Chapter 91 Big Upgrade, Bigger Attitude
Big Upgrade, Bigger Attitude
Ryder
For a guy whose accommodations were about to be upgraded, Griff looked aggressively ticked.
As we faced off inside the suite, I pointed at the thing in his hand. "What the hell is that?"
Griff glowered. "I'm guessing it's your idea of a joke."
"An orange thermos?" I frowned. "If it's a joke, I'm not getting it."
He lifted the thermos higher. "Bullshit. You think it's funny?"
"What, the thermos?" I gave it a quick once-over. "I guess it's a little funny. I mean…orange is funnier than black."
But I didn't feel like laughing.
It could've been a rubber chicken, and I still wouldn't have smiled.
Griff's tone grew sarcastic. "Lemme guess…you stuffed it full of cranberries. So fucking funny."
"Dude," I said. "If you open that thing and find cranberries, I'll eat my hat."
His fingers flexed on the thermos, like he was deciding whether to throw it or swing it. "You're not wearing a hat."
"Fine. I'll eat your hat." I gestured toward the baseball cap, pulled low over his face. "So, you're what? In disguise or something?"
In reply, he ripped off the hat and flung it at the wall.
I scoffed. "That'll show me." Honestly, I was getting a little pissed. Sure, I was the one who'd ended it with Tessa, but that didn't mean I wasn't hurting. Everywhere I looked, I saw her face, heard her voice, and felt the empty space she'd left behind.
I couldn't wait to get the hell out of here.
Still, I listened with more patience than I felt as Griff bitched and moaned about me moving him out of the boathouse.
I lifted a finger – and not the one I wanted. "First of all, it wasn't your home. It was a dump. You know this. I know this." I lifted a second finger. "Second of all, that thermos? I never saw it before in my life."
"Fuck the thermos. I had eight days left."
As if I needed the reminder. "Yeah, I know." I summoned up something between a grimace and a grin. "But you'll be staying here instead."
He frowned. "What do you mean here?"
"In the suite. I'm heading out." I pointed toward the far corner, where I'd left his black duffel, filled with all his things. "I packed your stuff. So…you're welcome."
"I'm not thanking you."
"Yeah, well, you should," I grumbled, thinking of how I'd given Tessa the brushoff to retrieve Griff's belongings.
As Griff and I went back and forth – him complaining and me mocking – I recalled the look on Tessa's face when I'd told her I was moving someone else into the suite.
She'd thought it was another girl.
That look in her eyes had been nearly enough to break me. And now I was running out of patience with Griff. The guy was in serious denial, especially when it came to Maisie.
Finally, I'd had enough. "You're thinking she'll come back? Knock on your door? Kiss and make up? All that other crap?" I shook my head. "Yeah, well…these Michigan girls, that's not the way they roll."
Griff's eyes narrowed. "Who are you talking about? And don't say just Maisie, because you said 'girls' as in plural."
Fuck. Tessa wouldn't be knocking on my door. I'd made damn sure of it by vacating the suite. It was a good thing, too, because if she did knock, I was pretty sure I'd answer.
It didn't help that I couldn't even confide in my best friend, because whether it made me a sucker or not, I still wouldn't betray Tessa's trust.
Finally, I replied, "Maisie and whoever. I'm just saying, they're not exactly predictable." I meant it, too, because the thing with Tessa had thrown me for one hell of a loop.
But I was done talking. I stalked to the closet, yanked open the door, and dragged out my suitcase.
Then, I reached into my pocket, pulled out Tessa's keycard, and flung it onto the same table where Griff had set the thermos.
"The place is yours 'til next Saturday. Crash, cry, whatever. I'm outta here."
And with that, I turned and strode to the suite's door. I yanked it open, walked out, and let the door swing shut behind me, leaving Griff behind to do whatever.
I'd barely made it out when my phone chimed with an incoming call. When I pulled it out to look, something tight and sudden pulled in my chest. Tessa. Desperate to hear her voice, I answered before I could overthink it. "Hello?"
Her tone was all business. "Do you have Stan's thermos?"
Huh? "Who's Stan?"
"The carpenter. From the door, remember?"
I did remember. She'd offered Stan and the rest of them lemonade, like they were old friends, coming to dinner. I liked that about her. I always had. But all I said was, "Yeah?"
"So? Do you have it? His thermos, I mean? It's orange, if that helps."
I didn't want to talk about thermoses. I wanted to talk about her. How was she doing? What was she up to? And why was she calling me about this?
I replied, "I've seen it. Why?"
She breathed a sigh of apparent relief. "Thank God. He needs it back."
"What?"
"It was a gift from his grandkids." And then, she continued in a rush. "Look, I know you probably don't like me calling, and it's not like I wanted to. But this is really important, okay? I had to break up a fight."
A fight? What the hell? "Wait, are you okay?"
"I'm fine. But if you do have it, can you please go down to the dock and give it to Stan before the crew leaves? Orange is his favorite color, and the grandkids painted it themselves. So just do it, alright?"
And then, she hung up.
My jaw was hanging open. A fight?
Over a painted thermos?
And Tessa had been in the middle?
I wasn't liking the sounds of that.
Shit. I turned and eyed the door to the suite. I patted my pockets, but couldn't find my key.
Son of a bitch. Griff was gonna love this. I stalked back to the door and gave it a good, loud knock. When Griff yanked it open, I made a beeline for the thermos, grabbed it with one hand, and stalked out the way I'd come.
Griff called out after me. "So that was yours?"
I replied with a finger that let my mood do the talking. Screw it. I was off to find Stan – not for my own sake and not for Stan's either.
I was doing it for Tessa, just because she'd asked.
And yeah, because somewhere deep in my chest, she still mattered more than I'd ever admit.