Page 143 of You and Me, For Real
I take slow, careful steps backward up my porch steps toward the open front door. “Today, we’re looking within my home. We’re going to start where most of the congregating happens—the living room.”
Flipping the camera around, I pan to the kitchen where Griffin has his back turned and is attempting to make grilled cheese. He looks adorable in the apron he insists on keeping at my house. Luke recently taught him some basic meals to make on his own. Currently, the stove is pluming with smoke.
“Everything okay in there?” I keep filming. I may or may not use this footage. Regardless, I want to capture my man’s adorableness in his attempt to woo me with food.
“Yup. Totally under control over here.” He doesn’t turn around, just flips switches and turns knobs before shifting the pan onto another burner with a clatter.
I chuckle and flip the video to me again. “He’s one talented actor, folks.” I lower my voice, “but his culinary skills could use some work.”
“Hey, I heard that.” He spins around, flashing his adorable apron that reads, “Smokin’ hot,and so is my grill.” He stalks toward me, spatula in hand. “Better watch it, young lady, or you’ll get a spanking.” He holds up his spatula, threatening me with it.
He grabs me around the waist and tickles me. I break into a fit of giggles.
Phone camera forgotten, I let it tumble to the floor. I tip over the arm of the couch, and he collapses on top of me, still tickling me. I start cackling with laugher as I squirm beneath him.
Teddy enters the room at the commotion and starts barking. He plops his front paws on the couch and then up onto Griffin’s back.
“You tell him, Teddy!”
Roxy gets concerned and comes running into the living room, jumping onto the couch, landing in the remaining space above my head. She smothers Griffin and me with kisses. I’m breathless from laughing when we finally calm the dogs down and return to a seated position.
I finger-comb my hair and attempt to make myself presentable again. “I’m working here!”
Griffin helps repair the damage to my hair by tracing the outline of my cheeks and curling the wild hair behind my ears. “Hey, you can’t be throwing shade without facing some consequences.” He gestures to the dogs, Teddy at our feet and Roxy sitting next to me. “See, even the dogs are on my side.”
I tug his apron and pull him to me. “I’m so sorry. How can I ever make amends?”
He smirks, eyes twinkling. “I can think of a few ways.”
Oh, I can too. I close the small gap and put my lips to his, savoring every bit of goodness this man’s brought to my life.
Since moving to The Rescue Ranch, I see Griffin on the weekends, and while it’s never enough time together, I’ll take whatever time he’s able to spare. He’s been working to get his helicopter license. He’s almost completed his training hours. It’ll make his commute infinitely shorter and much easier for us to see each other during the week, too.
His new show is going great, and he loves working with his new director, Jack Mathis. It’s a comedy show about three country brothers living in the city for the first time in an apartment together. Best part is? No kissing other women. He’s managed to arrange with Jack to use a stunt double for those scenes. I never asked him to make such special arrangements. He did that all on his own. Said he wanted to honor me and our relationship.
While the show may not have the depth he used to want in a role, he’s more content having his freedom in what roles he plays. He’s got a new agent that recognizes his career goals and matches his vision. I’m just happy he’s happy. I hated the idea of him giving up acting altogether. He’s too talented. I’m glad Jack came along when he did.
Griffin’s relationship with his father is in a much healthier place since he fired him as an agent. It’s slightly awkward when we see him, but he’s at least making an effort to form a new relationship with his son. Next week, we have plans to go out to dinner with him and—get this—his new girlfriend. Shocker. But we accept his revolving plus-ones so that we can see him.
Griffin’s gotten better at calling his mom, too. This whole time he thought his mom was content with her new family andlife, when really, she didn’t want to bother Griffin’s busy career. The two talk on the phone a couple times a week, and we have plans to visit her together in Florida in a few weeks.
On top of his new television series, Griffin’s been a huge help with the center. It seems like some various repairs need to be made on either the ranch house or my house every week. We house over thirty dogs, and with that many, destruction is bound to happen. We have a handful of staff, but Griffin insists on him and Luke making the repairs. And let me tell ya, the sight of Griffin with a tool belt is mighty fine.
Both the guys have also been such great assets to the board, helping me with content ideas for both my blog and social media accounts. Wren’s encouragement and endless energy for the rescue have given me the gift of friendship I’d always wanted growing up. I’ll be sad when she leaves on her first concert tour this summer.
My sister has come out to the ranch several times. She fell in love with my fosters and became a proud first-time dog owner. She kept both their names. Every time she comes to visit, she thinks about adopting another dog. Like many dog owners, once you open your home to pets, you want more. I love that her heart for animals is so close to mine; it’s just one more thing that connects us.
Mom acquired a new reality TV show, with the help of Wesley Rhodes, calledThe Blake Widow. She’s often busy filming, but she calls every now and then. I appreciate her efforts, though I don’t think we’ll ever have a close bond.
The sun has started to set. Light peers through my open windows and the breeze flaps my sheer white curtains, reminding me my optimal filming daylight is waning. I ignore it in favor of resting my head on Griffin’s shoulder and burrowing into his neck. I’d rather soak in this moment of reality. Content can always be filmed another day.
Griffin’s arm comes around me. “Shouldn’t you be finishing your video?”
“Eh,” I wave into the air. “There’s always tomorrow.”
He chuckles. “I tell you what, you finish your video, and I’ll finish dinner. Then we’ll reward ourselves with a movie night.”
I perk up. “My choice?”
