when the sun came up

xxv.

Emma gave her friend a confused glare. "What do you mean?"

"That," Gray said, pointing directly at Emma's face. "That expression that's been on your face all night, every time you so much as look at my brother."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Emma hedged, sounding both defiant and cagey – always a tell-tale combination.

Grayson's stern frown intensified. "Don't try to bullshit me, Emma Chamberlain," he declared. "I'm the twin brother of the Bullshit King himself so it simply can't be done. Tell me what's wrong."

Emma sighed, fidgeting with the straw in her drink. She'd been agonising for weeks, trying to figure out the best way to tell Gray about That Night, but she hadn't found a time or situation that was quite right – or at least, that was what she told herself. In truth, she was being cowardly. He deserved to know, and now was as good a time as any. She had alcohol in her hand and her other friends in close reach, so if Grayson decided to get violent (the man was highly unpredictable, after all) then at least help would be nearby.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier," she started, taking a breath and finally meeting Grayson's fierce gaze. "I've been wondering how to do so, but it's been shitty of me to keep it from you. I just, um."

Say it now before you lose your nerve.

"I slept with Ethan."

She blurted it out in a rush and then paused immediately, waiting for the inevitable angry outburst or exclamation, but it never came. When she chanced another look at her friend, she was startled to find that Gray looked neither surprised nor upset. He looked, of all things, exasperated.

"I know, idiot," Grayson said, shaking her head slightly. "But I am glad you finally told me."

Emma's mouth dropped open. "You've known? This... this whole time?"

Gray shrugged. "Of course."

"How did you find out?"

"Ethan told me," Grayson said, his eyes sharp on Emma's face as he watched her absorb the words.

"Ethan told you?" Emma's voice suddenly sounded odd to her own ears.

Well, it made sense. Ethan and Grayson were closer than any siblings she'd ever met before, they told each other everything. Of course he wouldn't have kept this from him.

But it made Emma feel strange to think that he'd spoken about it with someone else. For some unfathomable reason she'd imagined that it was their secret alone, though that in itself was stupid considering she'd practically knocked Olivia's door down to tell her. Still, though...

"What did he say?" she asked, attempting to wrestle some semblance of control into her voice. "Did he... mention anything?"

The look on Grayson's face made it clear he knew exactly what Emma was trying to do. "He just said that you'd both decided to put it behind you," she said neutrally.

Emma wished Grayson wasn't eyeing her so keenly. She felt like his facial expressions weren't quite cooperating with him at this point in time.

"But that's not the whole story, is it?" Gray continued. "Is that why you've been acting so weird all night?"

Emma, who didn't feel like saying another word lest her mouth betray her also, simply nodded. The soft, understanding look on Gray's face was too much; she suddenly felt bizarrely close to tears. I've just had too much to drink, that's all, she thought in an attempt to comfort herself.

"You don't have to tell me about it right now if you don't want to," Gray said, moving forward to give Emma a hug. Emma hugged him back tightly, breathing in Grayson's lovely familiar perfume and resisting the urge to start sniffling pathetically. When they drew back, Grayson gave her a kiss on the cheek. "But you know I'm always here for you, right? You can talk to me about anything. Even if it's about my dumbass twin brother."

Emma laughed. "I know," she said. "And I love you for it. It's just... I'm trying to figure some things out. But thank you for being so amazing. And I really am sorry I didn't tell you earlier."

Gray sighed dramatically. "God, the things I put up with." He swung an arm around Emma, balancing his drink in the other hand. "Come on, once I finish this drink I promise I'll make Elizabeth take us home so you can finally sleep."

Emma nodded gratefully, and just for one night, allowed her friend to take care of her.

im a sucker for gremma's friendship