She held up a hand. "Listen, I know you're trying to help, but this isn't the big city."
"I never said it was."
She sighed. "You wanna know what I think?"
"What?"
"They were probably developers or something. We get those a lot – city people, trying to buy up our shops." She glanced around. "Sometimes they get a little pushy."
This wasn't what I wanted to hear. "So this has happened before?"
"Well…not the wayyoudescribe. But…" She looked away. "Never mind."
Not so fast."No. Tell me."
"Well…as far as developers, I generally don't insult them, so they're probably nicer tome."
What the hell?"I didn't insult them until they asked for it."
"Look, I'm not blaming you. I'm just saying that small towns are different. It's not your fault. I mean…it's not like you'd know."
I crossed my arms. "Says who?"
"Well…you obviously grew up in the city."
Nowthatwas a joke."Whichcity?"
"I dunno. A big one."
"And you know this how?"
"I just do." She said it like she knew me.
She didn't.
Not yet.
It was time to set her straight – and just maybe, distract her from her troubles. "Well you're wrong." I paused for half a beat. "Me? I grew up in a trailer park."
37
Just a Girl in a Storm
Maisie
A trailer park?That couldn't be right. I stared, waiting for the punchline. When none came, I asked, "Seriously?"
Griff crossed his arms and leaned against the counter as he gave me a long, penetrating look. "You were expecting what? Prep school and a yacht?"
Was he angry?I couldn't honestly tell. Sheepishly, I said, "Well…maybe not the yacht."
His lips twitched with the ghost of a smile. "So just the prep school?"
"I guess." As my own stupidity hit home, I couldn't help but wince. "I'm really sorry."
"For what?"
"For starters…for assuming something that wasn't true."
