Grim Expectations (Aisling Grimlock Book 5)

by Amanda M. Lee

2

  Two

  “There’s the light of my life.”

  Griffin greeted me with a wide smile as I shuffled through the front door of the townhouse. I blew a raspberry in his direction as I skirted around a tower of boxes and dropped my purse on the floor. I certainly didn’t feel like the light of anyone’s life.

  “I would ask about your day, but I think that lovely hello you just graced me with should be a clue that it wasn’t good,” Griffin said, leaning over to give me a kiss. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing is wrong,” I said. “I just … it was a long day.”

  “Is your dad still doubling up on your work assignments because that other family went on vacation or something?” Griffin asked.

  “They’re not on vacation,” I replied. “They’re missing. They stopped going to work.”

  “And that’s not normal in the reaping world, right?”

  I shot him a “well, duh” look.

  “I’m only asking because if I was a reaper, I would disappear in the middle of the night and quit my job, too,” Griffin said, his tone teasing even though his eyes were thoughtful. “It is weird this family just fell off the grid, though, right?”

  I nodded. “It’s extremely weird,” I confirmed. “Dad says he’s looking into it so … .”

  “So you’re going to continue to be overworked and cranky for the foreseeable future,” Griffin finished. “Thanks for the warning.”

  “I’m not cranky.”

  “You’re very cranky.”

  “Whatever.” I took a moment to study Griffin’s handsome face as he packed a box. He had infinite patience when it came to my whims, my family and me. I knew I was lucky to have him. It wasn’t his fault that my day took a header down the toilet. Instinctively I reached over and wrapped my arms around his waist, resting my head against his broad chest as I hugged him. “I’m not cranky.”

  “You’re cranky, but I’ve learned to live with it,” Griffin said, kissing the top of my head as he returned the hug. “Do you want to tell me about your day?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Do you want to pout for an hour and then tell me about your day?” Griffin asked. “That seems to be our normal routine right now.”

  I blew out a frustrated sigh and pulled my head back. “I think you’re saying that you’re starting to rethink this whole cohabitation thing. If that’s the case … .”

  “That is not the case,” Griffin said, cutting me off. “I’m excited about us moving in together. I would be lying if I said the boxes and the huge stacks of … crap … weren’t getting to me, though.

  “Between us moving stuff out of your bedroom and Aidan moving stuff in from Grimlock Manor, there’s barely room for any of us to move,” he continued. “We’re on top of one another and we’re all a little crabby. You’re not the only one.”

  “So … you still want to live with me, right?”

  “That’s what I just said.”

  “I honestly lost interest in what you were saying two seconds in and tuned the rest out,” I admitted.

  “And you’re back to being cranky.” Griffin kissed the tip of my nose and released me. “So, the movers will have all of my stuff out of my apartment and into the new place very soon. That means we only have to carry your stuff from here to there. I figure we can take a few loads a day and it will be done quickly.”

  That sounded like a lot of work to me. “Or we could just buy pizza one night and invite my brothers over,” I suggested. “They can move all of this stuff in a night.”

  “You are unbelievably lazy,” Griffin intoned. “Aren’t you worried about them breaking your stuff?”

  I shrugged. “I can buy new stuff. I don’t like manual labor. Sweating bothers me.”

  “You don’t mind sometimes,” Griffin teased, poking my ribs. “You didn’t mind it last night.”

  I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing. “That was different. I got something out of that sweat.”

  “Oh, yeah? What?”

  “The satisfaction of knowing you did a good job,” I replied, wrinkling my nose as I regarded the boxes. “I had no idea I owned this much stuff.”

  “Not all of this is yours,” Griffin said. “More than half of this is Aidan’s stuff. I asked him to move his boxes into Jerry’s room for the time being, but Jerry pitched an absolute fit. He says his clothes can’t be subjected to an ugly view because they’ll get depressed and want to commit fashion suicide. I have no idea what that means, but he was adamant.”

  I couldn’t help but snicker. Jeremiah “Jerry” Collins was over the top and often out of control. He thrived on drama and could be an outright diva when he wanted to be. He also had a heart of gold and had been my best friend for as long as I could remember. He was one of the most important pieces of my world and even though I was only moving next door I had a feeling I was going to miss him.

  “Everything will work out,” I said, opting to take a glass-half-full approach to the current predicament. “Once everyone is settled into their new digs, everything will be great.”

  Griffin’s expression was dubious. “Who are you and what have you done with my girlfriend?”

  I was pretty sure I’d just been insulted. “What do you mean?”

  “You never look on the positive side of things,” Griffin said. “You’re usually a pessimist rolled into another pessimist and topped with a pessimistic cherry.”

  “You’ve been spending too much time listening to Jerry talk about cooking.”

  “I can agree with that,” Griffin said. “I’m looking forward to having our own space. I’m pretty sure I’m looking forward to that a lot more than you are.”

  “That’s not true,” I protested. “I want us to have our own space. It’s just … I’m going to miss Jerry. We’ve lived together a long time.”

  “I know that,” Griffin said. “That’s why we’re moving next door. That’s why instead of two patios we’re building one big one that we can all enjoy together. I have no intention of infringing on your time with Jerry. I only want time to myself when I can manage it, too.”

  “I know.” I didn’t mean to put him on the defensive. “It’s just a big change. I’m excited to live with you, though.”

  “That’s good,” Griffin said. “The paperwork is signed and you have no choice but to live with me. If you don’t like it, well, we’re going to have some issues I guess.”

  “I’m going to like it,” I said, leaning forward to rub my nose against his cheek. “I’m going to love it. I already love you. It’s not a stretch to believe I’m going to love sharing a roof with you.”

  “That was a really good answer,” Griffin said, snagging me around the waist so he could dip me low and give me a smoldering kiss. “I love you, too.”

  His eyes were so earnest I couldn’t stop my heart from melting a little. “I kind of wish we had our own space right now,” I admitted.

  “We could make a box fort.”

  I brightened at the suggestion. “Ooh, Jerry and I used to love making forts when we were kids,” I enthused. “We once turned the entire foyer into a fort made out of chairs and blankets, and Dad smacked right into it and cursed like a madman because he stubbed his toe. Once he got over his surprise, he joined us and slept on the floor one night, though.”

  Griffin barked out a laugh. “I cannot imagine your father sleeping on the floor.”

  “You’d be surprised,” I said. “He loved doing that kind of stuff with us. He was always engaged in our games.”

  “I’m not surprised about that,” Griffin clarified. “I’m just surprised that he didn’t grab an air mattress or something.”

  “Oh, no,” I intoned. “Air mattresses are for sissies. When we camped out in the back yard, we got sleeping bags and nothing else.”

  “You camped out in the back yard?” This was obviously news to Griffin. “Why?”

  “Because Dad fancied himself a camper,” I answered. “He built a bonfire an
d we made s’mores. We told ghost stories and then the butler brought out hot chocolate before bed.”

  “And there it is,” Griffin said, laughing as he slowly rocked me. “I can picture that. Camping for the privileged set.”

  “I’m guessing you’ve been camping for real.”

  “My mother used to love camping,” Griffin said. “I liked it, too. I liked kayaking and hiking.”

  That sounded like a terrible way to waste a weekend. “I like the mall.”

  “And yet I love you anyway,” Griffin said, tickling me until I gasped. He didn’t release me even though I fought his efforts to hold me still. “I have no idea why sometimes, yet I’m hopelessly devoted to you. Can you explain that?”

  “I’m magical,” I said, shifting my hips in an effort to buck off Griffin. “I’m the best thing that ever happened to you.”

  “You are indeed,” Griffin said, leaning forward so he could kiss my neck before releasing me. I stumbled forward and ran into a stack of boxes before regaining my balance. Griffin didn’t seem bothered by the glare I sent in his direction. “What do you want to do for dinner?”

  “Are you kidding me?”

  “No. I’m hungry. I was thinking we could order pizza.”

  I glanced around the overstuffed townhouse. “And eat where?”

  “We could go next door and have a picnic on the floor,” Griffin suggested. “I still have the mattress over there until the rest of my stuff is delivered.”

  “My mind just went to a dirty place,” I admitted. “You’ve now said pizza and mattress over the last few minutes and I can’t help but put the two things together in my mind.”

  “Yes, that is a tantalizing thought,” Griffin said, laughing when he slipped his finger through my belt loop and jerked me closer. “I don’t care what we eat for dinner. I would like some time alone, though.”

  “I … .” I didn’t get a chance to finish my statement because Aidan and Jerry picked that moment to enter the townhouse. They were talking loudly – and gesturing wildly – as they maneuvered between the boxes.

  “Hello,” Aidan said, his tone cool as he narrowed his eyes when he caught sight of me. “How are you, Aisling?”

  Even if we weren’t twins, I would be able to read his tone. “I’m fine, Aidan. How are you?”

  “What’s going on with you two?” Griffin asked, his gazing bouncing between us. “Are you fighting?”

  “We have nothing to fight about,” Aidan replied. “Fighting about … oh, I don’t know … someone purposely using the last of the hot water would be juvenile, don’t you agree?”

  “Ah.” Griffin pressed the palm of his hand against his cheek as he regarded me. “Did you do it on purpose?”

  That was a horrible thing to ask. “Of course not.”

  Griffin wasn’t convinced. “Did you?”

  “Hey, I needed a shower and there’s only so much hot water to go around,” I argued. “He could shower at Grimlock Manor. They have industrial-sized hot water tanks there.” My father lives in a mansion – no, an actual mansion – and he has servants, chefs and maids. I have no idea why Aidan feels the need to crowd us when he has access to perfectly good lodging across town.

  “I knew you did it on purpose,” Aidan hissed, extending a finger. “I’m going to pay you back. You know that, right?”

  I wasn’t worried in the least. My brothers taught me how to get revenge – and protect myself, for that matter – at a young age. There was nothing any of them could do to me that I couldn’t pay them back for at least ten times over. “Bring it on.”

  “Oh, I’m going to bring it,” Aidan warned.

  “Okay, that will be enough of that,” Griffin said, slipping his arm around my waist to pull me away from my brother. He was used to our fights. He was also used to the way we made up so quickly and he had no intention of letting things get out of hand. “I think you two have been spending too much time together.”

  “Don’t I know it,” Jerry said, fanning his face as he threw himself on the couch. “I haven’t seen them fight this much since they were sixteen and had a crush on the same boy.”

  Despite the tense situation, I didn’t miss the way Griffin’s lips curled as he fought the urge to smile. “You guys competed over the same guy?”

  “It was no competition,” I replied. “He clearly preferred me.”

  “In your dreams,” Aidan shot back.

  Griffin looked to Jerry as the tiebreaker. “Well?”

  “His name was Adam Stevens and he looked like a young Pierce Brosnan. He had a lot of black hair and these really cool eyes. I had a crush on him, too.”

  “Not that,” Griffin snapped. “Which one of these two did Adam like?”

  “Oh, well, neither,” Jerry answered. “He was definitely gay so Aisling was never a consideration. As for Aidan, well, Adam liked me better.”

  Aidan snorted. “He did not.”

  “He did, too.”

  “He did not.”

  “Then why did he make out with me under the bleachers during that football game?” Jerry challenged. “You were playing on the field. I was playing the field. It was a glorious night.”

  I couldn’t help but smirk at the memory. I’d forgotten all about that. “You were so proud of yourself,” I said. “You showed me the spot where he gave you a hickey.”

  Griffin made a face. “Do I want to know where this guy gave you a hickey?” He decided to answer for himself before anyone else could. “Nope. Not at all. We’re moving on from this conversation.”

  “No, we’re not,” Aidan shot back. “I want to hear more about this torrid kissing session between you and Adam. Why did no one ever tell me about it?”

  “Because you were too busy being king of the homerun,” Jerry replied.

  “Touchdown,” I automatically corrected, earning a dark look from Jerry. “What? You always mix your sports metaphors, Jerry. It drives me nuts.”

  “I do not!”

  “You do, too!”

  “Okay, we’re definitely done doing this,” Griffin said, tightening his arm around my waist and taking me by surprise as he lifted me off the ground. I think he was worried I would kick Aidan or Jerry – which was totally a possibility because we weren’t above underhanded wrestling to solve a fight. “I think we’ve all spent a little too much time together over the past few weeks.”

  “Oh, do you think?” Aidan made a face without even an attempt at hiding the sarcasm. “What was your first clue?”

  “Your attitude,” Griffin replied, not missing a beat. “Because we’re all so … tense … I’ve decided we need to split up for the evening.”

  “Oh, well, thank you for making my decisions for me,” I offered.

  “Do you want me to leave you here with them and sleep by myself tonight?” Griffin challenged, his eyes flashing.

  That sounded horrible. “No.”

  “Then we’re splitting into groups of two,” Griffin said. “I’m taking Aisling out to dinner and then we’re going to spend the night next door. You guys can have the townhouse to do whatever you want. How does that sound?”

  “Phenomenal,” Aidan said.

  “It sounds okay,” Jerry sniffed. “I kind of wanted to make a fort with Aisling, though.”

  My heart rolled at the admission. “That’s what I said!”

  “You guys can make a fort when Aidan and I aren’t around,” Griffin said. “For now, though, I think everyone needs a little room to breathe.”

  “I’m with Griffin,” Aidan said. “I can barely look at Aisling’s face without wanting to punch her.”

  “Then don’t look in the mirror,” I shot back. My entire family looks like a genetic experiment gone awry. That’s how similar we look. We all have black hair and purple eyes. The only difference is that I opted to highlight my hair with white streaks to stand out.

  “Yeah, we definitely need a break from one another,” Griffin said, wrestling me toward the door. “We’ll see you guys for brea
kfast tomorrow. How does that sound?”

  “Like the perfect evening,” Aidan replied.

  “I don’t know,” Jerry hedged. “I’m going to miss Aisling.”

  “I’m going to miss you, too, Jerry.”

  “Well, I’m going to enjoy my night,” Griffin said. “There comes a point where silence is the most important commodity in the world. That’s where I’m at this evening, which is why we’re spending the night next door.”

  “Fine,” I said, exhaling heavily. “You win.”

  “Great.”

  “I really will miss you, though, Jerry.” The words came from a place of complete honesty.

  Jerry met my gaze. “I’ll miss you, too, Bug. Don’t forget me.”

  “Oh, geez,” Griffin grumbled. “Could you two get any more dramatic?”

  I had a feeling he was going to regret that question if Jerry took it as a challenge.

  3

  Three

  “When you said you were taking me to dinner, I thought you meant McDonald’s or something,” I admitted an hour later, smiling as the hostess led us toward a cozy window booth at one of the lakeside restaurants that dot Lake Shore Drive in Grosse Pointe. “I had no idea we were going fancy.”

  Griffin smirked as he sat across from me, nodding his head to thank the hostess for the menus before fixing his full attention in my direction. “I’m a good boyfriend. I buy my girl good food.”

  I giggled at his adorable expression. “You’re definitely a good boyfriend,” I said. “I’ve eaten here before. This is close to Dad’s house.”

  “How do you think I knew about it?”

  “Oh, well, I never thought of that,” I said, flipping open the menu and widening my eyes when I saw the prices. I wasn’t cognizant of how expensive the meals were when my father was footing the bill. He was rich. Griffin was a cop, though. “Um, how about we split the bill?”

  Griffin scorched me with a dark look. “Are you insinuating I can’t afford to buy you dinner?”

  “No,” I replied, shaking my head. “I’m insinuating that this is much more expensive than I remember and you shouldn’t have to buy me dinner. We can buy each other dinner. How does that sound?”