“Thanks,” she says with a shrug before she pushes back her shoulders. “I know at some point I’ll get to my when-one-door-closes-another-one-opens phase, but for now, it’s been a super fucking terrible day and I just need to wallow.”
“You have my full permission to wallow all you want. I’ll even give you a beer if you want when you’re done.”
“Got anything stronger than a beer?”
“Sure do. Vodka? Tequila? Bourbon? What’s your poison?”
“Vodka would be perfect.”
“Vodka it is. Towels are in that dryer right there,” I tell her, gesturing to the heated box next to the shower. Feel free to use anything in here. I hope you don’t mind the pajama pants.” I gesture to the ones I have on. “It’s kind of my thing.”
“I’m aware.” She smiles. “And it’s perfectly fine. Thank you again, Griffin. I really appreciate your kindness.”
“Of course. Anytime. If there’s anything else you need, just ask.”
I rejoin the group in the living room making small talk and then head to the kitchen to pour Layken a drink. “Corrigan, what does Layken like in her vodka?”
“Cranberry juice if you have it.”
I swing open the door to the fridge and smile when I spy a bottle of cranberry juice inside. “Yep. Got it.”
Several minutes later, Layken steps out into the living room, and my chest tightens all over again. Wearing a pair of light blue pajama pants with cinnamon rolls all over them that she’s rolled at the bottom and my hockey sweatshirt that is four sizes too big on her, she’s the cutest thing I think I’ve ever seen. Her wet blonde hair hangs down past her shoulders and she’s wearing a pair of black rimmed glasses that she didn’t have on before.
She must wear contacts.
Christ, she’s adorable in my clothes.
She wears those pajama pants like they were made for her.
Watching her from the kitchen, suddenly she’s not Layken Hobbs, Corrigan’s best friend.
She’s Layken Hobbs, the cutest most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen in my entire fucking life and I think I could spend the rest of eternity making sure that smile on her face never fades.
CHAPTER TWO
LAYKEN
Oh, my God!
I’m wearing Griffin Ollenberg’s clothes!
He smells good.
Or at least his laundry detergent smells good.
Maybe it’s his cologne, I don’t know, but wearing his clothes has enveloped me in a scent I’m not familiar with so it must be his. It’s earthy, maybe a little woodsy, and I don’t hate it.
I’m sure it has nothing to do with the fact I have a tiny crush on him and have for a couple years now. On the outside, I’m feeling the wrath of this sucky-ass day that has left me jobless, but in this immediate moment, on the inside, I’m fangirling like nobody’s business.
Because I just took a shower in Griffin Ollenberg’s bathroom and now I’m wearing Griffin Ollenberg’s clothes! Corrigan is never going to let me live this down.
The only thing that would have made this better would have been if Griffin had joined me in that shower and slid these clothes over me himself.
But let’s not go overboard or anything.
I may have a little fan girl crush on Griffin, but I’m also an adult who very much appreciates that he’s just a normal guy who has shown me kindness.
“You’ll never amount to anything without a degree.”