I smiled. "I know, right?" But then, my smile faded, and my voice grew quiet. "Hey..."
"Yeah?"
"That was...really nice of you, jumping in like that." I felt heat crawl across my face. "Idorealize you didn't have to."
His gaze met mine. "Says who?"
"Says common sense. It's not exactly in your job description."
He grinned. "Nowyou tell me."
And just like that, the world felt lighter, and I laughed,reallylaughed. The laughter went on a tad too long, like I was losing it just a little. Maybe I was. But honestly? I didn't care. I was just so stupidly happy that I'd survived the encounter with only minimal humiliation.
Even better, from the look on Griff's face, he was happy, too. Or maybe he was just entertained. After all, it wasn't every day you saw someone lose their marbles.
Either way, he watched in amused silence until my laughter faded and something like sanity returned. I was just catching my breath when he said with a teasing smile, "You owe me. You know that, right?"
I couldn't help but smile back. "Definitely. So…what do you want?"
His expression turned serious. "Information."
My stomach sank.Oh, gosh. He was about to ask about Tessa. I just knew it.Still, I kept my smile plastered in place. "Okay…what do you want to know?"
He flicked his head toward the front door. "Those clowns…who were they?" His tone darkened. "And why were they out to get you?"
29
Say Yes
Griff
I hadn't planned to be asking questions. Maisie's private life was her own. And me? I was just passing through. In a few weeks, I'd be gone, leaving all of this behind.
Not my circus. Not my monkeys.
Even so, I didn't like the thought of Maisie facing those assholes on her own.
Call me sentimental. Sure, nobody else ever had. But now? Maybe I was going soft. Or maybe this was personal. Either way, I wasn't about to let it drop.
In the quiet shop, my questions hung unanswered as Maisie shifted from foot to foot. Finally, she said, "It's a long story."
Nice try."Good. I've got the time."
"Honestly?" She hesitated. "It's a little embarrassing."
I studied her face. "You mean private."
She grimaced. "Not for long." She gave the front door a furtive glance. "Not with Sierra on the loose."
Not just Sierra.I recalled the douchebag at Sierra's side. Whoever the guy was, he'd been eying Maisie with far too much interest.Yeah, I'd noticed – even if Maisie hadn't.
Next to me, she let out a long, resigned sigh. "The funny thing is, it shouldn't be a big deal. It happened back in college. And it's not likeIdid anything wrong."
I stated the obvious. "Buttheydid."
"It depends what you consider wrong." She gave a weary shrug, like an invisible weight had settled onto her shoulders."I mean…they seem happy together, so…" Her words trailed off, and she looked away.
I couldn't let it drop. "Just tell me this. Are they gonna be back?"
