Read Friend Zoned (Barnett Bulldogs #2) for Free Online Page A

lifetime.  Most mornings you can find my grandfather sitting in there, enjoying a cup of coffee while perusing the newspaper.  Even though he’s quite adept at tooling around on the internet, he prefers reading physical paper copies.  He likes the feel of it in his hands.  One still gets delivered to the house every single morning around six.  When I don’t immediately see him sitting in there, a little niggle of worry blooms in the pit of my belly.  “Where’s gramps?”
    Despite her lips tipping up at the corners, I still catch the concern that flickers in her soft hazel eyes before disappearing.  “Oh, he’s just upstairs resting a bit.”  Before I can fire off any more questions, she turns toward Sam, enveloping him in her arms.  And just like that, a smile tugs at the edges of my lips as I watch huge hulking Sam get wrapped up in my grandmother’s delicate embrace.
    Something unexpectedly warm fills my heart as I continue watching the pair of them.  Sam has known my grandparents his entire life.  He thinks of them as his very own.  He’d probably still stop by and check in on them even if I weren’t in the picture.
    I can’t help but love him for that.  Not all twenty-two year old college dudes would give a rat’s ass about the wellbeing of their elderly neighbors.  But Sam does.  In high school, he would cut their lawn in the summer, rake their leaves in the autumn, and shovel snow from their walkway after each winter storm.
    Pulling away, my grandmother loops her arm through Sam’s muscular one before turning back towards me.  “I’m so glad you two were able to find some time to stop by.  The toilet in the upstairs bathroom is leaking and Edward just hasn’t felt up to taking a look at it.”  She beams another smile Sam’s way.
    My brows slide together at the reminder.  I don’t like thinking about anything being seriously wrong with either one of them.  As much as I hate to admit it, they’ve both slowed down over the years.  Even though I knew it was bound to happen, it’s still hard to accept.
    And this is a big rambling hundred year old home in need of constant repairs, upkeep, and maintenance.  Sometimes I worry that it’s too much for them to handle on their own.  My grandfather is seventy-five and my grandmother is closing in on seventy-two.  But I just can’t see them sitting around, languishing in a senior citizen home either.  Unfortunately I know it’s an issue that will have to be dealt with in the not so distant future.
    “Is gramps okay?”  I hate the way my heart skitters as I give voice to my concerns.  Over the past couple of years, he’s suffered from a few heart issues.  I honestly don’t know what my grandmother or I would do without him.  It’s been the three of us for so long now.  The thought of him not being around has my belly tightening into a thick knot of apprehension.
    A small forced smile curves her lips as she shakes her head.  “Just feeling a bit under the weather.  Nothing to be concerned about.”  She gives Sam’s bulging forearm a little pat.  “Otherwise I wouldn’t have bothered you with this.”
    “It’s no problem, Mrs. Winterfield.  I don’t mind helping out.”
    Again she shoots him a grateful smile before reaching up to pat his cheek.  “I know that, Samuel.  You’re such a dear boy.  You always have been.”  Her eyes impale mine before she adds somewhat coyly, “One of these days you’re going to make some woman very happy.”
    Right.
    Forget what I said about coy.  There’s absolutely nothing sly about her words or the calculating look she’s aiming in my direction.  I almost roll my eyes because what she really means to say without actually saying it in so many words is that I should nab Sam before some other lucky lady snaps him up.
    Have I mentioned that my grandmother fancies herself a matchmaker and is constantly trying to nudge me in Sam’s direction?  It used to annoy the hell out