Page 169 of The Rookie

But then reality creeps in.

I glance at the clock. It’s already morning, and the rest of the house is probably waking up.

Shit.

Carefully, I untangle myself from her, brushing a kiss against her forehead as she stirs but doesn’t wake.

I slip out of bed, grabbing my sweats and hoodie from the floor, and tiptoe to the door, easing it open as quietly as I can.

I’m halfway down the hall when I hear a voice behind me.

“Griffin?”

I freeze, turning to see Sloane, Asher’s girlfriend, standing there, her glasses slightly askew, her hair a mess from sleep. She’s holding a mug of coffee, her expression torn between amusement and shock.

“Were you just…?” She gestures toward Avery’s door, her eyebrows raised. “In Avery’s room?”

I scrub a hand over my face, already regretting this. “You saw nothing.”

She steps closer, lowering her voice. “So, is this like…a hookup, or…” She trails off, her eyes narrowing.

I straighten, meeting her gaze. “It’s serious.”

Her eyes widen, and I can see the wheels turning in her head. “Wait a second. She’s the girl you texted during the game, isn’t she?”

I sigh, running a hand through my hair. “Yeah. She’s the girl.”

Sloane lets out a low whistle, shaking her head. “Well, damn. You really went all in, huh?”

“Something like that,” I mutter, glancing back at Avery’s door.

Sloane takes a sip of her coffee, studying me over the rim of her mug. “So, are you going to tell the family? Or just let them figure it out when you two start making heart eyes over Thanksgiving dinner? WellFridayThanksgiving dinner.”

I roll my shoulders, steeling myself. “Yes. We are going to tell them. But first, we need to tell Cassie.”

Her eyebrows shoot up. “Cassie? Your sister? Her best friend? The one who’ll probably freak out because she thinks you’re going to ruin everything?”

“Exactly.”

Sloane smirks, clearly enjoying this. “Well, good luck with that, lover boy.”

She brushes past me, her laughter trailing behind her as she heads toward the kitchen.

I exhale, leaning back against the wall for a moment.

Because if telling Cassie is step one, I’m already bracing for the battle that’s about to follow.

But as impossible as this feels, I know one thing for sure—I’m not backing down.

Not when it comes to Avery.

The smell of fresh coffee and bacon fills the air as I step into the kitchen. The Knox family breakfast table is a scene of cheerful chaos—plates piled high with food, half-finished cups of coffee, and voices overlapping in an orchestra of familial banter.

I grab a seat next to Asher, who’s halfway through a plate of pancakes. Sloane is across from him, scrolling through her phone with a small smile, probably laughing at something nerdy he said.

Cassie sits at the other end of the table, gesturing wildly as she recounts some story, her enthusiasm unmatched as usual. Avery is beside her, sipping her coffee and trying her best to look casual.

But I see it—the faint pink in her cheeks, the way she avoids meeting my gaze for too long.

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