Chapter 51: Packing Up
- DEX -
"You came prepared," Will says when I drop a stack of collapsed boxes onto the counter along with a roll of shipping tape. I notice him slide the lock into place once I’m inside. "Raya really doesn’t have that many clothes. I already took a look."
"Do you want me to make up the boxes while you gather what she wants?" I offer, not wanting to go poking through Raya’s things.
"Sure. Thanks." Will smiles, and I can’t help but notice that the smile is a little bit tighter than yesterday. It’s possible he realizes that I paid for the fix to his car and feels offended by it. It was an overstep. I should have thought about that.
I’m taping boxes together and dropping them on the floor when I get a call from Lawson, which is uncanny because I was just wondering about how I’m going to get him to stay away from Raya. I knew something was up with him arranging an assistant for me from the moment it came out of his mouth. There’s no way he actually wants to help me succeed at my job, so I knew she was a strategy. That part isn’t a surprise by any means.
But the fact that Lawson went to the hospital after Raya was in an accident in order to remind her about it? Not only does that mean he’s a much bigger dick than I realized, but he’s spiraling down a very desperate hole and willing to do some stupid shit to stay out of it. At this rate, he’s only going to end up sinking further. I should probably just sit back and watch him drown, but that would mean not intervening in this conspiracy he’s begun with Raya. If she’s unwilling to help him, he might threaten her. That alone would be enough to get him out of the company at this point.
"Hello?" I answer the phone, trying not to sound as pissed at him as I feel.
Lawson, on the other hand, sounds just as cocky as ever. "What are you up to today, brother?"
"Getting settled at home and running some errands," I lie, stepping away from the boxes I’ve put together and noticing Will out of the corner of my eye. He’s taking Raya’s journal out of her drawer and setting it on a pile of things he’s started making in her room.
My lip twitches. Hopefully he doesn’t open it. Raya’s question about whether or not I read her journal all but confirmed what’s written on those pages.
"Why do you ask?"
"Just interested in my brother’s life now that he’s back in town," Lawson replies, and I can hear the stupid grin those words come out of. I guess we’re both lying today.
"Sure. Why are you really asking?"
He chuckles. "I actually wanted to do you a courtesy. Grace just called me to ask where you’re staying now that you’re home."
"Grace?" I repeat with a frown. "Grace who?"
"Grace. Your Grace," he blows out a breath. "I take it you two are no longer together."
"Grace Dumas," I sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose. She’s my ex. "No. It’s been almost a year. I thought you were referring to a Mobius client."
"There are no Mobius clients named Grace," he drawls. "Anyway, I thought you should know, especially since she told me not to mention it to you that she called. Hopefully if the reverse ever happens, you’ll remember this and return the favor," he chuckles again.
I’m not sure exactly what to make of that—whether Lawson expects it would be a good thing or a bad thing if a woman calls me about him. But if I had to guess, I’d go with the second.
"If Grace flies in and the two of you are through, I’ll definitely volunteer to take her off your hands—"
I end the call on that note before he can get any further.
Grace must have heard about my father’s illness from one of our mutual friends. That’s the only reason she would be calling to ask where I’m staying. She’s planning on paying me a visit.
"Fuck," I mumble.
"Everything okay?" Will asks, walking in to grab a box.
"Yeah, sorry." I shove the phone in my pocket and remind myself to give Grace a call later so that she doesn’t get any crazy ideas.
There wasn’t enough energy invested into the relationship with Grace for there to be any hard feelings when we decided to end it. In fact, it was less of an end and more of a continuation of just not seeing each other for months at a time. She has work in Paris, and occasionally we would take a week or so to spend together. But we both became less and less enthusiastic about that week together, and it eventually became apparent that it was time to move on.
Just like my other relationships, the emotions were never tangled tight enough with Grace for it to seem like much of a loss when the relationship ended. The split was amicable, because she is just as busy and unconcerned with commitment as I am.
But it wouldn’t exactly be unlike Grace Dumas to just show up either. One thing she is concerned about is being there for her friends, and she probably imagines I need someone around for support with my father sick. Knowing how stubborn I am when it comes to asking for help, I doubt she wants to announce her intention to visit and risk me trying to talk her out of it.
And apparently Lawson found a reason for the two of them to share numbers at some point while we were dating—not a surprise.
—————
Will and I find a rhythm for packing up Raya’s apartment where he quickly fills the boxes and I carry them down to the truck. I can tell he’s in a hurry to get out of here, because he’s super quick and efficient, and it’s only twenty minutes before we’re standing in the middle of the apartment, glancing over what’s left. I’ve made sure to take a mental note of what’s in the cupboards and fridge so I can grab a few things before Raya’s released from the hospital tomorrow.
"Anything else?" I ask, and he does another walk through. "No, I think we got it. We even got her plants, which she didn’t ask for."
With that, Will locks up. Other than the distant clanging of silverware from one of the apartments, it doesn’t even sound like anyone else is home on this floor.
We make it back down to the truck the final time without an incident, but when I’m about to get in, I look up and see a curtain ruffle in the apartment next to Raya’s. I know it’s the one that belongs to ’creepy guy,’ because Raya’s apartment has chevron printed curtains that we didn’t bother to take.
I glare up, letting a smirk play on my lips in case the guy is watching us. Because that’s one thing we do know about him. He likes to watch.
I’ll be back for you, fucker. Just wait.
