Tell Me It’s Right (Sweetspire #1)

Chapter 25

Chapter Twenty-Five

GRACIE

It quickly becomes clear Casey is an even better eavesdropper than I am and too smart for his own good. He smiles and pretends to be interested in the camera in his hands, but his eyes shift and his head tilts every time a voice drops a little too low to hear easily. As Liam and Casey’s mom drift to the green velvet chairs in the waiting area in the corner, I offer to take Casey to get ice cream three shops down.

He’s also about as far away from Liam’s personality as you can get. He’s friendly and bubbly and takes my hand with a huge smile as we head outside, then swings our arms between us as we walk.

“What flavor are you thinking?” I ask.

“Do I get one scoop or two?”

“Let’s start with one. But I’ll get a different flavor so you can try mine too.”

“Okay!”

I reach for the door, but he beats me to it. It takes him a second to get it open, then he holds it wide and waits for me to pass.

“Aren’t you the little gentleman?”

After several minutes of serious contemplation, he settles on brownie batter and I get birthday cake.

“It’s on me,” he announces as we reach the cashier, and to my shock, he pulls a mini leather wallet from his shorts and fishes out a ten-dollar bill.

“Oh, Casey, I’ll get it. Save your money.”

His little jaw falls open. “I’d never let the girl pay. Here.” He waves the money toward the cashier, and I sigh as she takes it. “You can put the change in the tip jar,” he adds.

I shake my head a little as he takes my hand and leads me to one of the tables outside.

“You know, this might be the best date I’ve ever had.”

He beams and shoves a spoonful into his mouth. We sit in silence as we eat, and I push the rest of mine to his side of the table once he finishes his. Hopefully his mom won’t be mad at me. I’ve never actually seen Liam’s stepmom until today. Though she looks a lot younger than I was expecting, she seems nice enough. And she’s clearly raised Casey well.

“I already knew who you are,” Casey says.

“You did?”

He nods seriously. “Your brother is friends with my brother.”

“That’s right.”

Casey’s eyebrows pull together. “Everyone’s mad at him because he doesn’t want to work with Makayla—that’s my sister. But he’s really mad at them too.”

I glance around the empty sidewalk, feeling very, very out of my depth. “Oh, I—I didn’t know that.”

“What is a black sheep?”

I reach for some napkins to try to help with the chocolate all over his mouth now.

“How can a person be a sheep?” he presses.

“It—well, it means someone who’s a little different. Someone who maybe doesn’t fit in with the rest of the group.”

“Like Liam,” he says.

I nod slowly. Where the hell did that question come from?

“What does pity hire mean?” he asks it casually, not looking at me as he digs around the bottom of the bowl for every last bit of ice cream.

“What?”

He looks at me. “Liam pity hired you. What does that mean?”

My stomach drops. “Where did you hear that?”

Kids usually parrot things they hear, right? I don’t know who he overheard talking, but I could give a pretty good guess.

“Or downgrade? What does that mean? If Liam downgraded with you?”

I let out an unintelligible noise, my cheeks hot. I had no idea I was such a topic of conversation at the Brooks household. I don’t know why I’m surprised. I accused Liam of hiring me out of pity myself, but there’s something about his entire family laughing about it that cuts a lot deeper.

But downgraded ? That doesn’t sound like they were talking about the job.

I feel suddenly nauseous, unable to help myself from picturing Liam’s ex Hailey. Aside from her picture appearing on Liam’s phone, a while back I may or may not have looked her up on social media. The hundreds of thousands of followers aside, she’s undeniably stunning. Of course his family would see me that way after her.

Not that anything’s going on between me and Liam. Not that I was ever stupid enough to think there might be…

Or maybe I am. Maybe I have been starting to think that maybe, just maybe, after the migraine and Miles and spending the night holding his hand…

But whatever moments were there I must have imagined.

I don’t respond, and Casey’s eyes go round and wide.

“Was that a mean thing to say? I’m sorry!”

“Oh, no, Casey, it’s okay. Are you done with these?” I grab the empty bowls before he can respond and turn for the trashcan beside the street.

But I can’t shake this feeling of…humiliation clinging to me. I can’t help but wonder if that’s how Liam’s always seen me too. Leo’s pathetic little sister looking at him with puppy dog eyes while his type is the kind of pretty that can make a living from just existing because of how much people like to look at her. He must think I’m such a joke.

The door to Liam’s shop opens, and Casey’s mom steps out. She smiles and struts toward us.

“Thank you,” she says as she reaches a hand for Casey.

“I don’t want to go yet,” whines Casey.

“Up. Now.”

He groans but does what she says. “Goodbye, Gracie!” he calls over his shoulder.

“Bye, Casey,” I say softly and wave.