Page 9 of Crash
The past twenty-four hours were traumatic enoughwithout addinginappropriately turned on by a strangerto her list of grievances.
God, she was definitely going to need to find a therapist to sort through her issues, something she was pushing off for a while, but she needed to prioritize once she got out of Willowbrook. There was no way she wouldn’t have echoes of the trauma, which would probably show up later in her life, and knowing her history, at completely inappropriate times.
She was mature enough to recognize when asking for help was necessary. Besides, having a therapist was like having a nonjudgmental best friend who also gave great advice, unlike a real best friend who may encourage more self-destructive behaviors.
Speaking of best friends, she had not talked to Megan in a while. They’d been best friends since college, but it’s difficult to still keep in touch with how busy their lives are. It’s no excuse, but she’d have to call Megan soon to let her know she was out of town.
Quynh grimaced at the thought. She was definitely not looking forward to the conversation. Thoughts of the impending conversation with Megan made her inwardly groan. This is probably not going to go over well.
Megan was an incredible friend, but she sometimes went over the top. She didn’t put it past Megan to hop on a plane and fly all the way from across the country just tobe here with Quynh as she sorted through the mess. The sentiment made her smile.
It would be nice to have someone in her corner right now, but Megan was a busy woman with her own business she built from the ground up. She now has multiple franchises, and her success would have been enviable if Quynh possessed a jealous bone in her body. It had been amazing to watch the shy and quiet college girl grow into the strong powerhouse she is today. Megan never let the success get to her head, though. She’d stayed humble to her roots and never left Quynh in the dust of her success.
They lived on opposite sides of the country with busy lives. It made for conflicting schedules, but they always tried to talk at least once a month. She should definitely call Megan tonight.
After a couple more minutes of shallow mouth breathing to avoid Griffin’s captivating scent, Griffin finally turns into the auto body shop off Main Street. Quynh glanced around at the building. It was smaller than the ones she was used to from Emerald Heights. The two-car garage was attached to the two-story main building. She assumed it acted as the office or reception area.
Quynh looked up at the upper level. The small, curtained windows were drawn shut. She assumed it was where she’d be staying the night.
Griffin parked the truck and got out without saying a word. She waited a beat before slowly opening her doorand hopping down. Turning around, she reached back into the cabin to pull a still-drooling Pickles out.
At the sound of a throat clearing, Quynh whirled around, and Pickles let out a meow in protest of the quick movement. She found Griffin glaring at her as if he were offended by her mere presence, her bag gripped in one hand. After a moment, he led the way to the front door of the shop.
“The main entrance is through the main lobby, behind the office. There’s a rear entrance, but I don’t have the key on me. I’ll give you a copy of the key later.” Griffin tossed the words over his shoulders as she scrambled to follow closely behind him.
He opened the door and gestured for her to step in ahead of him.
What a gentleman, she thought sarcastically.
She stopped in the middle of the lobby with both hands on the handle of Pickles’s cat carrier, waiting for his direction. The bell above the front door rang as Griffin pulled the door shut behind him. He led the way to a narrow hallway and rounded the corner.
Quynh followed a few paces behind him as he entered a door-marked office and came back with a key ring. He handed it to her, and she scrambled to grab it from his hands without jostling Pickles too much.
Griffin didn’t wait for a response as he led the wayto another doorway. Using the key on his key ring, Griffin opened the door to reveal a staircase.
Quynh watched in amazement as Griffin pushed the handle of her suitcase down and bent to lift the case over his head. He practically sprinted up the stairs while she gingerly cradled the carrier containing the giant Maine coon in her arms. By the time she made it to the top of the stairs, the door was left ajar for her.
Griffin was nowhere in sight when she walked in and looked at her temporary home. The open floor plan boasted a quaint living room equipped with a couch and TV. A small island separated the space into the kitchenette with a small refrigerator and stove. A narrow hallway led to the back, where she assumed the bedroom and the bathroom were located. It was small, but it was exactly what she needed for the night.
She set Pickles down on the coffee table and leaned down to peer into his crate. He was still asleep, but she expected the catnip would likely wear off soon. A night of the zoomies was probably in her future. She loved it when Pickles acted like a wild cat. He always got super affectionate after his bursts of energy, and she always welcomed the extra attention.
She reached a finger in and pet Pickles’s fluffy tail.
The sounds of Griffin’s footsteps made her straighten up. When she turned around, he was standing at the entrance of the hallway with his handson his hips, a frown marring his otherwise handsome face.
“Your bags are in your room.” He gestures behind him with a thumb. “I turned up the thermostat, but it will take a few minutes to warm up.”
Quynh wiped her hands on the front of her wrinkled sundress nervously. She didn’t know why she was nervous, but her heart raced as she looked at her unsuspecting hero.
“Thank you,” she finally murmured.
An intense silence filled the space between them. Just like when trapped in the truck, the atmosphere thrummed with intensity.
Her eyes dropped to his thick neck as his Adam’s apple bobbed. She chewed on her lower lip, captivated by the sensual curve of his neck. With a sudden jerk, Griffin bolted for the door, desperate to escape her presence.
“If you need anything, I’m just across the street. Get some rest. I’ll call Ricky in the morning.”
She jumped when he slammed the door shut as he left, his footsteps fading as he descended the stairs. She ran to the window and pulled the curtain aside, watching as he jumped into his truck.
