Page 5 of Gifted To His Dad

Griffin’s crisp blue eyes glimmer as he smiles at me, catching me checking him out.

Heat crawls up my neck and into my cheeks. I’m frozen in place, unable to move from this spot where I feel like a deer caught in headlights. The moment snaps when my stomach growls loudly, giving away the fact that I haven’t eaten all day.

Cole pulls me into his chest before saying, “Now that introductions are over, let’s eat.”

They don’t let me help as they set up the table, spreading out the food. Cole takes his time filling my plate for me, careful to choose the best steak.

It’s a pale pink in the center, a perfect medium, just how I like it. Baked, seasoned baby potatoes right out of the oven and a fresh salad on the side. My mouth’s already watering as I take my first bite. A soft hum forms at the back of my throat.

Both men look at me, their gazes focused on my mouth. I swallow hard, ignoring the warmth traveling down my stomach.

I already knew Cole doesn’t speak to his mom and is much closer to Griffin, but I’ve always wanted to know more. I clear my throat. “So, how did you two meet? Cole told me a little about it but not the details.”

They look at each other as if in a silent conversation before coming back to me.

Griffin is the first to respond. “I made the mistake of marrying Cole’s mother after only knowing her for a few months. I didn’t even have time to meet Cole at that point since he’d been out of the country. It wasn’t until he was nineteen and moved back home that I really got to know him. Unfortunately, that lined up with his mother taking off and sending me divorce papers a week later.”

I expect him to look sad about it. After all, having a whirlwind relationship that ended up in a quick marriage sounds like the stuff from romance novels, but he looks bored with it. Like it’s just a random part of his past.

Unsure what to say, I default to, “I’m sorry that happened.”

Griffin grunts, noncommittal. “It’s fine.”

“Plus, you got me out of the deal.” Cole grins, not a worry in the world, not a doubt that Griffin is happy to have him in his life.

I know exactly how much it can hurt to have a parent abandon you, but if it affected Cole, he doesn’t show it.

The big man across from me wears a hint of a smirk. “There’s that.”

“You two seem close.” I dig a little deeper, unable to stop my eternal curiosity, no matter how much I try. I just hope I’m not prying too much.

“Definitely. Even without really knowing me, Griffin took me in and let me stay with him for the year before I headed off to college. I really don’t know what I would have done if he hadn’t. It’s not like I could get a hold of my mom, and I never met mybiological father. My mother always gave a different description of who he was. So I was basically screwed. Well, I would have been if Griffin didn’t take me in, feed, clothe me, and pay for my schooling.”

I take the glass of wine Griffin passes to me, his large hand engulfing the glass. His fingers graze mine, sending unwanted tingles down my arm. I should not be reacting to him, not when Cole’s sitting right beside me.

I clear my throat, trying to pull myself together. “So that was four years ago? You must really feel like family now.”

Both men take large gulps of their beers, Cole answering first. “You could say we’ve bonded over the years.”

I tilt my head, trying to read the look that passes between them. There’s something left unsaid, like they’re speaking their own language. I can’t begin to figure it out.

Griffin clears his throat, asking, “How about you? Your folks live by the college?”

My gut twists, driving acid up my throat. I hate talking about my family. Nothing good ever comes from it. For some reason, I really don’t want this man to know my father abandoned me. That he found me unworthy of being loved.

Cole squeezes my thigh under the table, then pulls me close so he can whisper, “You know you don’t have to worry about us. Griffin won’t judge you for your asshole father. If anything, he’d track him down and beat his ass.”

“Track who down?” Griffin’s deep timber is edged as he leans closer, startling me.

I didn’t realize he could overhear us. The wine tastes bitter as I finish off my glass, and Cole fills it again.

“My dad took off when I was younger, and my mom was never really around. She had several jobs, and I’m grateful that she could support me.” I leave out the fact that she made itknown every day that I was the reason she had to work so much. If it wasn’t for me, my father never would have left her.

I don’t notice I’ve finished another glass of wine until Griffin takes it. “Something tells me that’s not the whole story.”

I shrug, not sure how to respond to that without cutting myself open and showing all the damaged parts of me. There’s something about these two men that makes me feel like it wouldn’t be such a bad thing, like they’d help put me back together if I just trusted them.

“You look a little flushed. Maybe we should call it a night.” Cole’s warm thumb grazes over my cheek, and I lean into his touch.

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