Page 29 of Some Like It Hops

His gaze flicks to me, but I turn my back on him.

What’s to explain?

“Charlie, please,” he tries.

“She doesn’t want to see you,” Josie barks. “Steve! Johnny!”

Like I need my dad and brothers to join in on this. I turn around and look at Griffin, shaking my head. “Please just go.”

He deflates, but nods.

Josie watches him leave, hands on her hips. When the door to the brewery closes behind him, she turns back to me, eyes wide. “What did he say to you?” She rushes quickly toward the bar. “Like, before I came in. What did he say?”

My brother pops his head in from the beer room, looking back and forth between Josie and me. “Did you girls call us?”

Josie waves her hand dismissively. “Five minutes ago. Thanks for nothing.”

He frowns at me with a question in his eyes.

“It’s nothing,” I say. “Never mind.”

Jonny shrugs and slips back into the room.

“So? What did he say?”

“Nothing. You kicked him out of here too fast.”

Josie scoffs incredulously. “You wanted him here?”

“No,” I answer quickly. “No. But I might have heard him out.”

“Why?” Her lip curls. “It’s been, like, a whole month.”Six weeks, but who’s counting.“What could he possibly say? The guy’s a creep.”

She’s right. He’s given me no reason to think otherwise.

Josie taps her palms against the counter, bringing my attention back to her. “Who’s up for some takeout?”

I smile, passing the stack of local menus to her across the bar. She picks up the first one and her eyes light up. “Thai?”

“Sure.”

She starts reading through the menu items, but I’m only half paying attention. The way Griffin looked at me, that pleading look in his eyes… it took me six weeks to get him off my mind, and now, right when I’m feeling like everything’s going my way, he shows up looking more gorgeous than ever and so very, obviously,wounded.

Chapter Sixteen

Griffin

I’ve been sitting in my car for a good twenty minutes. If she has security cameras outside the warehouse, she’s probably going to call the cops soon.

But I can’t bring myself to leave.

It’s selfish, I know, the need to plead my case. But I just… Charlie deserves an apology. She deserves an explanation.

I press the Bluetooth button and open my mouth, then pause, catching myself before giving the command to call Brad. I release the button as a fresh wave of pain tightens my chest. Old fucking habits die hard, and I nearly just dialed Brad for advice.

Brad, the man who pretended to be my best friend all these years, all the while scheming and planning and trying to ruin me.

“Fuck.” I tighten my hands into fists and the knuckles on my right hand throb with the reminder that I’ve already punched two things today. I open and close my fingers, working the tension from my muscles.

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