In the beginning of this conversation, I'd had one primary goal.Get the intel and move on. But now? I wasn't sure what the goal was. I just wanted Maisie to keep talking – first about her roommate and then about whatever.
It made no sense. But here I was.
I tried again. "So…does she live here full-time or what?"
"Full-time?" Maisie gave me a funny look. "Do you mean year-round? Or for the full tourist season?"
I had no idea.With a shrug, I replied, "Either one."
She tilted her head as if thinking. "You do realize, she works at the coffee shop just a few blocks away, right?"
"Yeah, so?"
"So you could probably walk over there and ask her yourself." She glanced away. "I mean, if you wanted to."
I frowned. Why would I dothat?This was Ryder's circus, not mine. Besides, that would be as subtle as a singing telegram. It was time to let the subject of her roommate drop…for now.
I was Ryder's friend, not his bloodhound. "Nah, that's alright. I was just making conversation."
She gave me a look as if to say,You? Make conversation?
This, too, was a fair point. But I was about to prove her wrong.Forget the roommate.What wasMaisie'sstory?
I was just about to ask when there was a knock at the front door.
Maisie gave a little jump. "Damn it. We should've been open already." She turned and rushed toward the front.
I watched from the back room as she unlocked the main door to let in an older couple wearing jeans and matching windbreakers. With a friendly laugh, Maisie said, "Sorry about that. I forgot to unlock it."
Saved by the tourists.
I should have been happy. But for some reason, I wasn't.
And I was even less happy later that afternoon when I overheard something that seriously pissed me off.
24
Definitely Not Interested
Maisie
No day could beallbad if it started out with fresh-baked cookies. Or at least, that's what I kept telling myself as I went through the motions of running the shop, pretending that I wasn't distracted.
To Griff's credit, he was pitching in like a total pro – and not only in the back. Today, we were busier than usual, and he'd stepped up front to assist with bike rentals and customer service.
At the moment, he was outside wrangling a pair of rental bikes for a couple of newlyweds – adjusting the seats so they fit just right.
While he worked, I tried not to stare.
Ireallydid. But the nearby window made staring far too easy. And Griff was proving hard to ignore.
He was wearing a plain black T-shirt and jeans. Both should have been unremarkable.But on him? Not a chance.The man moved like someone who didn't merely fix things. He moved like hewasthe fix – and I didn't only mean with bikes.
It was pretty ironic considering that all day, I'd been feeling slightly broken. It didn't even make sense. Until he'd shown an interest in Tessa, I'd been fine with keeping things strictly business.
But that was back when I thought Griff didn't likeanyone– romantically or otherwise. Turns out, Tessa was the exception, which made me what exactly?
Chopped liver?
