Free Girl Lost by Nazarea Andrews

grin.
    Grayson is a tall man, a bit heavy, but attractive with an infectious smile. I shout his name and run the few steps it takes to throw myself in his arms. He laughs as he catches me in a hug, and I inhale the scent that always clings to him—dust and ash and ink. Grayson never embraced technology as a way to make notes about his clients. He believes strongly in the wonders of paper.
    Behind me, I hear Micah approach and greet Aunt J. She responds with a warmth that I rarely hear in her voice.
    I try not to be jealous. Aunt J tried to get close to me, a task made more difficult because I wasn't playing with a full deck and because I was furious. She was left with two children, one devastated and alone, one so crazy people thought I was dangerous. It was hard for her, to be jerked from a single life to being a mother of two.
    And with me in Pembrooke so often, it wasn't that surprising that she bonded with Micah. I don't mind—not really—but sometimes it stings to see the evidence of their closeness. Not because I begrudge it of them, but because I’m so damn lonely.
    Insanity is a very lonely place to be. Even with the company of my delusions.
    Grayson pulls back from me, his face crinkled in worry. I force a smile. He matches it, but neither of us means it. Grayson has been calling me on my bullshit long enough for me to know he's not buying my act.
    I step out of his embrace and smile at Aunt J. She doesn't pick up on the falseness of it, and I try to keep my shit together.
    "You look good, Gwen."
    I flush. "Thanks."
    She smiles, and I see the echoes of our father in her face. Softer in the face, harder in the eyes, with longer hair and impeccable style, she can never be seen as anything but a Barrie.
    "Do you want a tour?" Micah says. I swallow my sigh—I need him to take the lead. Aunt J nods agreeably, and I trail behind her and Micah as he leads the way through the campus.
    Northern isn't so large that the tour will take long, but, for the moment, Aunt J's attention is on Micah, so I am not being scrutinized.
    "So which one is yours?" Grayson says, looking around at the students milling around with their parents. I flush. "I want to see who captured your attention, crazy girl."
    I give him a look, and he grins, unabashed. Grayson has never had a problem calling me on my slippery grasp on sanity.
    "I told you I don't have a boyfriend," I say, exasperated.
    "Then why is that boy walking toward us like he wants to be introduced?"
    I pale, whipping around. For a wild moment, I have no idea who he's talking about—Peter is nowhere around. And then I see Lane, smiling as he strolls up with two men who can only be his brothers.
    "Gwen Barrie, can I introduce you to my brothers, Lewis and Lake."
    I am acutely aware of the three people standing behind me as I smile and shake hands with Lewis. Lake laughs when I offer him my hand and pulls me into a hug. "Lane won't shut the hell up about you, and now that I've met you, I can see why," he says, and I laugh, blushing.
    "What are y'all up to?" Lane says, after smacking his brother on the head. His gaze darts behind me in a not-so-subtle request for an introduction.
    My heart jerks into my throat—how do I introduce Grayson when I don't want anyone to know what he is to me? Especially Lane.
    "Um." I glance at Micah, and Grayson jumps in.
    "I'm Dan Grayson. I work for Barrie Enterprise—I've known Gwen and Micah since they were kids." He smiles as he lies through his teeth.
    Although what he's saying is strictly true, even if it doesn't hint at what he really is to our family—to me.
    "And this is my guardian, Aunt Jane."
    Behind me, Jane murmurs something soft and cool. I can only imagine that her expression has gone slightly distant and frosty.
    She is exceptionally good at being distant and frosty.
    "This is Lane Peterson, my friend," I say.
    There is something tense about the silence that follows, and I see the wordless glance Lane's brother's exchange. Lane speaks