“Vi! How’s—why do you look so relaxed?”
“Griffin hired a masseuse.”
“He what?”
“And a nail technician. And someone to do my hair.” I turned the phone so they could see the suite. “Oh, and he filled the room with irises.”
Both of them went silent.
“But it’s October,” Imani said slowly.
“I know.”
I filled them in on all the other little things he’d done today.
Cleo smiled. “Aw, he’s groveling.”
“Is he though? He keeps doing all this without explaining anything.”
“Because words are cheap,” Imani said. “He’s showing you instead.”
“Showing me what? That he can spend money?”
“That he remembers what matters to you.” Cleo’s expression softened. “Those aren’t random gestures. He’s paying attention.”
I pulled a face. “But in Austin?—”
“He was an idiot,” Imani said. “Today he’s trying not to be. The question is whether he keeps trying or if this is just guilt.”
“So what do I do?”
“Wait,” both of them said in unison.
“Make him prove it’s real,” Cleo said. “Don’t give in until he actually does something that changes your situation with your dad.”
I ended the call and stared at the irises.
Cleo was right. Gestures were easy for someone with Griffin’s resources. The hard part was whether he’d actually stand up to Julian. Whether any of this meant he believed me now about what my father was capable of.
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
GRIFFIN
“Griffin Michaels,” Axel Fischer said as Dominic and I entered the Rekford motorhome. “I was starting to think this day would never come.” He stood at the base of the stairs, waving off an assistant with a clipboard. “I’ve got this, Marta. Go enjoy your coffee break.”
The woman hesitated, glancing at her watch. “But the engineering debrief?—”
“Can wait twenty minutes.” Axel gestured toward us. “These gentlemen are far more important than another strategy argument with Paolo.”
Marta nodded, slipping past us as Axel extended his hand.
“Dominic. Good to see you.” Then Axel turned to me and his grin widened. “I’m not sure any driver has made me wait as long as you did.”
“Had to make sure you really wanted me.”
“Oh, I wanted you. Just didn’t think Julian would ever let his ace go.”
I snorted. “He didn’t exactly have a choice.”
