Page 103 of Fighting the Forbidden

“Say, birthday!” Griff flashes a big, cheesy grin.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Molly

“You’re really not going to tell me where we’re going?” I reach over and rest my hand on Griff’s leg as he guides his car out of the Zips parking lot and onto the road. “We could go to your apartment.”

“We can stop there later if you want.” He flips the blinker on and smoothly turns the steering wheel. The old muscle car rumbles under us like a content jungle cat.

“You think Remy’s still mad at me?” I ask.

“He wasn’t mad at you,” Griff says. “Just frustrated with the situation.”

I fiddle with the fabric of my dress, twisting it between my fingers then releasing it. “I don’t know why the idea of the internship made me so scared.”

“Change is always scary.”

“But I’m not scared about graduating from high school. I can’t wait to do that.” It’s all the stuff I have to figure out afterward that leaves me frozen. “What was going on with Spoons and that weird guy?” I ask to change the subject. “It looked like you were going to kill him for a minute.”

“Nothing.” He answers so smoothly, I know he’s lying. “He needed a lesson in keeping his mouth shut.”

I run my hands over my dress again, pressing out the wrinkles. “Were they making fun of you for dating…me? Because I’m younger than you?”

“What?” He glances over, his face scrunched with concern. “No. Why would you think that?”

Because I thought I overheard them teasing you for calling me Muffin. “I don’t know.”

“No. That wasn’t it. And it wouldn’t matter if they did. They’re both fucking idiots.” He glances over again. “What’d you and Juliet talk about?”

Thank God it’s dark in Griff’s car. I’m blushing from head to toe. “Nothing much.”

“Secret stuff?” he teases.

“I guess.” My voice falters for a second. “She asked how we were doing.”

He chuckles softly and rubs his hand over his chin. “Juliet’s good people.”

He’s not worried or even curious about what specifically she asked? No. Griff has nothing to hide.

“You mind if we stop by the shop?” he asks. “I forgot something when I was there this morning.”

“Sure. It’s not still open, right?”

“No, Jerry closed hours ago.”

A chance for us to be alone. My heart thumps with happy anticipation.

The old gray building with several garage bays lined up on the side is dark as we pull into the parking lot.

Griff stops right in front of the glass front door.

My gaze darts around parts of the dark, empty parking lot where the glow from the security lights doesn’t reach.

“Can I come in with you?” He probably won’t be in there long, but I don’t want to sit in the car all by myself.

“Yeah, of course.” He shuts off the engine and opens his door. “Wait there.”

I dig in my purse for my lip balm and slick it over my lips quickly. My door swings open and Griff holds out his hand to me.

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