“I brought you guys breakfast! I know you guys apparently have a diet you’ve got to stick to, but when Rowan made them for me this morning,” she says, flashing a bright smile at the scrawny kid.
He can’t hide his fucking blush at her attention.
Fuck him.
“I thought they were too good not to share with you both!” She continues.
She lifts the plate with a flourish, practically buzzing with excitement.
“You... made us pancakes?” Griffin asks, his brows drawing down in confusion.
“Mini ones!” She says, nodding eagerly.
Her gaze darts between mine and Griffin’s expressions.
He almost looks bewildered.
I don’t blame him. I’m confused too.
They’re just pancakes.
By the looks of them, the frozen kind you make in a microwave.
But she’s so excited.
And that excitement is deflating quick, ‘cause the new guy and I can’t pull our heads out of our asses.
“Thanks, sweetheart,” Griffin says, offering her a warm smile. “I’m glad you thought of me.”
His words make my eye twitch.
She thought of me, too, from the sound of things. But saying that out loud would make me look like a territorial kid on the playground.
“Here!” She says, holding the paper plate up to the bars so he can reach through and grab one.
She’s smiling at him.
Feed me. Look at me. Smile at me.
Fucking hell, I’m going insane.
“I’m glad to see you’re okay,” Griffin says.
He sounds so fucking nice. He’s so new to this hellhole that he still got the ability to show kindness. I’m a jealous fucking bastard.
It takes all the power I have not to mock his words.
That’s not the way to get her attention.
“You forgetting about me, Shortcake?” Despite my best attempts at suppressing the frustration and anger swimming through my brain, my tone is still harsher than I intended.
She spins around, her smile dimming when she sees my expression.
Fucking hell, I probably looked pissed.
‘Cause I am. But not at her. At everyone else who gets to make her smile so easily.
“Come here,” I say.
