Page 100 of What If I See You

“Yeah. She works at the hospital where I used to work.”

She nods, listening. “I see.”

“Anyway, it was this whole thing at the time. There was a water main break in my apartment building and we weren’t going to have water for about a week while the city did repairs and I was a hot mess of sadness and confusion and I didn’t know what to do and Griffin was gracious enough to offer me his guest room. And then the team invited me to tag along to Napa and Griffin was so kind to me. He just wanted to help get my mind off of losing my job and feeling down about myself. He wanted to help make me smile.”

Gail smiles. “Sounds like Griffin.”

“One hundred percent. But we both drank a little too much one night and we were walking through the festival markets at Napa and then we found ourselves standing in front of this little wedding chapel.”

“Uh huh.” She smirks. “And is this where you tied up my son and carried him into a chapel to say I do?”

My brows furrow. “What? Oh, my gosh, no. I would never…” I shake my head, my heart beating loudly in my ears.

She takes a sip of her wine. “So, you didn’t force Griffin into anything then? He made the choice of his own accord?”

I consider what she’s asking me. “Well, yes, but?—”

She rests her hand over mine on the countertop and looks at me pointedly. “Then this is not all your fault, Layken.”

“Wait…” I shake my head slowly wondering if the wine is really getting to me that quickly. “What?”

Gail smiles. “My son has done some very stupid things in his lifetime, Layken.” She pats my hand and looks out toward the living room before glancing back at me. “But I don’t think marrying you was one of them.”

My eyes glisten and I try to blink back the tears to no avail. “Mrs. Ollenberg, I think I might be in love with your son.”

“Oh, I know you are dear. And as I said before, he’s crazy about you.”

I swipe at my tears with my fingertips. “But how do you really know?”

“Ask me how many times he’s brought a girl home to meet his family,” she says, taking a sip of her wine.

My eyes flick to Griffin and then back to his mother. I don’t even have to ask before she’s shaking her head.

“Never?” I ask, bewildered.

“Not once.”

“But…why?”

She shrugs her shoulder. “Because until you, he’d always told us he’d never found someone worth our time. He knew they weren’t the one and didn’t want to start a relationship between us and his partner that he knew wouldn’t last.” She drinks her wine slowly. “But you…” She smiles and nods her head. “You’re good for him. And he for you.”

“He’s perfect,” I say, absentmindedly watching him laugh with Gage over a video on Gage’s phone.

“Oh, sweet girl, he’s far from perfect and I can say that because I’m his mother,” she laughs. “But sometimes…sometimes, Layken. Love shows up in the oddest of ways and always when you’re least expecting it.”

“So…you’re not…upset?”

“Just the opposite actually.” Her eyes sparkle and her grin grows wider. “I get a front row seat to watch you two fall in love and flourish together. Call me a hopeless romantic but I’m damn sure this will be better than any romance book I could ever read.” She takes hold of my hand and gives it a loving squeeze and I just want to cry my eyes out.

Because I’ve never felt so loved in my entire life.

I squeeze her hand back and mouth, “Thank you, Gail.”

CHAPTER NINETEEN

GRIFFIN

August

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