Page 64 of Don't Fall For Your Brother's Best Friend

I’m so proud of him, and my mother is talking about getting the article framed. She wants to hang it up in the dining room.

I rush inside the brewery, dropping off the box of chocolates in the party room before I head around to say my hellos. Not that I even have time for that, but I can’t deny the fact that I’m bursting at the seams to see Griffin.

When I step into the kitchen he’s having a quick meeting with the other chefs.

“I want tonight to go smoothly. If you need anything you make sure I know about it before it becomes a problem. We’ve got everything prepped, so I don’t see running out of things a problem.”

The other chefs nod, and Griffin smiles at me when I step up closer.

“Remember, if Anya needs anything you make sure the party is top priority,” he says, dismissing them afterward.

“How’s it going?” I ask him.

“We’re good to go for tonight.”

I smile, wanting desperately to mention the text. To talk about everything that’s going on between us. “I need to print out the menus in my office.”

“I’ll come with you,” Griffin says, following me out of the kitchen.

It's not unusual to have him come with me to print out the menus, so nobody even questions us as we walk into my office. I fire up my computer, starting the printing job and then I lean back in my chair as Griffin stands over me.

“I’ve missed the fuck out of you,” he says, knowing nobody can hear him except me.

“My mother knows about us,” I tell him, more so to gauge his reaction to the news.

The look of surprise on his face is unexpected. He almost appears afraid. “She’s not going to tell anyone, is she?”

I stand from my chair, crossing my arms. “Would it be so awful if she did?”

Griffin’s eyes search mine, a mix of worry and confusion. He steps away from me, plunging a hand into his dark locks. “Um, yes, Anya. I’m not ready to tell anyone just yet.”

I park a hand on my hip, frustration bubbling up. “And when will you be ready? Once I pop out a few kids? Will you be ready then?”

He steps closer, his eyes blazing into mine. “No, I just…I don’t know. I want to tell everyone…” His words trail off when there’s a knock on my office door.

I open it to find Tripp standing there. “There you are,” he says, walking into my office. “Callum sent me here to find the tablecloths. Do you know where they are?”

I let out a frustrated breath, trying to push down the turmoil roiling inside me. “Yeah, they’re in this box.” I move to the shelf behind my desk, pulling out a big box of tablecloths. “Here.”

“Did I interrupt something?” Tripp asks, his eyes volleying back and forth between Griffin and me.

“No, it’s fine,” Griffin says, his voice tight as he leaves my office. I’m left standing there, even more confused than I was before. Why the secrecy?

I help Tripp with the tablecloths, trying to focus on the task at hand. Before long, the party room transforms from ordinary to spectacular, with vibrant colors and elegant decorations. Despite the beauty of the room, my mind is still spinning with questions.

Why is Griffin so afraid to let others know about us? What is he so worried about? As I arrange the last tablecloth, I can't shake the feeling that this secrecy might be a sign of deeper issues. And I wonder, how long can we keep hiding before it all comes crashing down?

Chapter 24

Griffin

I feel as if there’s a weight on my shoulders that is currently getting heavy to bear. As I swiftly walk toward the kitchen, everything that just happened in Anya’s office plays in a loop in my mind.

“My mother knows about us?”

“When will you be ready? When I pop out a few kids?”

I feel a drop of sweat trickle down my back as I push into the kitchen. The secret we’ve been keeping is slowly coming to the surface and I’m not ready for the fallout of it.