Page 11 of Don't Fall For Your Brother's Best Friend
“Those are my favorites too. And yes, I make them.”
“Wow, I’m impressed. You should make them for the parties. Wrap them, and you can give them out at the end of the party. Or have them on the place setting for when they sit down.”
“I never thought of that.” I smile, loving the idea Griffin’s come up with. I glance at my phone, noticing the time. “We should get going. It’s late.” I hate keeping Griffin late, because I know he has to be back here bright and early tomorrow morning. I feel bad.
“Stay here. I’ll run and get your notebook. What color is it?”
I shake my head. “No way.” I rush up the stairs, and Griffin follows quickly behind. “I don’t want you flipping through it.”
He laughs. “Is it like a diary?”
I reach the landing, and make my way to the back of the restaurant to the room where the parties will be held. I swipe my pink notebook off the table and hug it close, breathing hard. “Maybe.”
Griffin stands at the door, watching, waiting, leaning against the door jamb. A smirk graces his face, and he crosses his arms. “Now I’m intrigued.”
“You’re not going to read any of this.” There’s not much hidden in the pages of this silly notebook, but I love the way I’ve got his attention.
I walk closer to the door, and he takes up the whole of it. How will I get past him?
“Tell me one thing nobody else knows, and I’ll let you pass,” he says.
I blink up at him, thinking about what I could tell him. My heart races, and it’s growing hot in here. “Umm, Willow told me that she thinks you’re good-looking.”
Griffin’s eyes twitch ever so slightly, but I notice. “Willow’s dating Lake. Try again.”
“Okay, she did say it, but she said it because she thinks…” I can’t believe I’m about to say this. “She thought you and I could date.”
Griffin swallows, not saying anything, and I’m mortified.
I cut him off, wanting the awkwardness to disperse immediately. “But I told her that was crazy. You and I would never date.” I laugh. “Could you imagine?” I ask, laughing more. I want to die. “Never never,” I add on for good measure.
Griffin chuckles softly. “Yeah, never.”
Chapter 4
Griffin
“Damn it, Tripp. I’ve had this burger up in the window for five minutes. Stop fucking around and get the food out when it’s ready,” I shout, wiping down the line.
He grabs the plate, mumbling under his breath, but rushes off when I snap my head and he sees my narrowed eyes.
“Chef, you all right?” Jared, my sous-chef asks.
That’s a loaded question.
Everything is great. Anya’s first party is tonight. The room we used to use for storage looks fantastic. She has tables set around with crisp white linens. There are candles on all of the tables and string lights hung around the room. The big window with a view of the courtyard is a feature now.
I busted my ass working on the menu to make sure it’s perfect. We decided to go with filet, grouper, and a vegetarian pasta option. Everything has been delivered this morning and I’ll be starting to prep soon.
The thing that has me snapping at everyone is something that really is a moot point. When Anya confessed that Willow said Anya and I should date, I felt something in my chest tighten. My pulse raced and for just a moment I allowed myself to imagine what that would be like. The idea of being able to do things to Anya that I’ve only fantasized about a handful of times had my skin overheating.
I stared at her, wanting her in that moment more than I wanted my next breath, and then she laughed. She repeated over and over how something like that would never happen and she laughed again.
It was a slap of reality to my face and to my cock.
I promised Callum years ago I would never date his sister. It’s not something that will ever happen. Not even if Anya truly wanted it. I’d have to deny her.
I’m wondering if I could ever deny her anything.