Gray by Shaw Hart

Two

Nora

I’ve made a terrible mistake.

I know that the next morning as I wrestle the puppies down the street. I don’t know how Gray made it look so easy this morning. We walked all the way around the block with them before he had to leave for work. I had thought that I could do it by myself before I left to grab lunch with my brother but it’s been twenty minutes and we’ve only gone half a block.

“Alright, come on guys,” I sigh, starting the process of half chasing, half dragging them back to our apartment.

At this rate, I’m going to be late to meet Finn. He’s probably still at Kings Gym anyway. He’s a boxer and he spends most of his days training.

Finn and I have always been close. We had to be, growing up with a dad like ours. He’s always been one of my closest friends and fiercest protectors. Maybe that’s why he became a boxer.

My phone rings and I see it’s a text from Finn.

Finn: Training ran late today. I’m just now heading to the showers. Meet you in twenty?

Nora: Perfect. I’m still trying to get the dogs back up to the apartment.

Finn: What dogs?

Nora: It’s a long story.

Finn: I can guess.

Nora: No, you can’t.

Finn: I know you better than anyone, little sis.

Nora: Nu uh.

Finn: You volunteered at the animal shelter to try to distract yourself from the way that you feel about Gray and ended up adopting a dog.

Nora: Nope.

Finn: What part is wrong?

Nora: I adopted two dogs.

Finn: See you in twenty, sis.

Sometimes I hatehow well Finn knows me.

Finn has known how I feel about Gray since before I even knew. Sure, Gray and I have been best friends since like kindergarten, but somewhere over the years, he became so much more than just my friend.

It’s true that I only started volunteering at the animal shelter to get out of the house more. I was spending too much time with Gray and it was only a matter of time before I blurted out that I love him as so much more than a friend.

Adopting the puppies may have backfired though, because seeing them cuddled up against Gray’s strong chest almost made my ovaries explode last night. Not to mention, we’ll be spending even more time together when we start the puppy training classes.

I’m so screwed.

Gray is the only man that I’ve ever fantasized about, the only one besides my brother that I’ve ever loved.

He’s everything to me.

Which is exactly why I can’t risk it and tell him how I feel.

Finn has been encouraging me to tell him for years, but he’s been more insistent about it since we moved to Pittsburgh. I know that he just wants me to be happy. He’s always liked Gray. He knows that Gray would do anything for me, that he’s been protecting and keeping me safe for years. I think it was why Finn felt comfortable enough to leave after he graduated from high school. He knew that Gray wouldn’t let anything bad happen to me.

I hurry to herd the puppies upstairs and into the apartment, locking them in the bathroom with their new toys, food, and water bowl. I have ten minutes to make it across town to Kings Gym so I grab my purse, phone, and keys and hit the road.

I have a bit of work to do tonight but I know that Gray is going out with Ender, Banks, and Ames from work so I’ll have the place to myself.

I work for a big tech firm downtown but I do most of my work from home and can make my own hours for the most part. As long as I get all of my work turned in on time, they don’t say anything to me and I keep getting paid very well.

By the time that I pull out front of Kings Gym, my brother is already waiting for me, his hair still damp from his shower. I pull up alongside the curb, waving at Beck, one of his workout buddies as he heads down the sidewalk toward his own car.

“Hey, sis,” Finn says as he slides into the passenger seat.

“Hey, how was training?”

Finn tells me about sparring with Beck and about the next big match that he has coming up soon as we head down the street to our favorite diner.

“Have you told him yet?” Finn asks as soon as we take our seats in our usual booth along the back wall.

“Told who, what?” I ask, playing dumb.

Finn groans, picking up a menu even though we both know what he’ll be ordering. These weekly lunches are his only cheat meals of the week, so he’ll be getting two grilled cheeses, tomato soup, a Caesar salad, and a Coke. Then he’ll sneak one of my mozzarella sticks and a bite of my pie for dessert. I move my purse out of the way, already knowing that his food will take up half of the table.

“What will it be?” our waitress, Everly, asks.

We always get her since we always sit in her section and it’s one of the reasons why I love this place so much. Finn starts to blush slightly and I bite back a grin.

Yeah, he’s got it bad for her.

“The usual please, Everly,” I say, pretending to put my menu back between the napkin holder and the wall.

“Me too,” my brother grunts out and I want to groan.

Finn has always been so focused on getting us through our childhood and then on being successful at boxing. He’s never shown an interest in women. Not until Everly.

Unfortunately for him, his lack of experience with the opposite sex means that he has absolutely no game.

“You got it,” Everly says with a tired smile as she turns and heads back toward the kitchen.

Finn frowns after her and I let him watch her go.

I wonder what’s better. Only being able to see the person that you’re interested in once a week, or seeing them all of the time and not being able to be with them the way that you really want to.

“So, tell me about the puppies,” Finn says, finally turning his attention back to me and I smile, forcing my thoughts away from the person that they always seem to be on.

For one hour, I try to focus on Finn and our conversation but just like always, thoughts of Gray slip in. As Everly drops off our bill and I argue with Finn over whose turn it is to pay, I can’t help but wonder what Gray is doing right now.