Taking a night with some friends was just what Grace needed after spending a whole week in bed. She felt like she had been shut out from the real world and was confined to the four walls of her bedroom with only her baby girl as company. Therefore, she had promised herself that she was going to make the most of this night out.
"Happy to be out?" Grace's friend, Francesca, asked as she sat with a glass of wine in hand.
"God, yeah. I felt like utter shit. It was never ending."
"I bet it was difficult... being ill with a baby. All I wanna do when I'm sick is have people wait on me, not be responsible for another human too!"
"Yeah, it was pretty tough." Grace nodded before her mind drifted to a visit from a particular someone who had definitely given her the break she needed. "Although, Harvey did come over one night. He was an absolute angel with Brin while I slept."
"What, Harvey Lawrence?" Francesca's mouth dropped open, as though this was news she wasn't aware of.
Grace she was sure she had kept her friends in the loop but now she was beginning to doubt herself.
"Yeah, him."
"That boy is a dream." Lila sighed as she threw her hands up to her face in exaggeration. "He's a complete lad and looks like he should be an ass but he's so not. You gotta marry him!"
"Lila!" Grace exasperated at how forward her friend was being. Lila had a tendency to jump the gun a bit, considering her love for all things Disney had led her to believe fairytales actually existed. "That is not happening. Chill."
"If you don't, I will."
"That is also not happening. I've claimed him."
"So are you two definitely official now then?" Francesca piped up again, in that concerned tone which only made Grace feel on edge.
"Yeah, we're dating, which is super weird to say out loud, why?"
"Oh right... I just, I was confused about him and Lottie."
Grace could tell Francesca felt awkward and was definitely holding something back. To be honest, she wasn't really sure if she wanted to know as things were going way too perfectly at the moment.
"What about them? They broke up like 2 months ago now and I know it's fast for us to start dating but it just kinda happened..."
"Yeah I know and it's not that, it's just I saw him with Lottie the other day. Then I asked JJ about it and he thought they were trying again." Francesca began cautiously yet was beginning to doubt if she should have said anything at all. Grace appeared as though she was on cloud nine and she really didn't want to ruin that. "I don't want to get involved and fuck things up for you. I just don't want you to get hurt either."
"When did you see them together?"
"The other day. I was parked up outside the garage while I answered my phone and he was in there with her. I mean, he looked like he was working on her car but they were like laughing and stuff."
Grace didn't know how to react to her friend's comment. She didn't want to instantly assume things but she couldn't help but be filled with jealousy and frustration. Harvey had asked her over a few nights ago. She had stayed at his apartment. What if that had been that exact same night he had been laughing around with his ex?
"Why does JJ think they're trying again?"
"I don't know really, he just said he saw Lottie out with Harvey, Ellie and her kids. I think he's just picking up on things. I don't know if Harvey has actually said anything to him." Francesca trailed off, as though she was now trying to save this situation from blowing up.
She didn't want to cause drama because she knew that Grace wasn't one to hold back, but she also didn't want her to be in the unknown. As her friend, Francesca felt like it was her responsibility to fill Grace in on the drama if it impacted her in some way.
"I'm sorry if this is a lot... I didn't want to not tell you."
"No, it's fine. I'm glad you did." Grace bit back, suddenly feeling embarrassed considering everyone probably thought she was a complete idiot.
"Where were they when JJ saw them... and when was it?"
"It was the other day as well I think and I don't know where they were to be honest, he didn't say."
"I need to talk to JJ." Grace muttered, directing her eyes off into the distance while she tried to process what she was hearing while also controlling her anger.
She didn't want to be that other girl. She had trusted Harvey's word that things were completely over with Lottie but now she was starting to think she had been stupid to believe that. He had been in a 9 year relationship with the girl. Would it really end that quickly? And would he really be so content to jump into another relationship with someone who had a baby? It didn't really make sense when she thought about it like this.
"I take back what I said about him not being an ass." Lila added as she watched the exchange between her friends. "That's so shit if he hasn't told you."
"I just don't know where I fucking stand now and everyone's going to be chatting shit behind my back, probably thinking I'm pathetic."
"No, no. Of course not. It's him, not you." Both Francesca and Lila immediately tried to reassure Grace but she wasn't an idiot. People liked to gossip and her overly-confident, and loud personality meant they loved to find a reason to make her the main event. They loved to love her but they also loved to hate her at the same time.
"It doesn't even matter anyway. I don't know why I let myself care so much. It was pretty stupid."
Reaching for her own glass of wine, Grace tried to contain every reaction she wanted to give. She had promised herself a good night out with her friends, so she wasn't going to let the gossip of Harvey ruin that for her, regardless of how angry she was.
....
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