Silent Strangers

TWENTY FOUR

Chapter TWENTY FOUR: 

Grace

The moment I pulled into the driveway of Tobias's place, I felt the weight of the upcoming wedding pressing on my shoulders once again. A few lingering details still needed to be ironed out—decor, catering, and, well, the wedding bands. I had a lot of questions, but I couldn't deny I was starting to look forward to talking to Tobias about it. Planning was almost... fun, in a stressful sort of way.

I knocked on his door, hoping we could go over everything quickly, and then I could get back to my own life. The door creaked open, but instead of Tobias, a man with scruffy hair as if he just woke up stood at the door, flashing his boyish grin.

"Grace, right?" he asked, his eyes sparkling with an impish curiosity.I nodded, confused. "Uh, yes. I'm looking for Tobias—""Yeah, I know. He's around. I'm Kai, though." He shifted aside with a lazy wave of his hand, as if inviting me in without much ceremony. "Tobias's bestie and probably the best man at the wedding, even though now that I think of it, he's not asked me anything regarding it. Nevermind that. Come in please. He's not that far."

I hesitated for a second, the cogs of my brain trying to piece together how Tobias might now this guy. But soon my thoughts melted away as I glanced down at the messy home. A duffel bag and an empty pizza box sat on the couch, and there were a few stray shoes scattered by the door.

Not exactly what I had imagined Tobias's place to look like. Might be Kai's doing though.

"I'm harmless, I promise," Kai added, as if reading my mind. His grin only widened when he noticed me lingering."I'm sure," I muttered, stepping inside, and he followed me into the small living area.I looked around, a little unsure of myself. "I didn't realize you had company."Kai flopped onto the couch, barely sparing a glance at me. "Yeah, I've been crashing here a bit. Tobias doesn't mind. Anyway, make yourself at home. I'm not a great host, but I'm definitely better than Tobias."

I didn't respond, only took a step further into the room, still unsure about how to handle the situation. Soon enough I recollected who this Kai guy was, courtesy of the Vogue magazine thrown at the edge of the couch. Kai Drake. Now I get why Tobias is letting him crash at his place.

There was no denying that Kai had a very relaxed aura about him—too relaxed, almost. He was the type who wore comfort like a second skin. It was almost like he didn't take anything too seriously, which contrasted sharply with Tobias's usually composed demeanor.

I was about to say something when I heard footsteps from down the hallway. Tobias appeared in the doorway, dressed in his usual understated style—jeans and a plain black shirt. He was rolling up his sleeves a bit as he crossed the threshold when I thought of how well black suited him. As soon as he saw me, his expression softened, and his tense posture loosened.

"Grace, hey," Tobias greeted, his voice calm and welcoming. "Sorry, I didn't realize Kai was already causing trouble." He shot a pointed glance at his friend, whose grin only seemed to grow."No trouble," Kai replied with a lazy shrug, not taking the hint. "Just trying to stay out of the way. So, Grace, what brings you here? Wedding stuff, I assume?" He raised an eyebrow, teasing.

I shot Tobias an apologetic glance, sensing the awkwardness that suddenly filled the space. I wasn't exactly prepared for Kai's casualness, especially when I had come here to focus on the wedding details.

"I, uh, just wanted to discuss some things with Tobias," I said, setting the binder I had brought on the counter. "Decor, catering, that sort of thing."Tobias nodded, moving to sit down at the kitchen table and motioning for me to join him. I was relieved he hadn't immediately dismissed the idea of talking business. As much as I was getting used to the sudden shift in atmosphere with Kai, I still needed to get through the wedding checklist.