Griffin rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m sorry about that.”
“About what?”
“Snapping at you when we were cleaning out the shop.”
My fingers began to itch again. This time, I couldn’t resist reaching out. I let my hand briefly squeeze Griffin’s knee, the rough denim burning into my palm. “You don’t have to apologize for having boundaries.”
Griffin grunted. “But I do need to apologize for being an asshole.” He held up a hand before I could speak. “Please don’t punish me for cursing.”
I laughed. “You’re safe since it wasn’t in front of the kids.”
“Thank God.” He began picking at the label of his beer. “I’ve had a lot of people sell me out. My stories, my photos. The only way it didn’t happen was if I was alone, and no one knew who I was. But when I erased myself, I let my family go, too. I lost them and myself all over again. But this time, it was my own damn fault. Our favorite place, the one where I felt closest to them, was almost destroyed—family heirlooms damaged beyond repair.”
“Is that what was in the shop?” I asked. Griffin nodded. It all started to make even more sense. Of course, he’d been on edge. He’d been facing all the damage that people had inflicted on one of the few pieces he had left of his family.
“The worst was losing my dad’s desk. It was in our family for generations. My sister and I used to sit under it like it was our own personal fort while he told us about all the people who had sat at it before. Beth thought it was magic.”
My eyes burned. It was the first time he’d spoken of his sister. “She sounds like someone else I know.”
Griffin grinned, a smile that was still sad around the edges. “The first time I saw Mia, she reminded me so much of Beth, it nearly stole my breath.”
I latched my fingers together, forcing them to stay on my lap so I wouldn’t throw my arms around Griffin. “Is it too hard for you? To be around her?”
He shook his head. “It’s a good kind of pain. Mia reminds me of all the good memories I have of Beth. I’ve been too focused on losing her for too long.”
“I’m glad it helps in a way. You can talk about her if you want. Beth. I’d love to hear more about her.”
Griffin stared out at the kids rolling around in the grass, but it was almost as if he couldn’t see them, as if he were lost in another time. “I’m not used to talking about her. But maybe one day.”
I couldn’t help the flicker of disappointment. I wanted to know it all, everything he would share with me. I wanted him to be able to bring his sister and his parents out into the light again. But I couldn’t force it. I knew better than most that sharing those secret parts of yourself couldn’t be rushed. “Open invitation.”
“Thank you.”
“But I’m glad you’re sticking around. I’d miss your scowls and grunts. And it would break Mia’s heart not to have her giant around.”
Griffin shook his head. “I told you, I don’t scowl.”
“Whatever you say, Mr. Magic Giant. You know I can’t wait for the local rumor mill to start spreading that around. The magical giant who only comes out of his castle once a week.”
That familiar scowl stretched across Griffin’s face. “You’re way too amused about this.”
I shrugged. “It is a little funny.”
“I’ll show you funny.”
Before I knew what was happening, Griffin lunged, plucking me off the bench and hauling me over his shoulder. I let out a squeal that had all the kids running our way.
“I wanna do that!” Mia begged.
I pounded on Griffin’s back. “Let me down. I swear to God I’ll put cayenne pepper in all your food for a week if you don’t.”
Ava appeared upside down in my line of sight. “What’d you do, Cae Cae?”
“She’s being an instigator,” Griffin answered.
“What’s an insta-grator?” Mia asked.
Will chuckled. “An instigator. It means she’s causing trouble.”
Griffin started striding through the backyard. “And troublemakers should take a dip in the pond, don’t you guys think?”
The girls cheered, dancing around us as I began to twist and flail. “Don’t you dare, Griffin Lockwood.”
“I’d be careful if I were you,” Will warned. “Caelyn’s revenge is epic.”
Griffin slowed as he reached the edge of the yard. “I guess I don’t want to do anything to risk my supply of food.”
“Aw, man,” Mia complained. “It would’ve been so fun to watch you throw her in the pond.”
I laughed as Griffin slowly began lowering me to the ground, but my breath stalled as we came face-to-face, our lips the barest brush apart. It would hardly take any movement at all for them to meet. To taste Griffin on my tongue.
“Why are you guys staring at each other?” Mia asked.
Will let out a cough that sounded more like a strangled laugh.
I snapped out of the haze Griffin’s lips had me in and wiggled to be let free. “Griffin was just making sure I wasn’t going to poison his food.”
Mia looked suddenly worried. “You’re not, right?”
I gave Griffin a mock assessment. “Not if he’s on his best behavior.”
Mia gave him a sympathetic look, one borne of years of getting in trouble. “That happens to me a lot, too.”
Griffin held up both hands in surrender. “Best behavior. Scout’s honor.”
“Were you a Boy Scout?” I asked.
Griffin shook his head, a twinkle in his eye. That mischievous glint had my eyes dropping to his mouth again. And I couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to forget the world around me and lose myself in the taste and feel of everything that was Griffin.
21
Caelyn
“Remember what we talked about?” I asked as I headed down the street with Ava and Mia in tow.
“Don’t touch anything and keep our voices low,” Ava answered instantly.
“That doesn’t sound like very much fun,” Mia groused.
I paused, turning to face my tiniest terror. The one who was a whirling ball of energy and who could, I was sure, destroy Bell’s new shop in a matter of seconds. “Mia Renee…”
She let out a harrumph. “I know, I know. Sometimes we have to do stuff we don’t want to do.”
I forced my laughter down. “And if we get through this in one piece, we get to go to the park afterward.”
“But only if you don’t break anything,” Ava added helpfully.
“I’m not gonna break anything! Maybe you’ll break something. And then you’ll be in trouble. And then I’ll go to the park, but you’ll have to have a timeout.”
“Girls.” I held up a hand. It had been one of those mornings. The kind where everything was a struggle. The shirt that Mia wanted to wear was dirty. Ava had left the book she wanted to read at school. And Will was trying to rush us all out the door so we could drop him at Griffin’s for work. Mia had been pitching a fit since we left the farmhouse because she wanted to stay with the boys. I took a deep breath. “I need five minutes to talk to Bell. That’s it.”
They nodded and kept mostly silent for the rest of the walk to Second Chances, though I did catch them sticking out their tongues at each other. I ignored it. An antique bell tinkled as I pulled open the door to Bell’s shop. It had only been open a couple of months, but business was already booming. A local interior designer who worked on several high-end homes had discovered the unique pieces Bell restored and had fallen in love. Her business alone could’ve kept the shop afloat.
“My favorite people,” Bell called from the back of the store. “This certainly brightens my morning.”
“Sorry to drop by unannounced.”
“You know you’re welcome anytime.” Bell did a quick assessment of my face and turned to the girls. “Ford’s in the break room, and he has muffins from The Mad Baker. Why don’t you go get some?”
Mia and Ava both perked up immediately. They shot me a quick glan
ce, and as soon as I nodded, they took off in search of the treats. I let out a breath.
“What’s going on? You look exhausted,” Bell asked.
“It’s just one of those mornings. Everyone’s unhappy.” What I needed was a solid week on a sunny beach. One of those resorts that had activities that kept kids busy all day long so you could lay by the pool and have someone bring you drinks and food.
“You’ve got a look on your face that I honestly can’t read.”
I grinned. “I’m picturing myself at one of those fancy resorts where handsome men bring you fruity drinks with little umbrellas in them.”
Bell chuckled. “It’s good to have a Zen zone.”
“I go there often.”
Bell pulled me into a quick hug. “I’m sorry it was a rough morning.”
“Life happens. Mad Baker muffins should improve their moods significantly.”
“They always work for me. Now, what brings you by?”
I suddenly felt nervous, like maybe the plan that had taken shape in my mind last night was a very bad idea. “Can’t I just come to visit my best friend?”
Bell eyed me suspiciously. “Sure…”
She was the master of letting silences do the work for her. She’d let a single word hang in the air until you suddenly had a burning need to fill the quiet. Just like I felt now. “I need your help with something.”
“Anything. You know that.”
“When the delivery guys brought Griffin’s stuff by here, did you take anything?”
Bell’s brows rose. “A lot of stuff. Why?”
“Was a desk one of those things? It would’ve been pretty large.”
Bell motioned for me to follow her through the store, calling out to Ford as she walked. “We’ll be right back.” Across the back alley was a storage facility and workshop for everything that wouldn’t fit in the storefront. She pulled open a heavy door and led me to the workshop side of the space. “Something like this?”
I took in the piece. It looked like it had been through a war. The top was scratched to hell, and one of the legs was broken. But I could see how it would fit perfectly in Griffin’s office. I crouched low, trying to see if I could fit under it the way Griffin had as a child. My gaze caught on something when I did. Names carved into the underside of a drawer. Probably ten in total. Most I didn’t recognize. But two tucked together, I did. Griffin and Beth.
I crawled out from under the desk. “Can you fix it?”
“I’m gonna try. It’s been through the wringer. But it just kind of called to me when I saw it on the truck. Not sure why. When my dad saw it, he thought I was crazy.”
“I want you to fix it, and then I need to buy it from you.” I was making more money now; I could afford Bell’s markup.
She took my arm. “Honey, I’ll give it to you. What’s all this about?”
I shook my head. “I’ll pay for it. Really. I can swing it. I just—Griffin needs this in his house. I think he thought it was beyond repair. But you can fix it. Just don’t do anything to the names on the underside of the drawer.”
Bell stilled, understanding filling her expression. “Beth was his sister, wasn’t she?”
I nodded, tears gathering in the corners of my eyes. “He needs this desk.”
“Then we’ll get it fixed up for him.”
“Thank you.”
She understood better than most that some things helped you hold onto those you had lost. Items became touchpoints. She would make sure Griffin could keep hold of his.
Bell pulled me in for another hug. “I love your heart.”
“Love yours, too. And those crafty hands that make miracles happen.”
She let out a little snort, releasing me. “Let’s not get too carried away. I’ve got a big enough ego as it is.”
Bell had zero ego, but she did have amazing skills when it came to furniture restoration. I just hoped the desk could be saved. And that Griffin wouldn’t think I was overstepping. I laid a palm on the carved-up wood as if I could urge it to heal. Laughter coming from the direction of the store had me snapping out of my thoughts. “Come on, let’s go make sure my sisters aren’t destroying your store.”
Bell grinned. “If anyone’s causing destruction, it’s Ford.”
We made our way back into Second Chances to find Ford holding Mia upside down as she giggled like crazy. Ava simply looked on, shaking her head.
“Ford,” Bell chastised. “You could drop her.”
“What? Like this?” He made a move like he was going to let Mia go, and she shrieked with delight.
“I’m never having babies with you if you keep this up.”
He flipped Mia right-side-up and set her on her feet. Crossing to Bell, he pulled her into his arms. “Come on, Trouble. We’re gonna have dozens of kids. Fill that house of ours with them as soon as it’s renovated.”
A familiar burn filled me. The one that spoke of jealousy. I forced my eyes closed for the briefest moment before opening them again. Bell wrapped her arms around Ford’s neck, planting a kiss on his lips. “If you want a dozen kids, you’re going to have to birth at least ten of them.”
Mia giggled. “Boys can’t have babies, Bell.”
Bell released Ford and turned to Mia. “Then I guess Ford’s just going to have to settle for two.”
“I want six,” Mia shared.
“Heaven help us all,” I muttered.
Ford patted me on the back. “Good luck with that one.”
I couldn’t even begin to wrap my head around Mia having her own babies one day. They were growing up too fast. It felt like just yesterday that I was holding Mia’s little fingers as she mastered walking. I gave my head a shake. “Okay, kiddos. Who wants to go to the park?”
“Me!” Ava and Mia answered in unison.
“Let’s get a move on. What do you say to Ford and Bell?”
“Thank you for the muffins,” Ava answered quietly.
“Yeah, thanks. They were the best. Almost as good as pancakes,” Mia added.
Ford chuckled. “Anytime.”
Bell gave the girls hugs, and we headed out onto the sidewalk. Mia skipped a few steps ahead, twirling something between her fingers.
“Whatcha got there, Mi?” I asked.
“A bracelet. I made it last night. It’s for Griffin. Want to see?”
I stopped in my tracks. Mia turned and offered me the woven string. A ripple of rainbow colors. One that looked just like the ones my family wore.
“Think he’ll like it?” she asked hopefully.
I swallowed hard against the emotion gathering in the back of my throat. Was I making a terrible mistake getting these kids involved with Griffin? What if he decided to leave the island? Or that having high-energy little ones running around his property all the time was annoying? What if he started dating someone, and she didn’t want us around? I shut every single thought down, one by one, shoving them forcefully from my mind. “I think he’ll love it.”
“It’s really pretty,” Ava offered.
Mia beamed. “I can’t wait to give it to him.”
I sent up a silent prayer that Griffin was down with donning rainbows and wouldn’t crush Mia’s spirit. Maybe he could at least come up with an excuse as to why he couldn’t wear it but tell her he’d keep it nearby. Hopefully, she’d settle for that.
As I handed Mia back her bracelet, I caught movement out of the corner of my eye—a figure quickly rounding a corner across the street. She was older, gray now streaking her hair, but I would recognize that profile anywhere. My mother. She was here. And she was watching.
22
Griffin
I told myself time and again that I was losing it, that nothing was wrong. But I couldn’t shake the feeling. Caelyn had been off when she picked up Will yesterday. On edge as if she were expecting someone to jump out of the bushes at any moment. I simply wanted to make sure she was okay. Have a conversation where little ears weren’t listening in.
I pulled into
a parking spot at the edge of the lot and climbed out of my truck. Heading for The General Store, my steps faltered as I took in the glaring woman coming towards me, a toddler in one arm and a bag of groceries in the other. She muttered something under her breath.
It took me a moment to recognize her as the person who’d been giving me the evil eye at the pizza place a couple of weeks ago. “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that.”
She huffed and raised her chin. “I’ve tried to set Caelyn straight. To guide her way in what it means to be a parent. But she won’t listen. Those children need someone at home with them. Someone who can be dedicated to their care. Instead, she’s obsessed with growing this little sandwich shop. And now, she’s wrapped up in you. A loner with a violent streak. Probably doesn’t even care that she’s ignoring the children in the process.”
My hands fisted and flexed, the urge to set her straight strong. But I kept my voice even. “You must have a sad life that you have all this time to cast judgment on others. Maybe it’s time you focus some of that attention inward.”
I kept right on walking as she gasped in outrage. Normally, I would’ve let it get to me. I would’ve felt the pull to retreat to the farmhouse, the attention and judgment making my skin feel too tight for my body. But this woman was ridiculous. The fact that she saw Caelyn as less than was all I needed to know about the ugliness of her soul.
I wasn’t going to let that infect me. If people chose to believe the lies that had been told about me over the years, so be it. I would just keep living my life.
I pulled open the door to the store and was relieved to see a secondary cashier at the front of the shop. The woman gave me a smile and a wave. “Let me know if you need help finding anything.”
I nodded and made my way back towards Caelyn’s station. She stood in the center of her little kitchen space, staring out the window towards the docks. She looked so incredibly lost in that moment. I had to fight the urge to round the counter and pull her into my arms. To promise her that everything would be okay. Instead, I slid onto one of the stools in front of her. “You ready to tell me what the hell is going on?”
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