Page 33 of Some Like It Hops

“Obviously. You called my brewery a peacock—”

“I mean.” I bite back a smile.

“You challenged me with every conversation. Challenged me with every look. For the first time in my life, I found myself thinking about how others saw me. More specifically, howyousaw me.” He unbuttons each cuff of his shirt, then rolls each sleeve in turn, exposing those stupid, sexy arms.

Is he trying to distract me? I force myself to look up into his eyes—which are a distraction all on their own.

“Leaving my office that day, I was excited, but… I already knew I didn’t deserve you…” He shakes his head. “There I was, heading out to a date with a woman who not only wasn’t throwing herself at me but didn’t evenlikeme.”

I open my mouth to argue, but he raises his hand.

“Oh, you wereattractedto me, no doubt, but lust and like are two very different things.”

My cheeks heat.

“You can’t tell me you liked me. You still don’t. I knew then, deep down, that I wasn’t good enough for you, Charlie. I still know it now.” He searches my gaze like he’s looking for an answer, like he’s hesitant to say more.

I don’t know what he wants me to say. He’s right. I don’tknowhim enough to like him. And, based on what I do know of him, he’s not very likeable.

“And then I got served. Right there in the lobby on my way to the parking garage. On my way to see you.”

I swallow, waiting for him to continue.

He looks down at his hands. “All the way back up to my office, fuming, all I could think about was how the hell you’d look at me if you knew. How the hell you’d even give me a chance if you knew.”

I don’t really know what to say. He’s right; I wouldn’t have given him a chance. The second I found out about the charges against him I wasrelievedhe’d flaked on me, relieved he’d saved me from getting to know him and possibly liking him. I’d been hurt, of course, but I got over being stood up. Griffin flaking on me that night saved me from getting involved with a man who takes advantage of his female employees—

“I didn’t do it, Charlie.”

“What?”

“I didn’t do anything to her. Marlena. The woman who sued me.” He licks his lips, shaking his head. “I found out today she’s been sleeping with my CFO. My best friend.” He shrugs one shoulder. “She admitted it. I don’t know much yet, but my guess is they planned this whole thing. The night it happened…” He looks up at me, searching my eyes again for something.

“You don’t have to explain.”

“Yes, I do.” He answers quickly, leaning forward. “Charlie, I want to explain. I want you to know the facts before you make a decision about me.” He runs his hand over his hair, mussing up the slicked-back waves. “Maybe you already have, but… I want you to know the truth.”

I nod.

“It was our annual holiday party. I always go all out for Fast Lane. I rented out the Highlight Room, open bar, entertainers, the whole nine. At the end of night, I gave Marlena a ride home…” He trails off, his brow furrowing, then he looks up at me with defeat in his eyes. “It was Brad’s idea.”

“What was?”

He scoffs, shaking his head. “He told me to take her home, said she was on the way to the Tower and I should just save her the money she’d spend on a Lyft and get her home safely myself.”

I swallow. “Do you think he… they…”

“I know they did.” He leans back with both hands on his head, then laughs bitterly. “She came onto me outside her house. Climbed over the center console and straddled me before I could even blink.” He pauses, looking at me like he’s gauging how I’ll respond to what he’s about to say. “I didn’t turn her down right away, Charlie. I should have, but… she kissed me and I kissed her back. It probably lasted a few minutes, I don’t know, then I finally came to my senses. She’s our executive assistant, and a damn good one. I pushed her off of me and apologized, said I couldn’t risk it, couldn’t risk losing her. That we’d both regret it in the morning. She got mad, called me a bunch of shit, told me off, then slammed the car door and disappeared into her building.

“I figured she’d wake up feeling a bit of remorse, but at least I stopped it before we went too far. She showed up at work the following Monday morning and, you know, things were different between us, strained a bit… the easy banter was gone… but I figured her pride was bruised and she’d get over it.

“Then she sues me for sexual misconduct.” He laughs bitterly again. “And now, after weeks of deliberation, with her lawyers and mine trying to convince me this will all go away with the right amount of money—”

“Because everyone has a price,” I say.

Griffin raises an eyebrow. “Well, everyone but you.” He pauses, then adds, “But I wasn’t going to sign that check. Settlements equal guilt in my eyes and I wasn’t guilty of anything more than a kiss. Was it wrong? Yeah, probably. She’s under my employ.” He shrugs one shoulder. “Was. But I didn’t sexually harass or assault her, Charlie.”

His story feels true. He owned his mistake in the whole thing—

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