Chapter 3
“I have a feeling there’s a lot more to the woman behind the biting words.” Griffin’s eyes meet mine while a playful smile tilts his lips.
The way he’s looking at me makes me feel like he can see right into my soul. It’s as if he’s searching for the answer to who I am—like he wants to uncover everything there is to know about me.
Although I don’t know anything about the man except that he rights his wrongs, knows the best place to get hot chocolate in eastern Tennessee, and is trying to catch his break as an actor—even if the fact that he wants to be an actor feels like a potential red flag—I can’t help but feel the same way.
There’s a feeling deep in my gut that has me wanting to peel back all the layers of this handsome man and discover who he is at his core.
I shoot him a flirty smile. “Just like there’s more to the man behind the pretty face.”
“You think I’m pretty?” His grin is more genuine than cocky.
I never thought I’d consider dating someone long-distance, let alone an actor.
Heck, he could even be preparing for his audition right now.
But it’s the little things like his lopsided smile and how he pressed snow to my hands immediately after burning me that make me feel like I can trust him regardless of the flirty persona he puts off.
Deep down, I think I’ll regret it if I don’t try to see if there’s something between us.
“I think you already know that you’re pretty.
” I pull my hands farther into the sleeves of my sweater, like a turtle retreating into its shell, before taking another sip of my snickerdoodle hot chocolate.
I wasn’t exaggerating when I said it was the best cup I’ve ever had.
It’s warming my soul, and Griffin calling the teaching profession noble is filling my heart right alongside it.
“I like your fiery spirit.” Griffin takes a sip of his drink, his smirk barely visible behind the mug.
“I like your face,” I deadpan.
“Tell me something I don’t already know.” He winks.
Winks! I don’t think I’ve ever had a man wink at me before, but Griffin makes it look effortless. I’m pretty sure if I tried to return the action, it would look like I have something stuck in my eye that I’m desperately trying to get out.
“I think you’re going to land that movie role,” I say instead.
“Really?” His eyes widen slightly as if I caught him off guard.
“Yeah, you’ll fit right in with the rest of Hollywood since you seem to be oozing confidence.”
His shoulders fall like a deflated balloon, and I wonder if I took my jesting too far. I’ve been known to do that a time or two…or a hundred.
Griffin is smooth—like creamy peanut butter or soft-serve ice cream. I’m the exact opposite: a blunt girlie.
That saying about honesty being the best policy?
Yeah, that’s not always true. I like calling things as they are, but I’ve learned over time that not everyone feels the same about the truth.
That’s why I love working with kids; they never fail to tell you how it is with the bluntness of a butter knife.
I’ve tried to work on myself over the years because I don’t want people to think I’m a horrible person.
But sometimes, my mouth moves faster than my brain can process what I’m saying.
At least my besties since sixth grade—Kelsey, Alyssa, and Shayna—know me well enough by now to call me out if I go too far.
I’m thankful they’ve stuck by my side over the years. Not everyone has.
I think it’s the main reason I’ve never been in love. Some guys like what some might call ‘mean flirting’ in the beginning. But no boyfriend has ever stuck with me for the long haul. I’m holding out for someone who loves me, sass and all.
With the way that Griffin’s demeanor just changed, I’m wondering if he’s just another man that I’m too much for.
When his eyes meet mine, I hold my breath, waiting for him to say, This was fun, but I need to be…anywhere else but here. See ya never.
Surprisingly, his mouth tilts into a lopsided grin, although his eyes don’t have the same twinkle they held moments ago. “If only confidence were all it took to land a movie.”
I let out a long breath, finally feeling like I can exhale again. “Is there something holding you back? A reason you’re not landing roles?”
“You mean aside from the casting directors?” He runs a hand along his stubbled chin. “I think I’m scared to try. And by try, I mean really try.”
That wasn’t the answer I was expecting from the confident man in front of me.
“Why’s that?”
“If I put my all—my whole self—into getting a role in the audition process and end up not getting the role, I’m not sure how I’d recover.”
“I’ve never auditioned for anything in my life, not even a school talent show, so you can take what I’m about to say with a grain of salt.
But I think if you’re walking into an audition with the mindset that you need to hold back, I’m sure the casting people can see that.
I don’t know anything about the Hollywood industry, but I’m not sure many people are willing to risk the success of their movie on someone who only dips their toes in. ”
He nods along with my statement. “That’s fair.”
“Maybe they’re looking for a star who’s willing to dive right in without hesitation. So, I guess the question you might want to consider is this: Would you rather risk it all and land your dream role, or hold yourself back and potentially regret that you didn’t show them what you can do?”
He blows out a low whistle. “Has anyone ever told you that you have a way of saying things they’re thinking but are too scared to admit out loud?”
“More times than I can count.” My laugh is dry, and I hope he can’t hear the hesitancy behind it.
“I hope this doesn’t come across too strong, but I’ve never met someone like you before.” Griffin clasps his hands on the table. “Everything about you is refreshing.”
I’ve hardly spent any time with this man, but I already feel seen by him. I know I’m not everyone’s cup of tea with my blunt honesty, but he seems to like me more for it.
“Like the fact that you can put me in my place but seem to love the color pink.” He gestures to my sweater, and I smile.
“I like to think that I can be feminine and have rough edges.”
Griffin nods. “I believe you can do anything you put your mind to or be anything you want to be, Mallory.”
His eyes are kind, but his tone is serious, as if he’s urging me to believe the words he’s saying.
“You should believe that same sentiment about yourself.”
He pulls his lips into his mouth and is quiet for a moment until he meets my eyes again. “You know what? You’re right. I’ll give it my best shot during my audition tomorrow. It’s not like I have anything to lose.”
I ball up my hand and extend it across the table. He knocks his fist against mine. “You can’t succeed if you don’t try.”
“To trying.” Griffin raises his half-full mug of hot chocolate toward me. “Regardless, if we fail or succeed.”
I lift my mug, clinking it with his. “Cheers.”
After finishing off my drink, I set the empty mug on the table and wrap my arms around my middle. “I want to know more about you. Tell me, Griffin, who’s the man behind the wannabe actor persona?”
“You don’t pull any punches.” He laughs. “Let’s see. I was born and raised right down the road in Lover’s Grove.”
I hold up a hand as my mouth falls open. “Your town is legitimately named Lover’s Grove?”
“Yep.” The smile on his face is wistful, like he’s told the story a million times but never tires of it. “The founder of our small town was so in love with the woman he met just before founding the town that he named it Lover’s Grove as an ode to her.”
“Please tell me they got married.”
Griffin nods. “They were happily married for fifty-four years and lived in the town until they both passed just two days apart from each other. It was like they loved each other so much that they couldn’t live without the other.
People say that when you meet your soulmate in our town, you’re bound to be tied together forever.
Legend says the town has a way of pushing people together. ”
“Have you never been in love then? Or do you not believe the town’s folktales?”
“I think the older women in town have a horrible habit of playing matchmaker and forcing people together. But that doesn’t mean there isn't any truth behind some of the crazy love stories I’ve heard.
” He runs a hand through his brown hair, leaving it perfectly messy and making him even more attractive.
“As for me, I had puppy love in high school but never true love. The kind where I meet a woman that makes loving her easy, and everything else fades into the background.”
If a handsome, charming man like him can’t find love, there’s no hope for the rest of us. “I’m sure you’ll find her.”
“You never know, she may just show up at my door in a pink velvet dress singing Christmas carols.” He makes direct eye contact with me as he says this, making my cheeks match my sweater.
“But I had this nightmare that I’m going to bungle it by ruining her drink and burning her hands in the process. ”
“It sounds like you’ll have a dilemma on your hands,” I say, playing along with his little game.
“One that I’ll do anything to fix. I can’t disappoint all of Lover’s Grove, after all.”
“Was that your house that we sang at?”
He nods. “My parents’ house. My apartment lease ended in October, so I’ve been staying with them for the last two months while I’ve auditioned.”
Usually, the thought of a man living at home would scare me away in about 0.2 seconds, but his reasoning seems sound. There’s no point in his paying for an apartment that he’d have to leave if he landed a big movie role.
I can’t help but think that maybe all the tales about Lover’s Grove may not be fictional. Maybe there’s some merit to them if it brought me to this man’s front door.
“Does your grandma live with your parents as well?”
He nods. “We share a wall. She knocks four times every evening to say, ‘Good night, Griffie.’”
My heart is melting. And my heart doesn’t melt. But this man…he’s something else. The more I learn about him, the more I like who he is.
“You knock back, right?” I deadpan, even though I’m teasing.
“Do I knock back?” he scoffs. “I’d have to be soulless not to.”
I wipe my hand across my forehead. “Whew, good. I don’t have to fake an emergency then. What else should I know about you?”
“How long do you have?”
“My day’s wide open.”
Even if it weren’t, I’d cancel all my plans to spend more time with him.