Page 24 of Griffin

“You don’t need to keep apologizing,” he muttered, his voice softer now, though his focus returned to the cash register.

“I know I can’t replace it, but I want to make it up somehow. I’ll clean whatever needs cleaning, work any shifts you want. Open to close, seven days a week if that’s what it takes?—”

Griffin glanced at the gum bucket and sighed, finally setting the bills aside. “How? By filling up that thing?”

For a second, I froze, a bit taken aback, until I caught the faintest hint of a smirk tugging at his lips.

Relief washed over me, and I let out a shaky laugh.

“Hey, if that’s what it takes, I’ll keep that bucket full,” I said, leaning into the joke. “I’ll be on time every day, do whatever needs doing—scraping gum, mopping floors, restocking. You’ll have the best worker in Pecan Pines.”

I held my breath, waiting for his response.

Griffin studied me for a moment with that unreadable expression of his.

Just when I thought he might dismiss me altogether, I added hastily, “And about that… moment at the convention? In the cab?” I winced, trying to keep my tone light. “That was just an accident. A mistake. I don’t want it to make things awkward. It won’t affect anything, I swear. It’s in the past. In fact, it never happened.”

Something flickered across his face—a flash of something I couldn’t quite place—but it was gone before I could read it.

I pushed forward, forcing a smile as I extended my hand. “I mean it. I’m serious about this. You won’t regret hiring me. And I’ll keep it professional.Boss.”

His eyes dropped to my outstretched hand, then back to my face, his expression shifting.

There was a tightness in his jaw, and something in his gaze that almost looked like he didn’t quite love the title.

After what felt like an eternity, he let out a low sigh. Then, without a word, he reached out and took my hand.

His grip was firm, steady. His eyes stayed locked on mine, as if he was trying to gauge just how serious I was.

“Alright,” he said finally, his lips quirking into a faint smirk. “Let’s see if you mean it.”

Chapter 6

Griffin

Iturned back to the bar, pretending to be focused on the drink order in front of me.

Too bad my eyes kept drifting to Michael as he took orders with an ease that hadn’t been there when he first started.

He moved between tables, his dark hair catching the dim bar lights every now and then.

I couldn’t help but notice the slight smile tugging at his lips as he interacted with the customers.

Michael was polite, maybe even a little shy, but he was starting to fit in.

The guy was a mystery—last night, he’d been awkward and closed off, and who could blame him?

I’d nearly bitten his head off after the accident.

And then today, he showed up early with a bucket of gum for the bar, looking apologetic and somehow…sweet.

He looked like he genuinely wanted to be here, and there was something about that commitment that tugged at me.

I poured another drink, handing it to one of the regulars, but my eyes went right back to Michael.

I wasn’t even looking for a mistake at this point; I was just watching him work.

And that’s when I saw it: a couple of my packmates eyeing him with more interest than I liked.

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