CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CASEY
“Griff! Look!” I gasp, pointing across the length of the farmer’s market. “They have zinnias this week!”
Griffin lifts his sunglasses, peering at the farm market stall I point out. “Oh, hell yes. Just what we need for the living room.”
I squeal, grabbing Griffin’s hand as we head that way. It’s yet another farmer’s market Saturday—we haven’t missed a single one—and we’ve made it a habit to pick out a new summer flower bouquet every weekend, along with other farmer’s market goodies that we select for each other.
Because we’re just friends.
And this isn’t absolutely my dream life that I’m living: reading books, recording my thoughts, sleeping with my best friend, and attending farmer’s markets on the regular.
You better pinch yourself, because this is ending in less than a month.
Jake never cared about zinnias. Griffin gets excited about zinnias. As if I need any more proof that Griffin is my dream man, he has the audacity to oooh and aaah at the color varieties upon arrival to the flower stand.
God, I love this man.
I love him so much that I cannot stand the thought of moving back to Chicago after my sister’s wedding.
But what else am I supposed to do? I’m emailing with two different Chicago companies right now, and both are oddly enthusiastic about beginning the interviewing process with me.
He’ll be starting another hockey season.
I’m holding on to that reality for him, even if he can’t do the same right now.
He’s made it more than clear that he has no room for love in his life. And I respect that. Even if I disagree with it.
And after his recent call with his agent, I know he’s going to be doubling down on his focus. More time spent in Cleveland during the week, more rehab sessions, more hockey.
It just means that I need to get myself in the right headspace soon. Each day, that mid-August move-out date is drawing nearer. Which means all the sweetness of this summer in Bayshore is one day closer to ending.
Griffin and I spend a lot of time picking out the best bouquet. I don’t even care which one we get, really, I just love being here, doing it with him while he has some free time on a weekend. Before this summer evaporates and becomes a memory.
He holds all our goodies as we drift through the rest of the market—the bouquet, the new T-shirt I insisted on getting, a new set of hand-carved wooden spoons, a bundle of lavender—and he only stops to pose for pictures twice with fans, which is fewer than his farmer’s market average.
By the time we get back to his truck, a text from Branson arrives in our group chat.
brANSON: POOL PARTY 2 DAY. You coming. Not a question. It’s a command.
GRIFFIN: I guess we’re coming. Where?
brANSON: Liddell’s house out on Bayview Drive. Gonna be huge. Everyone’s coming. CU THERE.
Griffin and I exchange a look as he starts the engine.
“All right. Cancel everything. It’s pool party time,” I say with a grin.
“Good thing you didn’t have to work tonight,” he says. “I’m in the mood for letting off some steam. Once Monday hits, I gotta hit the grindstone again.”
“So is this kind of the end of your summer?”
“Yeah. The last weekend where I can let loose,” he confirms.
“Let’s make it one to remember. I’m definitely in the mood for a pool party,” I say, fanning myself. “It’s not even noon and it’s already ninety degrees.”
Griffin’s gaze sweeps over me. “I don’t even know what type of bathing suit you have.”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?”
“Yes. Desperately.”
I run my hand along his thigh. “Just imagine…a two piece.”
“Go on.”
“Kelly green.”
He bites his bottom lip, nodding. “Oh yeah.”
“And that’s it.”
We both burst into laughter.
“Will you model it for me when we get home?” He gives me a puppy dog look that makes heat flush through my body. How on earth could I say no to this man? Especially when he looks at me like this?
“I will literally do whatever you ask me to, Griffin. You have to know this by now.”
“You give me too much power.”
“I trust you with it.”
He sears me with a look then scoops my hand into his and brings my knuckles to his lips.
“We’re gonna have to get some things out of our system before we see all our friends,” he announces.
“Yeah, I’m sensing that.”
“I don’t know how I’m supposed to keep my hands off you for the entire length of a pool party,” he whines.
“You’re gonna have to figure out a way,” I tease. The truth is, I don’t mind if our friends find out. I just wouldn’t know what to tell them once they start asking questions. I know what Griffin wants, and I know what I want. And they are not the same.
If I had my way, we’d fall headfirst into this beautiful thing we’ve been building since day one of my return to Bayshore. By all accounts, we have. But since that call from his agent this week, he’s been pumping the brakes more. And I’m just along for the ride.
Once we’re back at the house, Griffin wastes no time getting things out of his system.
He gets it out of his system on the couch, then again in his bed, and one final time with my legs over his shoulders and his face buried between my legs.
I am a walking pile of goo by the time I get my kelly green bikini on.
Griffin’s hands are all over me yet again as we load up the truck for the party.
I’m texting with Roxie and the girls as well, who all plan to be there.
The girl squad is ready for tanning and summer bevvies, so I pack a cooler full of fizzy, summery drinks, a six pack of beers, and a bunch of snacks from the fridge.
Griffin adds a few pool toys from the garage last minute, which I didn’t even know he had.
I love a man who’s prepared for anything, including pool parties.
I begin to ruminate on all of Griffin’s excellent qualities.
His protectiveness. His thoughtfulness. His strength. His compassion.
In fact, I can’t think of a single flaw that this man has. Except the outrageous way he mops floors.
Otherwise, he is perfection in male athletic form, and I think I may be head over heels for him until the day I die.
But that’s enough contemplating about my roommate who’s sort of my boyfriend only for the summer. We’re ready to unwind with friends by a pool, gosh darn it. As he’s pulling into the huge cul-de-sac in front of Liddell’s mansion, I look over at him.
“You got everything out of your system, right?” I love teasing him about this. He has to see how painfully good we are together, right? The sweetness of this, the ease—he has to feel it too.
“Mmm, I’m not sure. Hang on.” He pulls me into a kiss, then nods. “Okay, I’m ready.”
We unload the pool noodles, the banana inflatable, the brontosaurus ride-on, and the cooler of goodies, heading to the side yard, which leads to the huge pool area in the back.
Sounds of the party reach us—water splashing, the thumping of electronic music, random bursts of laughter.
As soon as we push open the wrought iron gate that leads to the back, Grant Liddell is in front of us with a big smile.
“Griffin! Casey! So glad you guys could make it.” He gives Griffin a bro-shake and then offers to take the pool toys from me. “Things are just heating up. Go make your rounds. Almost everyone is here already.”
We’re barely four steps in before we start seeing our friends.
Branson is here with his girl Kylie. Roxie, Sara, and Julie are clustered at a table on the terrace, waving my way, already holding up the chardonnay they got for me.
I spot some of the Daly brothers at the other end of the pool, deep in conversation with a few people I recognize from City Hall.
“Everyone really is here,” I say with a laugh. I linger at Griffin’s side a moment longer before I realize I’m supposed to go do my thing now. Without him. Because we’re just friends and nobody is supposed to know that his dick was shoved down my throat a mere hour ago.
“Um,” I begin awkwardly, remembering to keep my hands to myself. “I’m gonna…just…head over there.”
“Hey, Griffin! Hey, Casey!” An old high school friend named Erin drifts past, waving. “Long time no see! Oh my god, are you two together now?”
My mouth parts but no response comes out. I can see the same surprise reflected on Griffin’s face.
“No,” I blurt, “we’re just friends.”
“Case has been living with me temporarily,” Griffin offers. “Before she moves back to Chicago.”
“Oh! My bad!” Erin reaches out to squeeze my wrist before drifting off again. “You guys would be super cute together though.”
I offer Griffin a forced smile before heading over to the girls.
Are we that obvious? We weren’t even touching each other.
I try to put it behind me as I join Roxie, Julie, and Sara at the high table.
This is quintessential summer, flowering bushes scenting the air, a hot breeze wafting through, while we gaze upon the glittering, perfectly blue pool.
“God, I love coming to Liddell’s,” Julie says with a sigh.
“He’s single, right?” I ask. “Maybe you and Grant should start getting cozy.”
Sara laughs. “Like you and Griffin?”
“Hey,” I say, but my voice withers before I can add more. It seems everyone thinks we’re a couple and we’re not even doing anything. Well, not here anyway.
“Are you guys…you know…” Roxie lifts her brows.
“No,” I say flatly, avoiding everyone’s gazes. “We, uh…no.” I feel wrong lying to them, but I’d rather avoid it all until Griffin and I can get on the same page.
“Why do I not believe you?” Sara says with a giggle.
“We’re friends,” I say, finally daring myself to look them in the eye. “And now we live together.” Because that’s still the truth. We are still friends who live together…with a spicy layer on top.