Page 48 of Crash
Griffin came over with two plates piled high. The delicious aroma of freshly baked chicken and pasta made her mouth water. She caught a whiff of it earlier when they first entered the house.
She murmured her thanks as he set a plate in front of her. She bit back on a moan when the flavors hit her taste buds. The only other sounds in the room came from their utensils scraping gently while Rover ate his dinner in the corner.
“This is delicious. You’re a very good cook.”
When Griffin didn’t respond, she glanced up from her plate and gasped.
“Are you blushing?” She couldn’t help giving him a hard time.
“No. Of course not.”
“You are!”
“A man never blushes.”
“Ha!”
He shot her an unamused look, which made her chuckle.
It was cute that he was embarrassed about his culinary skills.
Did he ever cook for anyone else?
She hoped not. The thought of him sharing this part of himself with another woman made her burn with unwarranted jealousy. Quynh had no reason to be possessiveabout Griffin. Besides sharing several intimate moments, they made no promises to each other.
Her time in Willowbrook was limited. The ever-present hourglass hanging over her head as the sands of time slipped by, marking their passage of time, knowing, inevitably, her time would run out here, and she’d have to face reality. Go back to the city and deal with the mess she left behind.
She still needed to find a new job. The prospect seemed incredibly daunting. She wasn’t quite ready to tackle the obstacle. The thought of having to find a new job where she was not valued made her want to break out in a rash. She could really use at least another week before she needed to get her act together.
On top of her severance pay, her mother taught her the importance of saving her money, so she had a comfortable nest egg to last her a while, if necessary. She didn’t have many bills other than car insurance. Her previous employer paid for her to relocate. As part of the relocation, they also paid for her apartment. The lease was good for the rest of the year.
Ugh. This was the first time she had even thought about her boss since she got to Willowbrook. Or, former boss. She hadn’t seen the obituary notice yet, but funeral services were probably happening soon. She should at least go and pay her respects. Quynh made a mental noteto contact one of her other coworkers for any updated information on funeral arrangements.
Not to mention, her car wasn’t ready yet, but hopefully, the parts she just ordered will arrive soon.
“Quynh.”
Griffin’s voice broke her out of her spiraling thoughts.
“Hmm?”
“You okay?”
“What? Oh. Yes, of course.”
“Don’t lie to me.”
Quynh put her fork down, folding her hands in her lap. She glanced at his face, which was set in determination as he waited for her to say something.
She fidgeted with the material of the borrowed grey sweatpants, pinching it between her fingers as she thought of what to say.
“I’m fine. Really.”
“But…”
“But…I guess I was just thinking about how I should probably check up on things back home.”
Griffin’s expression hardened at her words, and his lips set in a thin line as his eyes assessed her. After a tense moment of silence, he gave her a curt nod.
