The Heartbreaker of Echo Pass - Maisey Yates Page 0,98
he’d said echoing in her.
That he had feelings for her. That he wanted to continue.
One thing she knew for sure, she wanted him in her life. And she was willing to do whatever work she needed to keep him there.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
AFTER THAT, HE essentially moved in with Iris. It was weird to be down in town, where he could actually have an internet connection, and where his phone worked all the time. He decided to go ahead and get his old computer out, and engage a little bit more with the business, which his business manager was thrilled with.
The other person surprised by his sudden availability was Mallory.
“Hey,” he said, answering on the second ring one day.
“You... You have service.”
“I do.”
“What’s going on?”
“Well, I’m still about the homestead sometimes, but I... I moved.”
“You moved.”
“I’m with someone, Mal. Her name is Iris.”
“Iris. Really?”
“Yeah.”
He proceeded to tell her the whole story of Iris, how they’d met and how he was trying this, in spite of the fact that it was pretty intense.
“I can’t believe it. I mean, honestly, Griffin, I can’t. I was so sure...” Her voice caught. “I was really sure that we were going to lose you. I was afraid.”
“Yeah, well, you might have. If it wasn’t for her.”
“Well, I want to meet her.”
“You should come up here. You and Mom and Dad.”
“And Jared?”
“Are you back with him?” The disgust infusing his voice hadn’t even taken thought or effort. No prep required. Just knee-jerk dislike taking the wheel.
“I’m never not with him,” she said, suddenly defensive.
Amazing how his name came up the minute things were a little bit defused.
“Well, he seems to think that sometimes you’re not with him, which means he gets to behave as if he’s single.”
There was a biting pause. “It’s complicated.”
“I take it to mean he’s back crashing on your couch, though.”
“Not on my couch. But yes. He’s back at my place. At our place, Griffin. You haven’t been home in five years, you don’t really...you don’t know how it is.”
“Fantastic.” He chose to ignore that. “But I want you to know, I have a pretty big property, and hiding a body on it would be easy.”
“You know, a couple of months ago I would’ve been seriously concerned you might have meant that. But it sounds to me like you have something to lose now.”
What a strange turn of phrase. Something to lose.
It was true. He did.
And he could see that just a little while ago that might have stricken fear into his heart, that he loved something enough now he stood to lose more.
But it was weird to him that he wasn’t afraid.
He was... He was happy. Because life was better when you had something to lose.
He’d been a man with nothing. A man who wanted nothing, who loved nothing, and it was hell. It was hell. He would much rather be vulnerable.
“Come up and see us, though,” he said.
“Us,” Mallory said. “Seriously, Griffin. I’m so happy for you. You’re my hero. I hope you know that. I hope you know how much I miss you.”
And suddenly right then a lot of things seemed possible. Even going back to California. For a visit. Gold Valley was his home now, and he was resolved in that. But he could see taking Iris back there, introducing her to his parents. Bringing her over for dinner. And the idea didn’t draw comparisons between the time he’d done it before, and wanting to do it now. His and Iris’s relationship was its own. That much was clear.
He went downstairs, prepared to go up and put a couple hours working on the house, and when he walked into the dining room, Iris jumped up. “Do you need anything?”
“No,” he said, frowning.
She’d cooked him breakfast this morning, a huge spread, way more than what he was used to, she certainly didn’t need to be offering him anything else.
“I’m headed up to the house. If you need anything from the store before I get back...”
“I shouldn’t. Anyway, even if I did I have plenty of time to grab something for dinner. Will you be back for dinner?”
“Yeah. I aim to. Six o’clock?”
“Yes,” she said.
“Good. Hey, I invited my sister and my parents to come up and visit. I’d really like for them to meet you.”
Iris shifted uncomfortably, her face turning pink. “Really?”
“Yes. Really. You’re important to me.”
She blinked, and he could sense her discomfort. He didn’t know why that bothered her, any more than he understood why she’d gone into a kind