Chapter 5
CHAPTER FIVE
APRICOT
“This place is looking great,” Fawn says, taking in all the work I’d put into my shop so far.
“I’m proud of you for doing this.” She smiles, bringing her gaze back to mine.
“I can’t wait to send clients your way who need flowers for weddings and birthdays.
You’ll be busy for sure, especially being the only florist shop in town, and no one will have to go anywhere else. ”
“Thanks.” I grin and look at the clock for the umpteenth time. It’s not that I want to get rid of Fawn, but I’m just anxious and I don’t know why.
Over the past several weeks, I’ve been seeing Tripp.
We’d gone out a couple of times to see movies and have dinner.
One night, he even took me dancing. But he also knows my heart is not in it.
I guess you can say it’s been more like friends going out on the town.
I know this because he and I talked about it a few times.
Especially when he’d tried to kiss me, and I turned to give him my cheek.
I explained I wasn’t ready for that just yet.
I also know he’s not looking for anything serious.
At least not for the time being. This was fine with me since I’m not either.
We have fun when we go out and Tripp makes me laugh.
I find myself questioning why I can’t just jump in with two feet and let loose.
It’s not like he hasn’t made it known he’d be down with it if I wanted. I just can’t and that plain old sucks.
Every time I think about kissing him, I imagine Grimm and feel a tinge of guilt. I don’t get it. It’s not like he and I are anything.
I inwardly shake the thought of Grimm away. There’s no point in thinking of a man who doesn’t want me. I should just bite the bullet and finally give myself completely to Tripp. Maybe then we’d go from something that’s supposed to be just friends to something serious.
“So, when will you officially open?” Fawn asks, bringing me back to the conversation at hand.
“Probably next week,” I answer. “I’m waiting on the last order to come in. I’ve already had people calling to place orders.”
“That’s great,” she says, a smile beaming in my direction.
I glance at the time again and smile at her. “It is. I’ve got to get ready and head home. Tripp and I are going out this evening.”
“How’s that going between you two?” she asks, cocking her head slightly.
“Good.” I nod, gathering my things together. “We’re getting to know each other.”
“That’s good,” she agrees, and I can feel her eyes on me, almost like she’s examining me. “So, you’ve given up on Grimm?”
It’s all I can do to keep from giving myself away and meet her gaze head-on. “There was nothing to give up on in the first place.”
“Right. Well, heads up, he’s back in town.”
My breath seizes in my lungs, and I shake my head.
“None of my business if he’s back or not.
” I shrug, hoping to hide the panic that wants to take over.
“I’ve gotta get going, so I’ll see you later,” I say, heading for the front doors, keys in hand, more than ready to get away from this conversation.
I knew Grimm had gone to go help out Rampage, but I also knew he’d come back sooner or later. I just didn’t know when he’d do it.
Fawn doesn’t push the conversation further, thankfully dropping it as we step out into bright sunlight.
I blink, letting my eyes adjust to the difference, and turn to make sure I secure the door.
I give Fawn a hug and head for my car, and it’s time to get home and get ready.
And while I do that, I need to make a choice, one that can make or break me on where I go next with my relationship with Tripp.
I park in front of my place and sigh nervously.
Mainly because the whole drive home I kept playing different scenarios in my head.
The kicker of those scenarios is they all switch to being Grimm and me instead of Tripp and me.
Something seriously must be wrong with me.
I mean, Tripp is hot, funny, and sweet. He also understands where I’m at in my head where the two of us are concerned.
Turning the key, I shut off my car and get out. I quickly make my way up to my door and unlock it. I barely twist the knob before it’s yanked from my hands, and I’m dragged inside.
“What the . . .” I don’t get to finish my sentence as I realize who had hold of me.
I swallow back the nerves threatening to take over out of fear.
There’s nothing to fear now. Well, not physically.
I know he won’t do anything to hurt me. “What are you doing here, Grimm?
" My voice is barely a whisper as I meet his gaze, noting that I’m still in his arms.
“Hear you’re dating a cop,” he growls, turning us until he’s pressing me into the entryway wall.
I stiffen and blink up at him at his comment. Is that all he’s worried about? Me dating a cop? I shake my head, plant my hands against his chest, and push. “Back away, Grimm,” I demand. But he doesn’t budge.
“No,” he simply says.
Narrowing my gaze, I push more as a question pops into my head, and of course, the said question comes out on a blurt. “What are you doing here anyway? How did you get in here” I mean, it’s simple enough, and I do deserve an answer. I didn’t even know he knew where I lived. “Did you break in?”
“Dimples, I don’t have to break into this place,” he answers, and I’ll note still not moving out of my space.
I ignore his calling me Dimples. It’s something he and only he ever called me. Though those times were always special, few and far apart. I don’t think he’s called me that since I was eighteen.
“What do you mean? I know you don’t have a key, Grimm. My parents don’t even have one,” I inform him and shove against him, needing him out of my space. “And get back.”
“I’m not gonna step away, Apricot,” Grimm states. Sliding the fingers of a hand up until he’s curling them in my hair, holding me in place with my head tilted back enough to meet his gaze. “You should really look into where you move before doing it.”
“I don’t understand,” I mutter, confused by his comment.
That’s when Grimm grins devilishly. “I own the place, Dimples.”
At those simple words, it’s like the air went out of my in a matter of seconds. “No,” I breathe.
“Oh yeah.” That devilish grin grows bigger, and he presses me tighter against the wall, his body pinning me in place, my hands still between us. “Now, you wanna tell me what you’re doing dating a cop?”
“It’s none of your business,” I state, holding my ground on the subject.
“That’s where you’re wrong, Apricot.”
“No, it’s you that’s in the wrong, Grimm,” I lie. Well, not really. He doesn’t get to come in here and demand anything from me. “You’re the one who didn’t want anything to do with me. I moved on, and now you want to act like you have the right to know about me and what I do.”
“Guess you can say I changed my mind,” he says, leaning in to press his forehead against my own.
He . . . he changed his mind? “Are you insane?” The question is out before I can stop it and I shake my head. I don’t even want to hear his answer. “Get off me, Grimm, I need to get ready. Tripp and I have plans to . . .”
“Your plans with Tripp have been canceled,” he states matter-of-factly. “You ain’t going anywhere with him.”
“You can’t tell me what to do or cancel my plans,” I snap, glaring at him.
“Oh baby, I’ll tell you what you’ll be doing, and it ain’t gonna be datin’ some cop,” Grimm growls, seeming to lose his patience.
“I swear to God, Grimm, if you don’t back away and leave, I’m gonna kick you somewhere it’ll really hurt.”
“You do it, and I’ll make you kiss it better.” He chuckles, though he does step back. Marginally. He opens his mouth to say something, but there’s a knock on the door, drawing him up short.
“That would be Tripp,” I inform him in a whisper of relief.
Grimm’s eyes darken and a flare of anger flickers within them for the moment before that grin of his is back in place making him seem like the devil himself.
I know he’d never do anything to me—not intentionally and definitely not physically—but that doesn’t me he wasn’t in the danger zone at the moment.
Tripp knocks again, and Grimm yanks me into his arms, wrapping one around my waist as he turns us both to the door and opens it.
Mortified by his actions, I stand in his arms frozen, completely baffled by what he’s just done and not knowing what to do.
“What the fuck?” Tripp demands, his gaze zeroing in on Grimm and the way he’s got his arm wrapped securely around me.
“Long time no see,” Grimm acknowledges Tripp speaking through clenched teeth.
“You wanna let Apricot go?” I don’t miss the warning in Tripp’s voice.
“No.” Is all Grimm says.
Tripp brings his eyes to mine and stares at me with that assessing look he gets when he’s thinking. “He the one?”
I blink at his question confused as to what he’s referring to at first. But only for a second. He’s talking about Grimm. I nod and whisper truthfully, “Yes.”
Tripp nods as well and levels a glare on Grimm for a moment then brings his gaze back to mine. “You gonna let him keep up these games with you? Fuckin’ with your head? Your heart?”
I flinch at the questions because I was foolish to think I was able to hide all of this from him. From everyone.
This just proves how much of an idiot I truly am.
“I’ve already told him to leave, Tripp,” I murmur, wanting to go find the biggest hole to climb in and hide from the world.
“Is that so?” Tripp says, turning his attention to Grimm. “The lady tells you to leave, you best be doing what she says.”
“That won’t be happening,” Grimm declares, steely. “And you can go. The date you two had has been canceled. I’m sure you already figured that one out for yourself.”
“Don’t think so, Blaine Kingston, or should I call you Kings?" Tripp asks, surprising me.
“No one calls me by that name anymore,” Grimm states, releasing me to step forward.
“It’s your name.” Tripp holds his ground.
“Maybe on paper, but we both know I’m not Kings. That was a long fuckin’ time ago.”
“Um . . . does someone what to fill me in? I don’t know what you two are talking about,” I say, attempting to intervene.
“Don’t worry about it, Apricot,” Grimm says.
“I think she should worry about it. She should know who she’s gonna have in her bed if she chooses you. Don’t you think?”
Whoa, what does Tripp mean by that?
“Sanchez, I suggest you fuckin’ get the hell out of here and stay the hell away from Apricot and me,” Grimm snarls, getting directly in Tripp’s face, the two of them nose to nose.
Oh boy.
This isn’t good. If they come to blows, not only will it be my fault, but it could end up with both of them in trouble.
Feeling sick to my stomach, I do the one thing I hope will work.
“How about both of you leave? Or at least take your toe-to-toe outside. I don’t want or need to deal with it.
” I point to the still-open door. “Close the door on your way out,” I order and spin on my heel, heading to the back of my townhouse and out the back door.
I don’t care right now if they leave or not.
They can deal with whatever is happening between the two of them.
Me, I’m not about to stick around and listen, let alone watch.
I make my way through the alleyways that lead between the few townhomes.
I walk until I get to the park that sits on the edge of the complex.
I find a spot under an old cedar tree and sit with my knees pulled up enough to wrap my arms around them.
I lean my head against the trunk and sigh, wondering when my life got to be complicated.
Never before has it been like this, even at what I would have thought was the worst of it.
Now, just as I finally decided to move past it all and hopefully find someone I could be with, Grimm is declaring I’m his, and I don’t know what to do with that.