My head tilted as I took her in. “I told you last night, I’d argue about this and win.”
Vee nodded. “You said Tilson told everyone to stay home today. If you’re at the football center, there will be questions.”
“You were ready to tell your dad.”
“I was.” She inhaled. “Now I can’t. Please don’t think this means I don’t want what’s happening. It just means my plate is overflowing at the moment.”
“Okay,” I said, nodding. “Speaking of plates, I’ll make some breakfast.”
Wearing blue jeans and a Coopers t-shirt, I slid the spatula beneath the omelet, I flipped it as Vee emerged from the bedroom. My lips curled as I took her in, from her pulled-back hair, bright emerald eyes, and down her satin top and navy skirt to her matching shoes. “You’re stunning as always.”
She came closer. “I could get used to all this cooking. As long as you’re okay with me gaining forty pounds.”
“You could stand to gain some weight. Forty…” I shrugged. “I’d still love you.”
Vee hummed as she looked down in the pan.
“Vegetable omelet with Swiss cheese.”
“In the other pan?” she asked.
“Vegetable and bacon omelet with Swiss cheese. Grab some plates.”
Soon, we were both seated at the large kitchen island, eating and sipping our coffee. I’d been thinking about her request to handle today without me. “I get that you need to do today alone. What about tonight?”
She lowered her fork. “I’m being selfish.”
“You want to be alone?”
“No,” she answered quickly. “I’m selfish because I don’t want to be alone. I also want to be here.”
“You haven’t seen my place. You might love downsizing.”
“Fin, will you please plan on staying here” —she shrugged— “for a while.” She started talking faster. “I’m not asking you to move in. I’m just asking…well, if you don’t want to?—”
My kiss interrupted her.
“You’re rambling again.”
Her lips curled. “Your answer?”
“After I get you safely down to your car, I’ll go to my place and pack more clothes and clean out my refrigerator. Yours is woefully sparse.”
“Thank you.”
Vee’s phone vibrated on the marble surface. The name Grant was on her screen. She rolled her eyes and picked up the phone. “Grant, what couldn’t wait for me to get to Maker’s Mark?”
Her cousin’s voice was loud enough for me to hear every word. “What the fuck is going on with you and Griffin Graham?”
Chapter 10
Vee
Pulling the phone from my ear, I looked at Fin, whose blue eyes were as round as saucers. While Grant’s volume didn’t require a speaker, I figured Fin should hear whatever my cousin was ranting about. I hit the speaker icon and laid the phone on the breakfast bar.
“Don’t lie to me, Vee,” Grant said. “Fin was in your building last evening.”
“The Vine is a public building.”
