Page 91 of A Perfect Match
“Rude,” I supply for her.
“You’re the rude one,” Griffin shoots back under his breath.
“Kids,” Mom says, in the same voice she used when we were in elementary school.“We have a guest.Let’s behave.”
“She’s saying that to all of you.”I gesture with my fork at all four of my brothers.
Silverware clinks against plates for a few tense moments as we continue eating.Finally, Mom turns to Kru.“So tell me again where you’re living.”
“Right behind Griffin,” Kru says.
“Oh!How convenient,” Mom enthuses.
“Not convenient,” Griffin mutters.
“So you already bought a home here in Bayshore,” Mom says.
“No, it’s short-term rental.I’m in the middle of renovating the space above the restaurant and plan to move in there.”Kru pauses, and I can almost feel the doubt creep through him before he continues.“Where Piper used to live.”
The words take a few moments to settle, and each passing second feels like an hour.Griffin knows the truth about what happened there, but I don’t know if he’s spilled the beans to the rest of the family yet.Curious glances bounce around the table.My entire body is tense.
“So you decided to renovate the apartment after Piper moved in with Griffin?”Asher asks.
Kru glances between me and Asher, like checking with me on how to move forward.But I have no idea how to move forward.I just need us to move through it, and be done with it.
“No, I uh…well, my plans for the business included me living above it and so I, uh…” Kru’s throat bobs and he sets his silverware down.“I had to ask her to move out.”
The silverware stops clinking.Now all eyes are on me again.
“You kicked her out?”Jett asks.
Kru pauses.“Notkicked—”
“Sothat’swhy you moved in with Griffin!”Jett says it with an ah-ha tone.
“Yes, that’s why I moved in with Griffin,” I say, trying to keep my voice neutral.But really, my limbs are buzzing and I feel caught somehow.
“And you seriously brought him here for dinner?”Dane asks.
“It was an unfortunate situation,” I concede, “but not one that Kru designed to hurt me or anything.”
“I didn’t know she was my neighbor when I bought the building,” Kru adds.
“Did you know about this?”Asher asks Griff.
He nods glumly.“Sure did.”
“Why didn’t you tell us?”Asher asks.
“She asked me not to,” Griff explains.
“Okay, can we talk about something else?”I move my hands through the air like expelling a bad smell.“Please.Anything else.Kru, what should we talk about?”
“Have you told them about the progress—?”He stops short at the same time I see the realization flash through his eyes.
He’s trying.I’ll give him that.I deflate slightly as I cut off another bite of pork.The questions are immediate.
“What progress?”Griffin asks.
