Chapter 5
Chapter Five
Griffin had made the countertops by hand.
They were essentially butcher-block countertops, but Griffin had used rare woods like purpleheart and black walnut, along with some lighter woods to break up all that color.
It wasn’t cheap, and it took forever to make because he had to make two.
One smaller one for the side and a longer countertop for the front of the store.
He hoped Riley loved them because they were his gift for Riley's birthday, which wasn’t until next month, but Griffin needed to install them soon.
He also needed help carrying them inside the bakery, as they were still in the bed of his truck.
He’d wrapped them in blankets to protect them.
The sooner they were inside, out of the weather, the better.
He’d put his heart into those countertops after all.
He couldn’t keep relying on his brother, who had an almost full-time job and also went to school full time.
It wasn’t fair to him, even though it was his bakery that Griffin spent most of his time working on these days.
He was doing the work for nothing, giving his time and expertise in exchange for a piece of his brother’s business.
He’d be a silent partner. All he really wanted was free pastries.
Riley made killer muffins. They were as big as his head and delicious.
Give him a couple of muffins and some coffee, and he counted it as a good day.
But Riley would give him a piece of the profit at some point.
His sweat equity would pay off in the long run.
The bell above the door dinged when it opened, and Riley came inside. But he didn’t get very far. He stood in the doorway, the door open, and looked up. “You put a bell up there.”
His grin was so big, it might as well have been Christmas morning.
“I’m glad you like it. Got it from Mom. She saves everything. That came from my grandfather’s hardware store. Mom shut it down after he passed away, but she kept the bell.”
Riley closed the distance and hugged him. “I love it, and I love that it came from family.”
Griffin smiled and hugged him back. “That’s not the actual gift.”
“There’s more?” Riley pulled back to meet his gaze.
“It’s in my truck. I need help carrying it inside.” Griffin led the way outside. He’d parked at the front of the store because it was a shorter distance to carry something so heavy rather than using the back entrance.
Griffin climbed into the bed of his truck.
Riley tried to move the blanket out of the way, but Griffin had everything strapped down and taped so the blankets wouldn’t move. “What is it?”
“The storefront countertops.” Griffin’s stomach did this little flip thing it always did when he was nervous. “I hope you like them.”
Riley squealed a little and then grabbed onto the blanket-covered countertop. One counter was on top of the other. The smaller one was first so that it would be a little easier to move. But they were covered separately.
“Oh my god, I’m so excited. Let’s get it inside so I can see it.”
Griffin chuckled. “Let’s take the top one first.”
Riley sucked in a breath. “There’s more than one wrapped up in here?” Riley fingered the blankets, trying to get a peek.
“There’s two. The one at the bottom is bigger. That’s the one that goes in front.”
They took the one on top first as planned, but Griffin quickly learned they might need a little more help with the other one. They were huffing and puffing, and Riley cursed three times by the time they got the first smaller counter inside.
They set it on a long workbench Griffin had built at the start of the renovations.
“I’m gonna see if Dad can help with the other counter.” Griffin grabbed his phone.
Riley shook his hand. “I asked a good friend of mine from school to come by. He can help carry it. He’s the small but mighty type.”
Small but mighty. Huh. “Does he want a job?”
Riley nodded. “Funny you should ask. That’s why he’s coming by. He needs the money, and you need the help.”
“Does he have experience in construction?” Griffin didn’t have time to train anyone, and he didn’t want the liability if someone got hurt because they didn’t know what they were doing.
“I have no idea, but he’s really smart. Like super science-y smart.
And he’s kind of turning into my best friend, so I want you to meet him even if you don’t want to hire him.
Because you’re like my other best friend.
So yeah, you should know each other.” Riley fidgeted as if he’d just confessed something.
He’d never called Griffin his best friend before, but they’d always been pretty close, even when he lived in another state.
Since he’d come home to stay, they’d grown even closer. Far closer than most brothers were.
Griffin drew Riley in for a hug. “I’d definitely like to meet your friend. Maybe we’ll hit it off, too.”
Riley winced. “Not to date. I don’t want to lose him as a friend if it doesn’t work out.”
Griffin chuckled. “I meant as a friend, silly. But I can respect that. And the last thing I need is for someone else in the family to set me up again. Marric is already a matchmaker. I don’t need you playing at that, too.”
“That’s right. How was your date? Must have been kind of bad if you don’t want to be set up again.” Riley watched as Griffin undid the straps from around the countertop. He practically vibrated with excitement as Griffin unwrapped it.
“The guy wasn’t for me. End of.” Griffin threw back the top cover and then the bottom one.
Riley only had eyes for the countertop. Griffin didn’t even have to ask what Riley thought. He could see the love in his eyes. It was similar to how he looked at Cass.
He gasped. “Oh my god, Griff. It’s so perfect.”
Griffin sighed in relief. “I’m glad you like it.” He’d never meant those words more in his life, and he definitely never cared more about a person’s happiness than he did his brother’s. Riley deserved all the happiness and contentment in the world. He hadn’t had much before moving to Fortune Falls.
“Like it? I love it! I can’t even tell you how much.” He ran his finger down the purpleheart wood. “How did you get this to be purple?”
Griffin smiled. “The wood comes this way. It’s called purpleheart. It grows in Central and South America.”
“That sounds expensive and exotic. Like rainforest chic.” Riley frowned. He was a bit of a tightwad, even with Griffin’s money.
“I got it from a friend of mine. He was cleaning out his father’s workshop and found it. So I actually didn’t pay a thing for it.”
Riley met his gaze. “It’s beautiful. Thank you.”
Griffin smiled. “You’re welcome.”
A knock on the glass stole Griffin’s attention.
Riley turned and smiled before heading to the door.
Through the glass, Griffin saw the most beautiful person he’d ever seen in his life.
The man on the other side of the glass had dark eyes and blond hair, which he styled away from his forehead.
Riley’s description of small but mighty was accurate.
He was on the shorter side, even by human standards, but he was muscular and compact.
Griffin felt his right hand heat. He pulled his work glove off and saw his mark glowing on the palm of his hand. He put his work glove back on and swallowed the lump in his throat.
Riley’s best friend was Griffin’s mate.
What the hell should Griffin do?
One thing he probably shouldn’t do was tell Riley. At least not right away. He’d have to get to know Toby first. And then maybe they could come up with a game plan together.
He wore sunglasses, which seemed odd because of the overcast day. Maybe he’d known who Griffin was to him before he’d come to the job site. But that made little sense. They’d never met.
Riley introduced them. As soon as Griffin shook Toby’s hand, he knew Toby knew Griffin was his mate.
When Griffin started to mention it, Toby shook his head. Griffin changed the subject. “Riley tells me you’re looking for work.”
“Maybe.” Toby stepped closer to Griffin and seemed to sniff the air between them.
“Well, I could use the help if you have the experience.”
“I have experience, but the old-fashioned kind.”
Griffin wanted to know what Toby meant by that, but he’d have to ask later. That was if Toby even wanted to talk to him. He seemed reluctant.
Riley cleared his throat, which meant he knew something was happening, although Griffin doubted he knew what. “Toby, would you mind helping us move something very heavy?”
“I wouldn’t mind at all.” And with that, Riley led Toby back through the front door and to Griffin’s truck.
Griffin hopped into the bed again, and the three of them took the heavy wooden butcher block countertop inside the bakery.
The whole time, Toby avoided looking at or talking to Griffin. It was as though he had the plague.
Griffin tried not to take it personally. But it felt like a rejection.