Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 100750 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100750 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 504(@200wpm)___ 403(@250wpm)___ 336(@300wpm)
“Should we be doing something?” Pearce asked.
“Like what?” Reid asked.
Pearce looked at each of them and shrugged. “I feel like Grayson would want us playing cards or something.”
Reid chuckled. “Playing cards?”
Pearce picked up the wrapper from his straw, rolled it into a ball, and then unraveled it. “My go-to is basketball, but it’s too dark,” he said. “Besides, I want to be here and there isn’t a court, and I don’t really want to deal with anyone from work right now.”
“Grayson will be happy when he can go back to work,” Sydney added.
“Do you know when that’ll be?” Pearce asked.
“At least six months,” she said. “Unless he can work from home; then he can go back after three. Gilbert and I liquidated some assets to make sure Grayson’s rent is paid.”
“You did?” Reid asked.
“Yeah, we don’t really know his financial situation or how much sick time he has at work,” Sydney said.
“We all donated to his sick time,” Pearce said before Reid could answer. It was against company policy for her to do or say anything about Grayson’s sick time. However, Pearce had taken it upon himself to send out a company-wide email asking people to contribute a day to Grayson’s leave.
“He has enough time until medical leave kicks in,” Pearce said as he looked at Reid for confirmation. She nodded.
“I’ve already submitted the paperwork,” she told Sydney. “Grayson should be all set until he can return to work.”
“That’s such a relief.” She smiled kindly at Pearce and Reid.
Luther cleared his throat. “Anything I can do to help, you’ll let me know?” He directed his question at the group of them.
“Of course,” Gilbert said. “This is definitely going to be one of those village moments where we all pitch in.”
“We can work out his physical therapy schedule as well,” Reid added. “There’s a site near our office—if we can book him there, Pearce and I can help out most days. We’ll just have to get him there.” It dawned on her that none of them had cars, except for the parents in the group. Living in the city, everything they needed was either within walking distance or could be accessed by train. She could get any big purchases delivered.
“I can borrow my sister’s car, if need be,” Pearce told the group. “She runs an at-home day care and doesn’t leave during the day. I don’t think she’ll mind, as long as I give it a good wash every now and again. Plus, it’s one of those minivans, so super easy to get in and out of.”
Sydney put her hand over her heart and closed her eyes for a moment. “Grayson truly has the best friends and support system.”
Reid thought the same, even though she had a barrage of questions for Grayson. As much as she loved him, she was angry with him for hiding this situation from her. She would’ve made sure he took his meds and watched his diet. Was that why he never told her?
She could’ve been more prepared when he collapsed, instead of thinking he was faking it. What would’ve happened if she’d walked away from him? Would he have died? Surely, someone would’ve stepped up and aided him, but then what? Where would she be now? Riddled with guilt.
The more she thought about the situation, the angrier she became. So much of what was happening now could’ve easily been avoided if Grayson had been honest.
Reid moved her empty cup of coffee back and forth in her hands and stared at the carpet until her vision blurred. Rampant thoughts filtered through her mind, about Grayson, her, and the two of them together. Every day she worked to remind herself they were friends—the best of friends—despite their mutual attraction to each other. He could tell her until he was blue in the face that he didn’t feel anything for her, but she knew that wasn’t true. His feelings for her were evident in how he acted around her, especially when other men were interested. “Machismo” didn’t even scratch the surface of his personality when other men entered the picture.
With her thoughts taking her in a direction she didn’t want to go, she tried to focus on the conversation going on around her. Pearce filled everyone in about how one of their coworkers had suggested that people either plan a dinner for him or donate to a fund to buy groceries.
“That’s really nice of them,” Reid said and wondered why she hadn’t heard of it. Although it wasn’t uncommon for the people at the Wold Collective to leave Human Resources out of things. The company employees often looked at HR as the gatekeepers—and people didn’t appreciate that.
Reid looked at the time on the clock and sighed. “Three hours in,” she said to the group.
Sydney tapped the screen on her phone. “They’re going to call when he’s out of surgery. They’ll take him to recovery and begin weaning him off the anesthesia.”