Page 66 of A Hard Fit

Finn pinched his brows together. “Is he okay? Is he safe right now?”

“Yes, he’s at my parents’. He’s safe, but not really okay. He sometimes…shuts down.”

“I don’t mean to sound like a dick, but can’t your parents deal with this? Griffin is an adult.”

Rory shook their head, jaw tight. “Griffin responds better to me. I need to be there for him.”

“But I spent the whole day making room for you. The surprise…” Finn trailed off lamely.

“I know, Finn. But I have to go. You wouldn’t really understand.”

It was like a bucket of cold water. “I wouldn’t understand?”

“You never have to be there for your family—”

“What?”

Rory sighed. “I just mean—”

“No, what did you say? I’m never there for my family?”

“That’s not what I said.”

“Sounded like it to me.”

“Well…you’re not, are you?”

Finn stared at Rory, wordless.

“Fuck, I’m sorry, Finn.” Rory sagged. “I didn’t mean… I’m just worried about Griffin and—”

“Yeah. You’d better get going. Your brother needs you.”

“Finn, don’t—” Rory paused and studied him. “Do you want to come with me?”

“Do I want to come? Seriously?”

“Yeah. Seriously. You should. I’d like you to.”

Finn pictured the waiting picnic. He pictured sitting in his dark house, eating mini-quiches alone on the couch. There were two options here—pout, or step up for his partner. “Give me a second.” He ran to the studio, blew out the candles, grabbed the plate of quiches then hustled back to the kitchen where he dumped them into a Tupperware container. “Here, you can eat in the car. I’ll drive.”

* * * *

“Griffin?” Rory called. They were standing at the door to the main floor powder room in the Barretts’ house. Lainey and Jonathan didn’t look quite as put together as they had at dinner the night before. Lainey was in yoga pants, not a hint of makeup, and Jonathan’s ragged sweater had a hole on the elbow. They hadn’t been surprised to see Finn at all, and simply pointed them in the direction of the closed door.

There was no reply.

Rory tried again. “Are you okay, Griffin? Talk to me, please.” The lines on Rory’s face were drawn. They rested their palm on the door. “Please, Griff.”

Then they heard it. A low mutter. “I’m okay.”

Rory sighed with relief. “What’s up, Griffin? Tell me what’s going on.”

There was another long pause, then he spoke again. “Bryn broke up with me.”

“Shit. I’m so sorry.”

“I told her it would be different this time.”

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