawan.”

She faked a shudder. “Thanks for the offer, but I’d rather not. If you’re sure you’re okay, then catch me up. Outside of your most recent near-death experience, what else is new? How’s work going?”

“It’s been really amazing. I helped Ford get this huge contract he’s been after for a couple months and I might even get to help with the interior design. I thought he was going to be so pissed when the client mentioned it, but he was pretty cool about it in the end.”

“Does this mean you’re more comfortable with him now?”

I rolled my eyes at her. “I was never uncomfortable with him. I just didn’t know what to make of him at first. I’ve literally never met such a grumpy, growly alphahole in my life, but like I said, I think he has a good heart buried underneath all those spikes.”

“That’s good.” She smiled. “I’m glad you have someone else looking out for you, too.”

“I don’t know if I’d go that far, but I’ve definitely gotten to know him better and he’s different than how I thought he was, you know? There’s a lot more depth to him. Oh, and you should see his dog, Addy. He’s the most gorgeous thing I’ve ever seen. Of course, Ford tried to make me believe that he was some tough-as-nails, unloving, canine soldier, but I think that’s only because he doesn’t want people to think of his dog as a softie.”

Great. Now I’m talking about Ford like I’ve got a crush on him. On my boss. I sighed, realizing that it was possible that I did have a crush on him, but thankfully, it seemed to go right over the top of Addy’s head.

“If you’re happy,” she said with a smile that stretched from one of her ears to the other. “I’m happy. I really was super worried about you for a minute there, but it sounds like it might actually all work out. As long as you’re sure your boss isn’t going to send you running for the hills after all.”

“I don’t think he will.” I took another sip of my wine. “I feel like every now and then, he lets me glimpse behind the curtain and there’s a real person in there somewhere, but even if he is a complete alphahole, if he lets me be involved with this project at all, I might be able to use it as a springboard to launch my career.”

“Well, maybe he’s less alphahole and more… traumatized alpha,” she said, surprising me.

I frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Well, Taylor mentioned that he saw him again at one of their meetings. He never tells me much about what they talk about, but he did say he encouraged Ford to share and he hopes that he’ll do it. It didn’t sound like your bossman participates much, which may well mean that he’s suffering from very real, very much unhealed trauma.”

I had to bite my lip to keep myself from asking her what else Taylor might’ve mentioned about Ford. I was dying to know about his past, but I knew that it was none of my business. Plus, if Taylor didn’t even talk to Addy, who he’d been dating for a few years, about what they discussed at those meetings, I definitely had no right to pry about what he might’ve learned there.

“If Taylor thinks that it’ll help Ford, then I hope he’ll do it too,” I said finally, and then I left it at that.