My jealousy continued to grow as the three of us sat in silence in the small office. My mind raced from question to question I didn’t have the guts to ask. Were Shaw and Olive just friends? Were they more than that? Did they just work together? For some reason I felt an overwhelming need to know exactly who the hell he was and what his intensions were. It wasn’t anything more than instinctual, but in that moment, I felt like she was mine to protect and take care of, felt I needed to be with her from that moment on, every second of every day. Even being a desk’s width away felt like too far. I knew eventually I was going to have to get back onto my bike and head home, but I needed more time.
“Will you have dinner with me tonight?” I asked abruptly. Olive and Shaw both stared blankly at me while I waited impatiently for an answer.
Finally, Olive spoke. “Sure? I guess that would be nice.”
I got up from the chair, feeling like I was about to overstay my welcome. It was a work day and I was being rude, taking up way too much of her time as it was. “Great. What time should I come by to pick you up?”
Olive’s cheeks turned the most adorable shade of pink, like strawberry syrup that I just wanted to lick and kiss off her face. “Seven?”
“Perfect. I’ll see you then.” She reached out to offer her hand to me. When I took it, the gesture felt too impersonal, so I pulled her in, tightly holding her to my chest as she sighed into me.
“I’ll see you in a few hours,” she whispered, pushing me away.
I waved goodbye to Shaw and then hopped on my bike. I had no idea what I was going to do for the rest of the day, but it didn’t matter. All that mattered was that I was going to be with Olive again soon.
Chapter 9
Olive
“Areyou sure this is a good idea?” Shaw had an intense look of concern on his face as he peeled the label off of his beer bottle at our kitchen table.
“I don’t know what else to do.” I started to pace in a small circle. “I need to make sense of all this shit. It’s fucking crazy. After ten goddamn years, he decided to show up now. Why now? Why not ten years ago? Why not even five years? I just don’t fucking get it.” My mind was racing as Shaw sat there listening to my ramblings.
“He’s known this whole damn time about you and all of a sudden he shows up. It does seem so strange.”
I stopped dead, glaring at Shaw. “Where is the skepticism coming from? You’re usually the glass-is-half-full one that always sees the good in people. I am the cynical one that usually is so closed off and so fucking guarded that I can’t even flirt with the dude at the goddamn pool hall.”
“I just don’t want to see you get hurt.”
I shrugged. “I mean, it’s just dinner. There’s not too much harm in sharing a meal with the stranger that has my father’s heart…is there?”
Shaw chugged down the last of his beer. “Whatever you think is best. I just think it’s weird as fuck.”
“It is strange! It’s crazy as hell, but it’s just outrageous enough to be perfect. There’s something about him. I don't know exactly what it is, but it’s…” I trailed off, failing to find the right words to explain how drawn I was to Griffin. “Gah! I can’t explain it, but I have to get to know him. I need to do this, you know?”
Shaw nodded. “You know I will always have your back, and if you feel like this is the right decision then fucking go for it. You’re right, it’s just dinner.”
“Exactly,” I agreed, talking myself more and more into the decision.
“It’s not like you’re falling head over heels for this all-American hunk.” Shaw laughed to himself. “Now that would be some fucked-up shit. What if you married the dude that has your dad’s heart—is that incest?” His eyes started to water at the corners as his fit of hysterics took over.
“Don’t make this any creepier than it already is, dude.” I threw a dirty dishrag at his at face but he only laughed harder. “Shaw, seriously! This is already the most obscene situation of all fucking time.”
“Okay. Okay.” He took a few deep breaths while wiping the corners of his eyes. “On a very serious note, what are you gonna wear?”
I motioned to the outfit I had on: a plain tank top, skinny jeans, and combat boots—the usual.
Shaw shook his head. “Girl, I know this isn’t a date, but you have to at least put some effort into it.”
“I’ll put makeup on and a different shirt, but my boots and jeans stay on and my hair stays in a ponytail.”
Shaw got up from the table, holding his hand out to me. “Fine!” He started to walk toward my bathroom. “As long as I can pick out the shirt and do your makeup.”
I trotted after Shaw with Otis in tow. “You got yourself a deal.”
* * *
At five minutes to seven, my palms and pits were sweating. My hands were shaking. My heart was pounding. I couldn’t remember the last time I had been so nervous.
