Page 68 of The Check Down

Paige introduces my parents to Beau quickly, but then they’re gone, and the four of us are in our own bubble again. Dad small-talks with Griff while Mom rummages in her purse. As for me, I indulge in this moment, committing every detail to memory.

“Aha, found it.” Mom holds up another velvet pouch and jiggles it. “I brought you a little something, Griffin.”

He takes the pouch and empties two smooth, glossy stones into his broad palm.

“This one…” Mom holds up the green stone. “This is green aventurine. Its properties provide good luck and protection.”

“Can always use both of those.” He nods at the one left in his palm, his expression open, genuinely interested. “And the pink one?”

With a smirk, she peers at the matching pink stone hanging around my neck. “That, my dear, is rose quartz.” She places the aventurine back in his palm. “It’s known as the love stone.”

Throat bobbing, he zeroes in on me, his expression so heated I melt a little under it. “Gonna take real good care of that one, then.”

He’s careful as he returns the stones to the pouch. Then he zips it in a side pocket of his duffel. “Thank you, Celeste. I’ll treasure them.”

She leans over the barrier to hug him, and when she pulls away, she winks at me, a gesture I interpret asyou’ll treasure him, too.

The players around us dole out goodbye hugs and begin pulling away from their loved ones, then head out to the buses. In my periphery, Beau kisses Paige, and then he stops beside Griffin. “Good to meet you folks,” he says to my parents. With a smack to his friend’s bicep, he says, “See you on the bus,” and then he’s gone.

My throat burns as sadness courses through me. I don’t relish having to say goodbye to my parents, or even Griffin, even though I’ll see him again in a matter of hours. This bonding time has meant everything to me.

“Load up, boys!” a deep voice bellows from outside.

“I’ve gotta head out.” Griffin hefts his bag and holds out his hand to my dad. “So good to meet y’all. I’ll try to ambush more Nelson family Zooms in the future.”

Chuckling, Dad clasps his hand and gives it a shake. “The more the merrier. Thank you again for today.”

Griffin nods and moves in to hug my mom again, but before he can pull her in, she grasps his forearm. “Listen,” she says, her voice full of concern. “Before you go, I have to ask: do you know about the pillow trick?”

“Mother.” Mortification swamps me.Please tell me she did not ask him that.

“What?” she asks, her expression one of pure innocence. “I’m just trying to make sure my baby girl is satisfied in the bedroom.”

Oh God. If the concrete beneath my feet could split open and swallow me, I’d be forever grateful. Cold sweat drips down my spine as I scan our surroundings. I’m relieved at least a modicum that the people around us seem too busy with their own goodbyes to pay us any mind.

But Griffin is unfazed. With an arm around her, he says, “Celeste. I do know about the pillow trick. Rest assured, your Moonbeam will be well taken care of.”

She pats his chest. “Good.”

Holy hell. My face flames with the heat of ten-thousand suns, along with the rest of me. I push the sleeves of my sweatshirt up in an effort to cool my overheated skin.

Once he’s released my mother, Griffin erases the distance between us and nudges my chin up, his touch anchoring me. “Hey.” Lips tipped up, he studies me, probably taking in my still-pink skin, and reverence lights up his irises, making them glow oh so blue. He slips the hand from my chin around my jaw, then tucks my hair behind my ear and clasps the side of my neck. “See you at home.”

My lips part, but words are impossible. My heart stumbles when he inches his hand across my shoulder and down the entire length of my arm, his touch burning a path through the fabric of my sweatshirt. When he reaches my hand, he pulls it to his face and presses his lips to the inside of my wrist, holding his kiss against my pulse point long enough to make it race.

With one last smile for my parents and a wink for me, he’s striding for the doors.

I scrutinize my wrist in shock, certain his warm lips have etched a permanent brand onto my skin. Evidence I can reference in thefuture when the memory becomes fuzzy. But other than the blue veins pulsing beneath it, my ivory skin is unmarked.

“Well, that was hot.” Paige braces an elbow on my mom’s shoulder and fans herself.

“Right?” Mom grins. “The energy those two exude when they’re together? It’s potent. I saw glimmers of it on the video call, but in person? Mwah.” She does an obnoxious chef’s kiss gesture.

Paige nods right along like she couldn’t agree more.

“Did you see that, Har?” Now my mother drags my poor dad into her meddling. “Isn’t he the perfect match for our Moonbeam?”

My father nods, brows lowered. “An Aquarius and a Libra. A solid love match.”

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