Page 55 of How He Got the Girl
She rolls her eyes. “Is that a line from one of your movies?”
“That was a Griffin original.”
Mallory glances around me at her friends. “You should buy everyone hot chocolate. I can get something else.”
“Or you can take a chance again.” I wrap my gloved hands around hers. “You don’t know what you could be missing out on until you try.”
She pulls her hands back and shoves them in her pockets. “I don’t think I’m ready for that quite yet.”
“I’m here whenever you are.” I hope she catches my double entendre.
“Drinks are on Griffin,” Mallory calls to her friends. They smile but eye her warily. I’m glad Mallory has such caring and fierce friends, even if their apprehension is because of me at the moment.
I let everyone order their drinks ahead of me and Mallory. Once we finally reach the register, Mallory fidgets on her feet. “I’ll take a vanilla cappuccino.”
“Make it two, please,” I say before lowering my voice and adding, “And two additional hot chocolates.” After passing over my card to pay for the group, I move to the pickup area beside Mallory.
“You’re not going to have hot chocolate?”
“I’m waiting.”
“For what?” She laughs.
If she’s going to ask, I’m going to give her the truth. “Whatever day you decide to drink it again.”
Mallory raises a brow. “Why?”
“Because you…you are—” I look at the ground, shuffling my feet along the pavement. I can’t tell her she’s everything to me. Not yet. I force myself to meet her gaze. “I’d never want to do anything that might cause you pain.”
“It’s just hot chocolate.”
“If it’s just hot chocolate, then why don’t you take a sip?”
Her eyes soften as she shrugs. “You didn’t buy me one.”
I shake my head. “I’ll get you to drink it again one day.”
“Griffin,” the woman behind the counter of the drink cart calls.
I pass out the cups of hot chocolate to her friends before handing one cappuccino to Mallory and taking the other for myself.
“Who are the extra drinks for?” Mallory gestures to the drink carrier in my other hand.
Tess and Evie rejoin us with sugar cookies in hand.
“We couldn’t leave out Tess and Evie.”
I hand the carrier over to Tess, who shoots me a grateful smile. “That was thoughtful. Thank you.”
“Are you trying tobuymy friends?” Mallory takes a sip of her cappuccino.
“It’s not about the money spent, but investing my time with the people you love most.” She may not let me in, but maybe the people she loves will know of a secret door and be willing to help once they see my true intentions.
She huffs. “Well, that’s sweet. How am I supposed to be sassy now?”
“You could just talk about how amazing I am.”
“There’s that confidence again.” Mallory taps my chest.
