Caribou Coffee.
“We didn’t know what else to get you, and Griffin said you liked coffee.”
“I do.” I looked up at both of them. “I love coffee. Thank you again. You didn’t have to get me anything.”
Glen shook his head at me and turned to Griffin. “Come with me to the garage. I forgot to show you something.”
“I’ll be right back,” he told me.
“It’s fine.”
We’d driven separately after all. I didn’t need him in order to leave.
Griffin and his dad walked into the kitchen and presumably out to the garage since I heard the door open and close.
“Glen got a new power tool. Those two were outside, looking at it, for an hour before he went to your parents’ for dinner.”
I smiled. Griffin and his dad were close, so this didn’t surprise me. Both of his parents had been nervous about him opening a bar, but his father had been behind him one hundred percent and even offered to loan him money if he needed it.
“I have one more thing for you,” Camile said as she turned and went toward the kitchen.
I followed her as she opened up a bakery tin and pulled out some cookies to put in a plastic food storage bag.
“I made your favorite cookies, so I thought you’d like to take some home.”
“Chocolate chip?” I asked.
Camile made the best chocolate chip cookies. She’d given me the recipe, and I had attempted to make them a few times. They never tasted as good.
“You bet,” she said.
While Camile put some cookies into a bag for me, I put my scarf, gift card, and plane tickets into the gift bag for safekeeping.
“I hope you’re not mad that Griffin bought me those tickets. I want you to know I didn’t ask for them. They were a total surprise.”
Camile sealed the bag and handed it to me. “I’m not mad.” She smiled reassuringly. “I just worry sometimes.”
I tilted my head. “What do you mean?”
She sighed and looked reluctant to tell me. She stood up straight and said, “I love that Griffin has as good of a friend as you. I’m glad you have each other. I sometimes worry, is all. I worry that having you around prevents him from finding someone. Or if he does find someone, they’ll never compare to you. I mean, how would a new girlfriend feel when she finds out that Griffin is going to Europe with another woman?”
I gave my response some thought before I said anything.
“I understand your fears. I would never stand in Griffin’s way of being with someone. And you might not know it, but he does date. Many times, they don’t get serious enough for him to introduce you to them.”
“That’s what worries me. What if he doesn’t get serious because of you?”
I shook my head. “Trust me, he’s always ended things for the right reasons. And until recently, I had my own boyfriend. I really don’t think I’d stop Griffin from finding someone.” I squeezed Camile’s arm. “And if it helps, if he did find someone before the trip, I would pay him for his ticket and take someone else. Or maybe his new girlfriend could come with us.” I swallowed, not liking the idea of Griffin with someone. I especially didn’t like the thought of being the third wheel on my own birthday trip. I already had negative feelings toward this imaginary girlfriend. “Either way, I would never do something that would make the woman he was dating uncomfortable.”
Camile pulled me into a hug. “Thanks for understanding, Madeline. I can see why Griffin likes you so much.”
I patted Camile’s back, but I couldn’t quite make myself feel as happy as she was.
Sixteen
Madeline
Tuesday evening, I got home from work to find Harris sitting in his car in my driveway.
I hadn’t heard anything from him since I’d left his house almost a week ago. Not a phone call or a text. Which was perfectly fine by me. It only made me more confused about what he was doing at my home.
I opened my garage door and pulled inside but didn’t close it behind me, like I normally would.
I got out of my car the same time Harris exited his.
He had a smile on his face and flowers in his hand.
Standing there, stunned, I could only watch as he approached me.
“Harris, I didn’t expect to see you.”
“I thought we’d left things on bad terms last week.”
When he reached me, he handed me the flowers and went to kiss me. Quickly, I turned my head,