Page 15 of A Perfect Match
Silence pounds all of his unspoken sentiments into me.
“So you’ve been living there for three years…” he begins.
“Without an agreement,yes,” I clarify.“I never imagined Mr.Lobster would breeze in from Cleveland to start some reality restaurant, so you’ll have to forgive me for not foreseeing this.”
He sighs again, which just makes the disappointment burrow deeper.
“I really don’t need to hear your well-meaning criticism right now,” I start.
“That’s not what I’m trying to do,” he grumbles.
“Well, I know it’s coming and you can save it,” I snap.“I already feel like an idiot, I don’t need you making me feel like more of one.”
“You’re not an idiot…”
“It sounded like you were about to add a ‘but’ there.”
“But would it kill you to think about this shit next time?”he finishes.
I groan, snapping up the phone.“Okay, I’m done.Thank you for calling.Goodbye.”
Before I can swipe the phone off, Griff says, “Wait, Piper.I’m really not trying to be an asshole.I have an idea.”
My finger is a hair’s breadth away from the End button.“What is it?”
“Move in with me.”
I blink a few times, everything in my body rejecting this idea.“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because you’re my older brother, and I might be desperate but I’m notthatdesperate.I already lived with your stinky hockey pants once; I don’t need to do it again.”
“And I’m pro now, so I have people who take care of that for me, you know.”A chuckle rumbles out of him.“It wouldn’t be so bad living with me.It can be temporary.I just can’t stomach the thought of you having nowhere to go.”
My gaze drops to the old brown carpet of my living room.It’s truly an eyesore and needed replaced probably twenty years ago.“I don’t know, Griff.”
“You’d rather be homeless than live with me?Wow…”
“It’s not that,” I hurry to add.“I just…I can do things on my own, okay?I don’t need you or the others to come swooping in—”
“We’re not controlling jerks,” he snipes.
“I didn’t say you were a controlling jerk,” I hiss.“Even if you’re using the exact words a controlling jerk would use.I’m saying I’d like to do this on my own.”
As soon as the words leave my mouth, I know how foolish I am to pass up an opportunity like this.I have a soft landing pad.A way to ride out the storm.
Griff must be able to read my thoughts due to our twin-like nature because he says, “You like making things hard on yourself.I know.But listen.Living rent-free with your big brother for a month or two isn’t the end of the world.Besides, I’m barely here.I might be injured this season, but I still go to practices and games.You work full-time.It’s not like we’ll be up each other’s asses.Maybe you could domea favor and just say yes because then I wouldn’t worry about you freezing your ass off on the sidewalk once the cold weather really hits.”
I can’t fight the smile.I roll my eyes, even though he can’t see me.“So now I’m doingyoua favor.”
“Yes.Relieving me of my big brother worry.Listen, I’ll even go a step further and not tell Dane, Jett, or Asher the real reason you’re moving in with me.”
I swallow hard.That’s a pretty sweet deal.“What about Mom?”
He tuts.“You know I gotta tell her.But I’ll swear her to secrecy.”
I weigh the offer.He makes sense—of course he does.All of my big brothers know best, which is exactly the problem.“You promise you won’t let the rest of them find out?”
