“I’m sorry for just barging in on you this morning like I did.” His eyes were looking everywhere but mine.
I put my hand on his shoulder, more for myself than to comfort him. I needed to feel him, needed to make sure he was real and not something my brain had conjured to bring me solace. “I honestly am so glad you did it the way you did.”
Griffin shifted a little, scooting his seat closer to mine. “Yeah? Are you just saying that?”
“No. If you had called or beat around the bush about it or something, I probably would have told you to stick it where the sun doesn’t shine and hid from reality in my little bubble.”
Griffin put his hand on my knee as he sighed. “I get that. Well, then thanks for hearing me out.”
“Don’t mention it. So, how’d you find me?” I had been curious about it all damn day.
“I figured out who my donor was by reading all the papers and shit from the day I had my surgery. That was the easy part. Then my sister-in-law and our friend convinced me a few weeks ago, on my birthday that I needed to seek you out to get some closure. A PI helped me put the missing pieces together, and here I am.”
“I’m glad you did.”
“So what is the deal with Shaw?” Griffin’s shoulders were tense as he chewed on his lip.
“Well, to ease your mind, Shaw is gay and has been my best friend since I can remember.”
Griff let out a long breath as his back and shoulders relaxed. “I was just curious.”
“Uh huh. I’m sure you were.” I playfully shoved his shoulder as his cheeks turned red.
“Hey, Olive?” He started to fidget with the soggy napkin under his beer.
“Yeah?”
“So, I know this all may be weird…” He kept fighting for the words as his face and neck got red. “But I just wanna show you the respect of being completely honest with you. I haven’t ever felt a connection with anyone the way that I feel with you right now. I get this overwhelming calm when I am near you, like it’s right where I am supposed to be. God, you must think I am one fry short of a happy meal.”
I put my hand onto his chest, and electricity shot through my body as I felt his heartbeat quicken. “I completely agree.”
A loud cough came from behind me. Griff and I both looked at the intruder and I sighed. “Larry, what do you want?”
He was standing with one foot resting on the rung of the stool next to mine. “Hey, Olive. Who’s your friend?”
I could feel Griffin tense up next to me as he grabbed my hand. “Griff, meet Larry. We went to school together.”
I turned to glance at Griffin. His jaw was churning as he nodded. “Hey man, how’re you doing?”
Larry crossed his arms over his chest, trying to look tough but he just looked like a douche. “Tryin’ to figure out why you’re here with my girl.”
I laughed out loud immediately. “Get over yourself, Lar. I don’t know how many times I have told you that you’re wasting your damn time.”
Griffin put his arm around me. “I think the lady has spoken, man.”
I liked that Griffin was being protective but not freaking out. I could tell he wanted to react a little more to Larry rudely interrupting our night, but he held back.
I waved to Larry. “See you around. I have a date to get back to.”
His shoulders deflated as he walked away without another word.
“Date?” Griffin raised an eyebrow at me.
I threw my hands in the air. “I really don’t know what else to call this,” She pointed between us before continuing, “and it sound normal.”
“Touché.”
We shot the shit for most of the evening, shooting darts, playing pool, drinking beer, and getting to know each other. I knew it wasn’t the dinner Griffin had in mind, but laughing at how terribly he played pool and crushing him at darts felt so natural. It didn’t feel like I was hanging out with a stranger; it felt like a reunion of two long-lost friends.
