YOU CAN'T BREAK ME

Chapter 7

"Grayson?! I heard you were out of town!" Lily shifted awkwardly beside me.

I blinked in surprise. "You know him?"

I noticed her cheeks flush slightly. "Oliver and Grayson are cousins, " she said. She turned to him. "I was just trying to... talk Oliver," she said, hopefulness and guilt written all over her face.

Grayson let out a small sigh, then shook his head. He looked tired. "And you roped Miss King into this?"

Why was he calling me so formally? Yeah, right, Boss. Remember that.

"She was just very nice trying to help me."

I suddenly felt out of place, like I had stepped into a situation I didn't fully understand.

Lily glanced at Grayson, then back at me, her nervousness clear. "I just really wanted to see Oliver. But, um, Grayson, he's avoiding me..." Her voice trailed off, biting her lower lip.

"I heard. Serves you right,"

She gasped. "What? That's so mean. I'm just trying to protect him."

"You're trying to suffocate him." He said with an edge. She huffed, crossing her hands over her chest. "I'll take you up there."

Lily turned to me. "You're coming with me, right?" she smiled sweetly. "They're not my friends this time."

"I think I need‭—"

‭"‭—You're coming too." Grayson cut me off.

Lily grabbed my arm, pulling me along with her. "Yes, she's coming too."

I felt like I was intruding on something personal, but Lily's tight grip on my arm left me no room for refusal.

We made our way up to the fifth floor, and as soon as we were out of the elevator, Grayson pointed us toward a different door. "You two can wait inside. I'll go see if Oliver's still in his office."

I immediately turned to Lily when he walked away from us. She seemed to be gathering her thoughts. She looked at me, looking vulnerable. "Lily, I need to go. I can't be here."

"I've never told anyone this, not even Grayson," she began, and I stopped. "But I've been in love with Oliver for years. It's why I'm here, why I've been trying so hard to see him after he shut me off. But he doesn't know. He thinks we're just friends. Grayson doesn't know either."

I stared at her, surprised by her confession. Why was she so honest with her feelings with a stranger? After my experience with my ex-friends, keeping things secret would be the safest thing to do. "Y-you've never told him? Why?"

She smiled which didn't reach her eyes. "I'm scared. Scared that if I told him, it'd ruin everything. What he sees is an overprotective friend. He treats me like a sister. Grayson does."

Her honesty touched me. "Lily," I said softly, "do you even consider confessing to him? Because you know, you have to do what's right for you."

"It's hard. I might somebody. For now, I just want to apologize to him."

Before I could say anything else, Grayson returned. Lily quickly composed herself, giving Grayson a bright smile. "Oliver's in a meeting, but he'll be free soon. You can wait here if you want."

"Thanks, Gray. You look tired," she commented. "Are you sleeping enough? You're not overworking yourself again, are you?"

"You sound like a mother hen. I'm fine. Just busy."

She wasn't convinced. "Busy? Or avoiding sleep because you're stubborn? I swear, you're going to drive yourself into the ground one of these days."

He rolled his eyes at her. The playful smirk tugging at his lips sent a pinch straight to my heart. I missed that look on his face. "You worry too much, Lil. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself."