back. “Of course I like it, you big dummy.”
He grinned. “Good. Now, no pressure, but if you really want to show me your thanks, you’ll take me with you.”
I laughed and slapped his arm with the tickets. “Duh. You’re my best friend after all.” I lifted my brow. “Besides, you already put your name on the other ticket.”
He shrugged. “You never know. You might have a new boyfriend by then. I made sure the tickets are transferable.”
I looked at the tickets again. They were for summer.
As if he’d read my mind, he said, “I guessed you wouldn’t want to go in winter; plus, I wanted to give you time to take off work.”
He was pretty thoughtful.
I looked back up to him. “I don’t care if I have a new boyfriend.” And I didn’t really want a new boyfriend either. “I’m taking you with me.”
He smiled. “Can’t wait.”
“Will you be able to leave your wife though?” I asked.
His brow furrowed. “My wife?”
“Yeah. You know, the bar. Are you sure you can leave her for a week?”
“You’re so funny. Not.”
I laughed.
“Yes, I can leave her. It’s not every day that I get to go to Europe.”
The front door to Griffin’s parents’ house opened.
“Happy birthday, Madeline,” Griffin’s mom, Camile, shouted.
“Thank you,” I called back.
“Would you like to come in? I have something for you.”
“I’d love to.”
Camile turned her attention to her son. “You’re coming in to say good-bye?”
“Yes,” he shouted back. “You ready to go in there?” he asked me.
“Lead the way,” I told him.
Camile gave me a hug as soon as I walked through the door. “Did you have a good birthday?”
“Yes. I had to work, but my coworkers brought treats. And we went out on Friday night. I even managed to get Griffin away from the bar for a while.”
“You’re a better woman than me. I can’t get him to leave that place.”
I put my hand up like I was telling Camile a secret, but I didn’t bother to lower my voice. “I just told him the bar was his wife, but he didn’t think I was funny.”
Griffin put his hands on his hips. “I’m standing right here.”
“Good,” his mom said, “because that bar isn’t going to give me grandchildren.” She held up her hands. “Not that I’m asking for some right now. I’m only asking for some someday.”
He sighed. “Where’s Dad?”
“I’m right here,” Glen, Griffin’s father, said as he rounded the corner. His eyes brightened when he saw me. “Is that the birthday girl?”
I grinned. “Hi, Glen.”
He came toward me and wrapped me in his arms. Glen was like an uncle to me. He was tall, like his son, but huskier. When I was a kid, I’d always thought of him as a human teddy bear.
Pulling away, he asked, “What did my son get you? Something good, I hope.”
I lifted the plane tickets and shook them as I did a little dance.
“Griffin, you bought those?” his mom asked, eyes wide.
I frowned. I hadn’t expected disapproval from Camile.
Or maybe I was assuming things.
“Yes, Mom. It’s not every day your best friend turns thirty.”
“Well, I think it’s an excellent present,” Glen said. He squinted and leaned closer. “It also looks like you get something out of it, Griff.” He chuckled. He put his hand on his wife’s back. “It’s a good gift, Cam.”
“It’s a lot of money.”
The tension I hadn’t known I’d even had in my shoulders lessened. She was just worried about her son spending a lot of money.
“The bar’s had a good year, Mom.”
Camile opened her mouth, but Griffin stopped her with a hand.
“I’m still putting plenty of money into savings.”
Camile closed her lips and appeared to relax. “As long as you’re not going to go broke, then I guess I can’t complain.”
“Did you give Madeline our present?” Glen asked Camile.
“I can’t give it to her now. It pales in comparison.”
“I will love it, no matter what it is.”
“Famous last words,” Camile said and headed to the kitchen. A few seconds later, she came back with a gift bag. “Don’t laugh.”
“I would never,” I promised.
I peeled back the tissue paper and pulled out an envelope and a handmade scarf. It was teal.
“Griffin said it was your favorite color.”
“It is. It’s beautiful.”
Camile looked sheepish. “I figured, with winter coming, it never hurts to have an extra scarf.”
I wrapped it around the back of my neck and threw one side over my shoulder. “Thank you. I love it.”
“Don’t forget the envelope.”
I opened the white lid and pulled out a gift card to