Page 62 of Wrecked Rose

When her head swivels back to face us, she snorts a little and then bursts out laughing. “You’re definitely a lucky guy if you can land Dreamboat Danbrook.” She winks at me, and I give a sigh of relief.

Scarlett taps her fingers to her lip. “Well, we’re here. Whatever you need. Just so we’re clear, this is a secret?”

“Until Griff says it’s not. But Lyla knows about it.”

“Really?” Daph sounds surprised at first, but then shakes her head. “That actually makes a lot of sense. Living there, she has to be pretty close with him. And if he feels like he can’t tell his brother yet...?”

Scarlett nods. “What are we going to do about Aubrey? And Stacia, for that matter?”

“Nothing. I’m not forcing him to do a damn thing. If he decides he wants to be with me, then that’ll have to stop. To be clear, it has nothing to do with the fact that they’re female. I just don’t like sharing. And I already told you, he doesn’t want people to know that he and I have had a thing, so… I don’t know where that leaves us.”

I don’t miss the look exchanged between Scarlett and Daphne. They’re worried about me, I know. Unfortunately, this is nothing they can help fix. There’s nothing they can do. And not much I can do if Griff won’t talk to me.

The distinctive notification from the OUTspoken app alerts me to a message.

Sam:I’m going on the damn date tonight.

Sam:Don’t ask. Grr.

Chapter 37

Max

Ijog down the stairs Thursday morning to find my parents sitting at the kitchen table eating breakfast. They both look up with a smile when they see me. Dad sets down his fork. “Hey, come sit with us.”

My dad is about my height. I get my hazel eyes from him but my sandy brown hair from my mom. He’s dressed in a suit this morning. He must be going into the office today.

I have no clue if he actually has something to say or if he simply wants to see me because he’s been out of town a lot this month. “Yeah, sure. Just lemme get something to drink.”

Mom points at her plate. “Do you want Sylvia to make you an omelet?”

Sylvia’s our cook. She’s been working for us ever since Mom stepped it up with her volunteer work. Normally I love her omelets, but I don’t have time this morning. I’d been up late wondering how things had gone with Sam, not to mention trying to figure out my own crap. “Nah, that’s okay. I only have a few minutes.”

In the kitchen, I grab a bottle of my favorite juice from the fridge and give it a shake.

When I sit down, I notice a funny look on Mom’s face. “What?”

She cringes. “I just got around to telling Dad about your friend you brought home after those guys beat him up.”

“Oh. Sam. Yeah, what about him?”

Mom reaches for his hand. “First, is he doing okay?”

I nod. “I think so. He contacted me not too long after it happened to thank me for helping him.”

Dad’s working his jaw back and forth overtime. “Max, if you know who did it, I think he should report it.”

“I have an assumption about which guy started all the trouble, and Sam said there were three that came at him, but I’m not sure who the other two were. We’re trying to figure it out.” At least I think we still are. Griff promised me. And I don’t think he’d not tell me if he gained that knowledge.

Dad homes in on that one word. “We?”

“Yeah. Griff Danbrook is on the baseball team—he’s a friend of mine. And that’s all Sam would say. That they were baseball players.”

“Poor guy’s nervous, huh?” Mom’s lips curve downward.

“Yeah.” I shrug.

“And you think Griff will help?” Mom questions.

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