Greeting me with a warm smile and assessing the items in my arms, he nods. “Right this way, ma’am.”
He guides me to the back of the store after silently grabbing me a cart for my belongings. I hope he’s not judging me. Not that there’s anything to judge. But I’m an outsider.
Walking to the back, I almost trip over my feet and lose my grip on my cart when I see Griffin again. He’s with…a woman.
Thankfully, he doesn’t see me.
But I keep staring like a creep.
He wears a signature scowl look on his face and for a reason I can’t quite comprehend, it makes my heart rate spike. I feel the thunder in my chest and will it to slow down while I wonder if that man ever smiles. I’m thinking absolutely not. Is that his girlfriend or wife? I feel bad for her if that’s the case.
She’s beautiful, though; there’s no denying that.
She has long, strawberry-blonde hair that cascades down her back in loose curls. She also looks very young. Freckles line the apple of her cheeks. She doesn’t seem like his type.
Then again, is anyone his type?
He’s probably into theCruella de Viltype of woman since he hates dogs too.
Big red flag. BIG.
The clerk is telling me about the three different power washers, but there’s something about watching Griffin with this woman that I can’t seem to focus on anything the clerk’s telling me. My curiosity’s piqued and I wish I knew why.
The words coming out of the clerk’s mouth drown out in the background as I watch Griffin lean in and hug her. It doesnothing to help slow the pounding in my chest as I watch. The corner of his lip lifts just the smallest amount when he pulls away. If I blinked, I would have missed it. It’s not a real one, but still…does that count as a smile? It’s enough that it shows he appreciates her to some extent.
Now there’s a pang of jealousy in my chest.
Not because I wish he would hug me like that.
Hell no.
I’m not looking for a relationship in Bluestone Lakes. It’s too small of a town to get wrapped up in that. Nor do I want one with that man.
It’s a type of jealousy from watching him be nice to her.
Being his neighbor, I wish he would be nice to me, too. I’m not planning to go anywhere, and clearly, he isn’t either. It’s a shitty feeling walking on eggshells in your own yard because the person who lives on the property next to you can’t stand you.
I sigh, realizing I didn’t hear a thing the clerk told me.
“I’ll take whatever one you think is best for a beginner,” I tell him.
“You got it.”
I brush away the thoughts of what I just saw and check out with all my items.
Let’s do this.
CHAPTER 11
LOOKS LIKE WRESTLING TO ME.
Griffin
“You know, showing up thirty minutes early doesn’t mean you get to have drinks on the house before your shift.”
“I know,” Tucker says with a shit-eating grin plastered on his face. “You’re giving me exactly one on the house because I’m your favorite cousin.”
“You’re myonlycousin,” I deadpan.
