Living Out Loud (Austen, #3)(42)

The second we cleared the doors, I asked the question that had been burning at the back of my throat.

“Do you know Greg?”

Will reached for the handle of the hired Mercedes and opened the door for me. “I dated his sister in high school,” he answered to my utter shock, ushering me into the car.

I scooted over so he wouldn’t have to walk around, and he slid in next to me. My mind turned the news over and over, imaginings of what could have happened commandeering my attention as he asked me my address, which I absently relayed to the driver.

Once the car pulled away, Will sat back with a sigh. “It was a long time ago. He never did like me, and neither did his brother.”

Relief loosened the rubber band around my ribs at the implication that Greg wasn’t upset with me at all. He didn’t like Will. Of course he hadn’t been thrilled about me walking in with someone he didn’t approve of.

It explained everything, though niggling doubt still clung to my thoughts.

“Why not?” I asked with the utmost honesty and curiosity.

He shrugged. “They’re overprotective of her, and they hated me because I was so different from them. I was just some rich asshole who was dating their sister.”

My brow quirked. “Why would they think that?”

“We come from different worlds. Prejudice happens from all sides. Their dad was a plumber, and mine’s a partner at the law firm established by my great-great-grandfather. Blue collars and blue bloods.”

I found myself frowning. That didn’t sound at all like the Greg I knew. “They didn’t like you because you had money?”

“It was hard for Sarah. She came to our prep school as an outsider—not just because she was new in a school of old friends, but because there was a class divide. When we started dating, she became a part of my group of friends. And when we broke up, she wasn’t welcome.”

“That doesn’t seem very fair,” I said with a flash of defensive anger in my chest.

He took my hand, twining his fingers in mine. “It wasn’t, but…” His eyes shifted to the seat-back in front of him with a faraway look on his face. “We had gone to this party the night we broke up. She drank way too much, and we ended up in this huge fight about her brothers. She went one way, I went another. I figured we just needed to cool off, but when I went looking for her, she was in one of the bedrooms with a guy.”

The vision made me feel ill.

“Everyone found out. They ostracized her from our clique, spread the news in mass texts with photos. I haven’t seen Greg since Sarah and I dated, but I have a feeling he blames the whole thing on me.”

“That’s…that’s…”

“I know.” A deep sigh left his lungs. “Anyway, I’m sorry about what happened back there. I didn’t realize he worked there.”

I nodded, curious about the other side of the story, about what Greg believed.

Will smiled, a soft, genuine smile that sent warmth blooming in my chest. “But it’s in the past, and I’d rather look forward. Wouldn’t you?”

I smiled back, putting my curiosity away to indulge in the moment with Will. “That’s been my personal motto lately.”

Will watched me, his smile never wavering. “When can I take you on a date, Annie?”

A flash of excitement shot through me, warming my cheeks. “I’m free tomorrow after work. I get off around three.”

“I’ll pick you up at work again. The weather is going to be great tomorrow, even warmer than today. I have an idea, but is it all right if I surprise you?”

My smile widened. “I love surprises.”

“Good, because I’m full of them.”

I swooned in my seat. “I’m sorry it couldn’t be today.”

“Don’t be sorry. You need to work on your audition, and I have plans to make for tomorrow.”

Sadly, the driver pulled up in front of my building, and George opened the door with a tip of his hat and a questioning look at me as Will got out behind me. We stood on the curb, and Will took my hands in his, looking down at me with something akin to worship in his eyes.

I was ninety percent sure I mirrored him.

“I’m so glad I was in the right place at exactly the right time today,” he said softly.

“So am I.”

I didn’t want him to let go of my hands, and I didn’t want to go inside. I just wanted to exist in that moment for as long as I could, memorizing everything so that I could call on it and repeat it on a loop.

But his fingers relaxed and fell away, and he stepped back. “See you tomorrow, Annie.”

“I can’t wait.”

He ducked into the car and reappeared, reaching for the door. “Me either.”

And then he closed the door, holding his hand up in parting as the car pulled away.

I watched him go before making a noise that was something like a giggle-sigh and skipadee-doo’d inside, minus the actual skipping.

I floated into the house, picking up Franco, the Maltese, when the dogs overwhelmed me. I tucked the furry little thing into my chest; he madly licked my chin as I blew past Susan, who informed me of dinner in an hour.

But I was looking for Elle.

I found her in her room, and even though it was Sunday, a day for leggings and big sweaters, she was fully dressed in slacks and a button-down, though her feet were clad in wooly socks. Her sketchbook sat in her lap, pencil poised elegantly on the page.