He walked over to the table, and I followed, eager to dig in. “But what happened? He’s like night and day. Giving me his books? These are seriously valuable, but he barely knowsme.”
“I’m going to assume he feels guilty for the way he treated you before. Just try to enjoy the change, I guess.” Chandler walked to the fridge. “OJ ormilk?”
“OJ sounds great, thank you, but I can do that.” I didn’t want them waiting on me hand andfoot.
“I don’t mind.” He turned toward Griffin again, distracted. “I think I’ll go talk to him about it.” He sat my juice in front of me and left thekitchen.
I watched him walk away with wide eyes and a delightfully full mouth. He sat between his two friends and leaned toward Griffin. I heard their voices but not what they were saying. Griffin kept shaking his head. I saw his and Ellion’s profile, but only the back of Chandler’s head as he sat in the middle. Finally, Griffin stood and turned my way. I buried my head in myplate.
I’d been so intently trying to hear what they were saying that I’d eaten almost everything on my plate without even noticing. I was ready for medicine and to curl up with that book. The enormous Griffin walking toward me with a huge scowl on his face made me push the little bit of remaining breakfast away and stand, wide-eyed. I didn’t want him to go back to grumpy again. “What’swrong?”
“What did you say to Chandler? Why is he lecturing me for being toonice?”
“Lecturing you? I didn’t ask him to lecture you.” Men. They never got itright.
“Then what’d you ask him to do?” He sat at the table and stared pointedly at the chair I’dvacated.
I collapsed back into it. “I asked him why you’d had such a complete turnaround. I wondered what happened to make you suddenly sonice.”
“Why didn’t you askme?”
I didn’t have an answer for him. “I don’t know. I guess Ishould’ve.”
Nodding, he deflated. “You went through mytotes.”
Fear shot through my body. He was sure to be furious; I’d had noright.
“I’m so sorry. I was looking for blankets. I didn’t know that I could take a passageway back to the house.” I built up steam, anxiety turning to panic and giving me verbal diarrhea. “I was scared of the loft, then I didn’t even need the heater, then I should’ve tried to burrow up in the car to begin with, I didn’t even need to climb that damn ladder, I could’ve found blankets and bundled in the car. I didn’t start on the right side of the bins, if I’d started on the opposite side I would’ve found blankets first and never needed to even see what was in the other totes, I’m really sorry for prying.” I finally ran out ofwords.
Griffin sat there, lips pursed, and let me run my mouth. He was really displeased withme.
“And I’m really sorry for what happened to your family,” I said in a whisper. I couldn’t let him yell at me before telling him. I lowered my eyes. I didn’t want to see the pain on his face I’d seen the nightbefore.
“Linda,” he said. “Look atme.”
His voice was soft, sympathetic. Why was he being sympathetic towardme?
I gazed at him, surprised. “What?” I couldn’t imagine what went through hismind.
“Before I woke you up, in the SUV, I went through a few totes myself.” His eyes drifted past me. “I could smell Amanda’sperfume.”
Neither of us said anything for a few moments while heremembered.
“Her picture doesn’t hurt the same way it usedto.”
My heart broke. How did he endure the pain? He continued, eyes full of tears. I reached out tentatively and took one of his giant hands in both of mine. His gazed jerked to our hands, mine so small around his. He smiled, accepting the gesture ofcomfort.
“She would’ve been mortified if she knew I treated a stranded guest so horribly. She would’ve yelled at me. She was so much smaller than me but could knock me over with a glance. I would’ve gladly given her the world, done anything to meet her approval.” He squeezed my hands. “My behavior definitely wouldn’t have met her approval, and for that I’msorry.”
“It’s okay.” I still had no idea why he would be so upset by my presence. “I wonder, though, what’d I do to set youoff?”
His face was stricken. “Is that really important? Can’t you accept myapology?”
I gave him puppy dog eyes. “You’re going to leave me hanging? I have to spend the rest of my life wondering what I could’ve possibly done to make you soangry.”
He pulled his hand out of mine. “You’re nosy. Mind your own business.” His voice returned tohateful.
I pursed my lips at him. “Okay. I’ll let it go. But I’m going to ask you again, and you have to tell me when I do.” It had obviously cost him a lot to apologize to me, so I gave him abreak.
