Chapter 19
The Christmas Eve celebration with Mallory’s family feels natural.
They don’t just make me feel included—they make me feel like I’m one of them.
Aside from a few of the women in her family blushing or making a comment about how they loved my movie, I feel like a normal person here. Just like I do at my family gatherings.
It’s refreshing to have little bubbles of space where I’m not Griffin Reynolds the movie star, but just Griffin Reynolds the boy from Lover’s Grove, Tennessee.
A smile forms on my lips as I look at Granny sitting in a recliner, reading ’Twas the Night Before Christmas. All the young children in Mallory’s family sit around her on the floor, listening to the story with wide-eyed wonder.
“Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.” Granny finishes the last line and closes the book. All the kids groan as their parents pull them into their arms.
“It’s time to go to bed so Santa can come,” Mallory’s cousin says to his crying child.
Once all of her extended family has said their goodbyes and left, I walk over to the recliner, helping Granny up.
“Thank you for the honor of allowing me to read it.” Granny smiles at Mallory’s mom.
“We’re so happy to have y’all here and partaking in our family traditions.” Angie squeezes Granny’s hand.
“I’m going to make sure she gets situated in her room, then I’ll meet you upstairs,” I say to Mallory, hoping she understands I’m giving her time to get ready for bed without me in there.
“Sounds good. Good night, Granny.” She gives her a quick kiss on the cheek before heading upstairs.
“Night, man,” I say to Connor, who lifts a hand in return before trudging up the stairs.
“Don’t mind him.” Angie shakes her head. “I hope you sleep well.”
“You too.” I smile at her and Todd. “Thank you both for having us. Your hospitality doesn’t go unnoticed.”
Angie blushes at my words while Todd ushers her upstairs. “Come on, darling. We have an early morning ahead of us.”
I help Granny into her room, get her flannel nightgown and toiletries bag out of her suitcase, and hand them to her.
“Thanks, Griffie.” She pats my arm.
“Do you need help, uh—” How does one ask their grandmother if they need help undressing and putting on their pajamas without sounding weird?
“I can take off and put on clothes by myself, thank you very much.”
“Thank you, rehab,” I tease.
Granny wags her finger at me. “Get out of here before you see something you can’t unsee.”
She doesn’t need to tell me twice. I take a step back, running into the door and making her giggle. “Good night.” I leave the room and shut the door behind me before jogging up the stairs. When I reach Mallory’s room, I knock quietly, hoping her parents or brother won’t hear. “You good, Mal?”
“Yeah, you can come in.”
I gently open the door, letting myself inside. When I turn around, Mallory is standing on the opposite side of the room beside the bed, staring at me.
I take a tentative step toward her. “You okay, beautiful?”
She sucks in a deep breath, slowly releasing it through her mouth. “Since we’re being honest, I’m terrified.”
“Of what?” I look around, walking over to her wall of posters. “Me learning about your obsession with the Louisville Mustangs? I’m a die-hard fan of the Knoxville Fireflies, so I guess that makes us rivals.”
“I know.” The sadness in her tone has me questioning my playfulness.
“Hey, I’m sorry.” I cross the room and place my hands on her arms. “I didn’t mean to make light of things. What are you scared of, beautiful?”
“Talking about baseball.”
That’s not what I expected her to say. “We can talk about something else.”
Mallory shakes her head. “Can we sit down?”
Oh. This is that conversation. The one she mentioned wanting to have with me. I nod, and she leads me over to the bed. Once we’re sitting, she lets out a weary sigh. “I need to ask you about an interview you did after your first movie.”
I try to think back to that time in my life. I participated in countless interviews, but none that stand out. “You’re going to have to be a little more specific.”
“Does one with Kelly Parker jog your memory?”
I close my eyes for a moment, digging through the interviews of my past until the right one pops up. “Yeah, that was one of the first ones I ever did. She was nice, but asked too many personal questions.”
Mallory looks down at her joined hands. Her eyes glitter with unshed tears as she meets my gaze. “Like asking you what the best date you’ve ever been on was?”
My heart races. “I said something that hurt you, didn’t I?”
She nods.
I think back, my mind racing as I replay that interview in my head until the answer hits me. I feel like a complete jerk. No wonder Mallory wanted nothing to do with me when she saw me again in that coffee shop.
I take her hands in mine. “Mal, the baseball game wasn’t the best date of my life. Ours was.”
A single tear drops onto her cheek, and I wipe it away with my thumb. “Then why didn’t you say that?”
I move my hands to my lap, clenching them into fists, hating myself that I made her feel this way when she’s never second best. “I had just landed my agent and gone through media training. She told me to never get too personal in interviews if I didn’t want the entire world knowing everything about me.
Especially the private details of my love life.
” The words tumble out of my mouth like they can’t come out fast enough.
I want her to believe me more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my life.
“The baseball game I was referring to wasn’t even a date, unless you consider going to a game with Rhett a bro-date.
” I take her hand in mine. “The only date that has ever mattered to me is the one I had with you. You’re the only girl that matters to me.
Although I couldn’t really say that in the interview either without the media having a field day looking for you.
That wasn’t how I wanted to find you again.
I didn’t want to pull you into my world unless you chose to be in it.
” I press my lips into a firm line. “But I guess that ended up happening anyway.”
Mallory squeezes my hands as a few more tears drip down her cheeks. “After I thought you’d ghosted me, I saw that interview. To me, it was always the validation I needed that I never meant anything to you. That our date was you just acting, preparing for your audition.”
Emotion stings my eyes. “I’m sorry I ever made you question that.
” With a shaky breath, I say, “I still don’t know how you feel about my world and what that could look like.
But I’d proudly walk any red carpet with you, if you decide you could see a future with me.
” I move my hands to cup her face. Looking directly into her hot chocolate-colored eyes, I say, “You are everything to me. Ever since I dropped that change into your drink, I didn’t stand a chance. ”
She smiles softly. “I believe you.”
I pull her into my arms, pressing a kiss to her temple before holding on tightly because I never plan on letting her go again. “Thank you for asking and hearing me out. And for agreeing to fake date me when you must’ve thought I was a real jerk.”
Mallory pulls back, wiping the tears from her cheeks. “I did, but that’s in the past now.”
“Now that we’ve cleared up the fact that all of my feelings for you are—and have always been—real, does this mean I can take you on a date?”
“I’d like that.” She smiles. “But maybe an at-home date? One where we can talk and not be bombarded by fans or paparazzi?”
“Sold.” I glance at the old alarm clock on her dresser. “As much as I’d love to stay up and talk, I know we need to be downstairs early for breakfast with your family.”
Mallory nods. “The bathroom is down the hall on the right, if you want to get ready for bed.” She looks at the bed we’re sitting on, her cheeks turning the blush pink of her pajamas.
“I promise to be a complete gentleman and stay on my side of the bed.” I mimic the Boy Scout hand sign but feel more like Katniss, volunteering myself as tribute to sleep beside this beautiful woman. “Scout’s honor.”
Mirth fills her eyes. “Were you actually a Boy Scout?”
“No, but I mean what I say, especially when it comes to you.”
She kisses me on the cheek, sending a shiver throughout my body. “I think I finally believe that.”
Okay, I need to get up right now if I’m going to follow through on my promise to be a gentleman. I practically jump off the bed, heading over to my duffel. My sleep attire usually consists of only a pair of underwear, but that won’t work for tonight.
I dig through my bag and grab a T-shirt and a pair of basketball shorts I luckily had the foresight to pack, along with the bag holding my toothbrush and toothpaste, and head to the bathroom.
Once my teeth are brushed and I’m in my makeshift pajamas, I head back to Mallory’s room. My pulse skitters as I settle onto the bed beside her. One of my legs hangs off the bed as I try to find a comfortable position that doesn’t involve me touching her.
When I finally stop moving, I let a long breath out through my nose.
The whole room smells like a tropical dessert, enveloping me in Mallory’s signature scent like a warm hug.
The intoxicating aroma mixed with the knowledge that she’s beside me begins to lull me to sleep when there’s a shift on the bed beside me.
“Are you still awake?” she whispers.
“Yeah,” I answer groggily, slowly blinking my eyes.
Mallory adjusts her position to look at me. “Do you think the world believes us?”
“You mean that we’re dating?”
She nods.
“I don’t usually read the comments section on my posts. I learned to stop doing that a long time ago.”
“Why?” Mallory laughs.