Page 173 of The Rookie

The first round is predictably chaotic. Jackson—stoic, unflappable Jackson—attempts to act outa horseand ends up looking like he’s having a seizure. Diana tries to act outTitanic,and while I think she’s aiming for the iconic “I’m flying!” pose, it ends up looking more like she’s flailing in quicksand.

Then it’s my turn.

Cassie passes me the bowl of prompts, and I pull out a slip of paper, my heart sinking as I read it.Dramatic plane crash.

Oh no.

“What is it?” Griffin asks, leaning forward with that infuriatingly smug grin that makes me want to both kiss him and shove him off the couch.

I narrow my eyes at him. “None of your business.”

“Let me help you,” he says, standing up before I can stop him.

“Griffin!” I hiss, clutching the prompt like it’s a state secret. “This is my turn!”

He doesn’t listen. Instead, he flops onto the floor like he’s a dying fish, flailing his arms and moaning dramatically. “I’m going down!” he cries. “Oh no, the engines are failing!”

The room explodes with laughter. Jackson doubles over, nearly spilling his beer, and even Diana has to sit down, tears streaming down her face. “What—what is happening right now?” she gasps between laughs.

I glare at Griffin, who’s now clutching his chest like he’s in a bad soap opera. “You’re not helping!”

“This is perfect,” he says, still lying on the floor. “Come on, Sinclair. Crash the plane!”

I groan, trying to salvage the game. I flap my arms like wings, mimicking an aircraft, while Griffin thrashes beneath me, making exaggerated explosion noises. The family is practically in hysterics at this point, and I’m too far gone to care.

“You’re supposed to guess!” I shout over the noise.

“Dramatic plane crash!” Asher yells, still cackling.

“Finally!” I throw my hands in the air, glaring down at Griffin, who just smirks up at me from the carpet.

“You’re welcome,” he murmurs, low enough that only I can hear.

As everyone settles down, I catch Griffin’s gaze from across the room. He looks so at ease, his grin warm and easy, like he belongs in this chaos. My chest tightens, and I take another sip of cocoa to calm the flutter in my stomach.

I never thought I’d see him like this—so carefree, so natural with his family. And I definitely never thought I’d be part of it. But here I am, laughing with the Knox family, feeling more at home than I have in a long time.

When Griffin catches me staring, he raises an eyebrow, his smirk deepening.

I roll my eyes and look away, but the warmth spreading through me lingers. I’m in trouble, and I know it. But for now? I’ll let myself enjoy it.

Griffin saunters over, a cocky grin playing on his lips as he holds up a six-pack of Mexican beer in one hand and a bottle of tequila in the other. “Surprise. I brought us some Mexican beer and tequila. I think it’s about time we did a toast.”

I laugh, shaking my head. “You’re ridiculous.”

“What?” he asks, leaning closer, his voice dropping just for me. “You’re not up for it?”

I smirk, biting my lip as I whisper back, “Better be careful. Tequila makes my clothes fall off.”

Before I can gauge his reaction, Jackson, lounging on the couch with his feet up, bursts into laughter. “Oh, man. You two lovebirds are adorable.”

Griffin shoots him a sharp look, his jaw ticking. “Keep it up, Jackson.”

“What?” Jackson shrugs, clearly enjoying himself. “I’m just saying. The way you two look at each other? Makes me sick. In a good way.”

Cassie grins, chiming in, “What about you, Jackson? When are you finally going to get a girl?”

Jackson leans back, folding his arms behind his head. “Love isn’t a box to be checked. Ever heard of God’s timing?”

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