Page 11 of Griffin (Stone Brothers #5)

ELEVEN

GRIFFIN

"P izza's here!" Dad yelled across the lot.

Two delivery kids were each carrying a tower of pizza boxes.

Dad had started the tradition of treating his workers to pizza two Fridays a month.

After working for some real assholes who thought work needed to be a punishment that you were glad to receive, Dad decided to be a different kind of boss.

He knew that if morale was high, then his workers would work harder to keep their positions.

He had very little turnover on his crews, which saved money in the long run.

Cheers rang out through the mile-long worksite. Machinery was shut down and tools were set aside. A parade of heavy work boots kicked up a nice little dust storm as everyone headed toward the picnic tables. Theo whirred past me. "You comin'?" he asked and didn't wait for a response.

I was standing back, like a wallflower at a school dance, waiting for the most beautiful girl in class to walk in.

And she did not disappoint. Shay's smile was bright white as she spoke to some of the workers in line.

She said something that produced a bout of laughter.

She glanced around the picnic area, and stupidly, I hoped that she was looking for me.

When her face finally turned my direction, her gaze landed directly on me.

She stared at me for a second and then tilted her head toward the pizza.

I headed across feeling like a cocky asshole knowing that she had been looking for me.

The line was shorter by the time I reached the table area.

Workers walked around with plates overflowing with greasy pizza slices.

Shay stepped out of her place in line and walked to the back to stand with me.

This morning there was a distinct sadness in her pretty face, but now she looked brighter, happier.

While all the other big smiles around us had to do with pizza, something told me that wasn't the source of Shay's good mood.

"Did you have a good morning?" I asked.

The string of star tattoos curled and straightened as she bowed her head once. "I got a lot done, and it's turning out to be a great day." There was more to that statement, but we were in the midst of my loud, sweaty coworkers, so I didn't ask her to elaborate.

Shay picked up one slice of pepperoni pizza, and I piled three slices on my paper plate.

We each grabbed a cold can of soda. We hadn't verbally made plans to eat together.

I stayed back as she headed toward the trailer.

She stopped halfway and, again, used that adorable head tilt to invite me along.

I glanced back. Dad always ate with the crew on pizza days, and they always swarmed around him like he was the popular kid in the lunch quad.

I followed Shay inside, and we set our lunches down on the small table. "Thanks for inviting me into the executive dining room," I said as I pulled out a chair.

"Well, we'll allow it this one time, but let's not make a habit of it.

" She popped open her orange soda and took a sip.

"Hmm, it's been a long time since I drank one of these.

Used to always buy them out of the vending machine in high school.

Good stuff." She took another sip. "I think they got the artificial flavoring just right.

" It was so nice to see her enjoying herself.

At the start of the day, she looked miserable, and she wasn't the kind of person who should ever have to suffer misery.

Something told me she'd seen plenty of it with that asshole she was married to.

I took a bite of pizza and ended up with one of those impossible strings of cheese that dangled between my mouth and the paper plate. I was fucking smooth, that was for damn sure.

Shay giggled as I struggled to break myself free from the cheese tether. It ended up on my chin and from there, I worked it into my mouth … after an embarrassing few seconds.

"And this is why I have a rule—no pizza on a first date." I popped open my soda, deciding I couldn't get into too much trouble with my drink.

"Something tells me any girl on a date with you would be too starry eyed to notice that you had a piece of cheese dangling from your mouth.

" She pointed to her own chin to let me know that my humiliation continued.

I reached up and discovered a piece of mozzarella still clinging to my beard stubble.

"I knew I should have shaved this morning. I may be too traumatized by that last bite to take another."

Shay laughed. "Dreamy and funny. Self-deprecating isn't a bad quality either.

" Her long lashes dropped, and she turned the can around in her hand.

"Better than arrogance." She turned the can again but didn't take a sip.

"He's leaving tomorrow morning," she said quietly.

"For his next job. I thought he'd be here all weekend, but he's leaving in the morning.

He has an extra stop in Salt Lake City."

I waited, not entirely sure if that was a good or bad thing. I assumed it was good or, at least, that was what I hoped for.

She turned to me. "That's why I'm having such a great day."

"Shay," I started.

She shook her head. "No, I'm not looking for pity. I don't do pity when I'm in my other life, the one where he's on the road and I'm a single woman, independent and happy."

"Why don't you leave him?" I knew it was an asinine question the second it came out of my mouth.

She stared down at her half-eaten pizza.

"If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me that, and it's a fair question.

There's no easy or reasonable response. At first, I didn't because I was sure things would get better.

I thought he was going through too much stress from work, and he was having a bad year.

Then it was a few bad years and then I realized I'd gotten myself into a terrible marriage.

The only thing that kept me going was the fact that he was gone for more than half of it.

I settled for that half-life when I realized Tate wasn't going to let me go easily.

I tried a few times, and he came after me.

I settled into my half existence and that became the easiest solution.

When he's out of town, I don't think about him.

I don't think about that shitty half of my life. I just live."

"Come live with me," I blurted. "Shit, can I make a bigger fool of myself today?

I meant come out … to a party. Tomorrow night.

My cousin Stella and her roommates have this cool, funky place right on the beach, and they're throwing a party.

It'll be casual. Music, snacks, beer." She didn't look too keen on the idea.

I held up a hand. "Sorry, I'm being pushy.

No biggie. I just thought since you were free—after he leaves in the morning, anyway.

" I took a big bite of pizza deciding my best bet was to shovel food in my mouth so no more stupid shit came out.

"It sounds fun but—" She shook her head. "I haven't been to a party in … I won't say how long because it makes me sound like the most pathetic person in the world. It sounds lovely, Fin, and I appreciate the invite, but—I don't know."

"Wait." I walked over to Dad's desk and ripped a piece of notepaper off the pad and grabbed a pen. "I'll write down the address." I paused and looked up from the notepaper. "Will you have a car?"

"Yes, Tate will be in his truck."

I slapped the address down on the table. "Just if you want. No pressure. I'll understand if you don't make it."

She folded the paper and put it in her pocket. "Again, I appreciate the invite, but me and parties and well—people—I've lost my ability to socialize." She sighed. "I really am pathetic."

"You're anything but pathetic. You're—" I paused and rolled up my eyes.

"Nope, don't know what the opposite would be because as my sister likes to point out 'books catch fire in my hands.

'" I reached up and wiped a crumb off her small chin.

My finger lingered far longer than necessary.

When she didn't pull away, I let it stay even longer until I finally willed myself to lower my hand from her face.

The door opened, and I straightened abruptly, guiltily. Nothing had happened, but that wouldn't be how my dad saw it.

"Fin, I wondered where you got off to." Dad stopped at the table and smiled at Shay. "Enjoying the pizza?"

"Yes, thanks. It was just what I needed to get me through the rest of the afternoon. Which reminds me, I've got some calls to make. Thanks for keeping me company at lunch, Fin."

Dad's brow arched slightly. "Yes, thanks for that, Fin." Sarcasm dripped off his words.

I stood up and grinned smugly at him. "It was my pleasure."

"I'll bet," Dad said as I slid past him to leave.