Page 14 of Griffin (Pecan Pines #3)

Chapter 14

Griffin

“ N ah, I’m good,” Michael said, his tone light but his posture stiff.

I noticed the faint, awkward smile he wore—the kind that didn’t quite reach his eyes. Todd’s offer had come out of nowhere and felt... off.

Todd leaned back, frowning slightly. “You sure? I’ve got some good ones. You always liked borrowing my stuff.”

I arched an eyebrow at that. Borrowing stuff? Maybe it was just a friendly gesture, but my instincts were prickling.

Todd wasn’t supposed to be anything more than Michael’s friend, right? So why was he acting like a possessive ex?

Michael cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable.

“I’m absolutely sure. Thanks for asking, though.” Michael picked up a fry, probably hoping that eating something would end the conversation.

And then Todd did the unthinkable. He reached across the table and snagged the exact fry Michael was holding. He popped it into his mouth with a casual shrug.

“I finished mine. Do you mind?” Todd asked.

Michael blinked, stunned, his hand hovering mid-air.

“Uh, sure. No problem. You can have the rest of mine, if you like,” he said hesitantly.

My wolf growled low and quiet in the back of my mind. It took everything I had to keep it there. The audacity.

The smug little grin on Todd’s face wasn’t helping either. My grip tightened on my fork as I fought to keep myself in check.

“We could always order another plate of fries,” I said, my tone as neutral as I could make it. But my wolf betrayed me, a low rumble slipping out at the end.

Michael’s head whipped toward me, his eyes wide with alarm. I coughed to cover it up, pretending it hadn’t happened.

“I mean, no need to make it awkward over fries, right?” I added.

Michael let out a nervous laugh and shook his head. Todd, however, just smirked like he’d won some invisible battle.

I forced myself to stay calm, reminding myself why I was here. This lunch was supposed to help me figure Todd out, not let him get under my skin.

Maybe I was overthinking it. Maybe this was all some bizarre inside joke between them.

But every interaction made my wolf restless, pacing just under the surface.

Todd launched into a story about some work trip they’d taken together years ago, laughing too loudly at his own jokes.

Michael chuckled politely but didn’t seem fully engaged. I watched Michael’s body language closely—how he shifted in his seat, how his smile flickered and faltered.

When Todd finally excused himself to take a call, Michael let out a long breath.

“Well, that wasn’t awkward at all,” Michael muttered.

I tilted my head, studying him. “You okay?”

“Yeah, it’s just Todd being Todd,” Michael said, brushing it off with a wave of his hand.

But there was something in his tone—something that told me he wasn’t as fine as he claimed.

When Todd returned, the tension returned with him. The rest of the meal was a painful mix of forced small talk and awkward silences.

Todd seemed oblivious to the unease radiating from both Michael and me, or maybe he just didn’t care.

Finally, when the bill was paid and we stepped out of the restaurant, I felt like I could breathe again.

Todd gave Michael a one-armed hug, lingering just a second too long for my liking.

“Catch you later,” Todd said, shooting me a look before heading off.

I watched him walk away, my wolf still growling softly in the back of my mind.

Michael turned to me, rubbing the back of his neck. “So… that was fun,” he said with a weak laugh.

I huffed out a breath, biting back my thoughts about Todd. “Sure. Fun.”

Michael gave me a sidelong glance, as if gauging my mood.

“Hey, there’s this ice cream shop a few blocks from here. It’s kind of famous. Want to check it out?” Michael asked.

Ice cream wasn’t exactly my thing, but the hopeful look on Michael’s face made it impossible to say no.

“Sure,” I said, my voice softening.

Michael’s smile brightened, easing some of the tension that had been hanging between us. “Great. Let’s go.”

As we walked side by side, the lingering frustration from lunch started to fade. Whatever weirdness Todd had brought to the table, it didn’t matter now.

At least, that’s what I kept telling myself as Michael and I walked to the ice cream shop.

The late afternoon air was cool, and the hum of people talking, laughing, and walking along the street should have been enough to relax me. It wasn’t.

The line outside the shop was already spilling onto the sidewalk, full of tourists and locals alike.

A shrill cry made me jerk my head up, and I thought I spotted a bird of prey flying overhead.

Huh. I didn’t know red-tailed hawks were native to this area.

Then Michael turned to me, a little grin tugging at the corner of his mouth, and I forgot all about the hawk.

“Told you this place was popular. It blew up on social media a while ago. Some influencer came through, and now it’s the place to be,” Michael said.

I managed a smile, trying to focus on him and not the tangled knot of frustration still simmering in my chest.

Michael looked excited, his eyes lit up like he’d been waiting for this all day. I should’ve just enjoyed the moment. Should’ve just let Todd’s antics go.

But my mouth had other ideas.

“So, about Todd…” The words came out before I could stop them.

Michael tensed, his smile dimming as his posture stiffened. Part of me instantly regretted bringing it up, but the other part knew ignoring it wouldn’t help.

If we were going to work—if this was going to work—I needed to be honest with him.

Michael was fast becoming the most important person in my life, and I couldn’t stay silent about something that bothered me this much.

“What about Todd?” he asked cautiously.

“I told myself I’d reserve any judgments until I’d seen and spoken to him,” I began carefully. “But?—”

Michael’s expression shifted, a shadow of defensiveness creeping in. “Griffin…”

“I know Todd can be a little... intense,” he said, cutting me off. His tone was calm, but I could hear the edge beneath it.

“Intense is a polite way to put it,” I said, trying to keep my voice light.

But my wolf stirred uneasily, pacing within me like it was trapped in a cage too small.

Its restlessness only added to my own, a low hum of unease threading through every muscle in my body.

I could feel the tension radiating off Michael, his shoulders tight, his movements a little too controlled.

He was trying to act like everything was fine, but I could sense the crack in his composure as easily as I could hear a pin drop in a silent room.

I knew I was walking a fine line bringing Todd up like this. But my instincts—and my wolf—had never steered me wrong before.

They were sharp, honed, a survival skill that had saved my life more times than I could count.

And right now, those instincts were sounding alarms loud enough to drown out any rational thought.

There was something off about Todd.

I didn’t need years of knowing him to see it; it was plain in the way he acted, in the way his energy shifted when Michael and I were together.

Todd’s presence wasn’t neutral. It wasn’t the easygoing vibe of someone secure in their place in Michael’s life.

It was charged, defensive, territorial—and not in the way a protective friend should be.

My wolf growled low, deep in my chest, the kind of sound I could feel more than hear. It was a warning, primal and unrelenting, and I couldn’t ignore it even if I wanted to.

Todd had rubbed me the wrong way from the moment he stepped into the picture, and our interaction at lunch had only cemented that feeling.

Todd’s behavior wasn’t the kind you brushed off as harmless quirks. It was the kind you watched carefully because it could easily turn into something more. Something dangerous.

I shifted on my feet, glancing at Michael’s profile as he stared straight ahead, his expression unreadable. Did he feel it too, deep down?

That tension Todd brought into every room he walked into? Or had he grown so used to it over the years that it blended into the background, unnoticed?

My gut told me this wasn’t just jealousy. It wasn’t about me being new in Michael’s life and feeling threatened by someone he trusted.

Todd wasn’t just off. He was a problem waiting to happen.

“Michael, I hate to ask this, but… did you two ever date? Or, you know, hook up?” The question hung in the air, heavier than I intended.

Michael’s face flushed instantly, a deep red spreading to his ears.

“What? No. Never. We’re just friends. Always have been.” His voice was sharp, defensive, but there was something in his eyes—a flicker of disbelief that I’d even asked.

“Where’s this coming from?” Michael demanded.

“It’s just… the way Todd acts around you. It doesn’t feel natural.”

“Not natural?” Michael repeated, his tone incredulous. “How exactly does he act around me?”

I hesitated, trying to choose my words carefully.

“The shirt thing, for one. And the fries,” I said, realizing how petty it sounded as soon as the words left my mouth.

Michael’s brow furrowed, and he crossed his arms over his chest. “The fries?”

“Look,” I said, exhaling slowly. “He acts possessive. During lunch, it was like he was staking some sort of claim on you. Don’t you think?”

Michael shook his head, his lips pressing into a thin line.

“Possessive? Griffin, he was just worried about me. You know, with the whole stalker situation? Besides, you’ve known Todd for, what, one meal? I’ve known him for years.”

His words were like a punch to the gut. I knew he was right—Todd and I didn’t have history, and I had no right to judge their friendship so quickly.

But still, the way Todd acted… it didn’t sit right with me. My wolf growled softly, pacing inside me, but I forced it back. This wasn’t the time to let my instincts take over.

The line inched forward, slower than molasses. Michael tapped his foot, his jaw tight as he stared at the menu above the counter.

I couldn’t tell if he was really studying it or just avoiding looking at me. I sighed, shoving my hands into my pockets.

“I’m not trying to start anything. I just… care about you. And something about him doesn’t sit right with me,” I said.

Dang it. I was making this worse, wasn’t I?

Michael turned to me then, his gaze softening slightly, though the tension didn’t fully leave his face.

“Griffin, I appreciate that you care. I really do. But Todd’s like family. I need you to trust me when I say there’s nothing to worry about,” Michael said.

I nodded slowly, biting back the urge to argue further. “Okay. I trust you.”

The words felt heavy, but I meant them. If Michael said there was nothing to worry about, I’d take him at his word—for now.

But that didn’t mean I was going to ignore my instincts entirely. Something about Todd still didn’t sit right with me, and I wasn’t about to let my guard down.

The line crept forward, and soon we were at the counter. Michael ordered something elaborate—a waffle cone with three scoops and a mountain of toppings.

I kept it simple with a single scoop of chocolate.

As we sat down on a nearby bench, Michael’s mood seemed to lift again. He took a big bite of his ice cream, a smudge of whipped cream sticking to his nose.

I couldn’t help but chuckle. “You’ve got a little something…” I gestured to my own nose.

Michael laughed, wiping it away. “Better?”

“Perfect,” I said, smiling.

For a while, we just sat there, enjoying the moment. The sweetness of the ice cream, the cool breeze, the sounds of the city around us—it all felt a little lighter.

“Griffin?” Michael said after a while, his voice quiet.

“Yeah?”

“Thanks for being honest with me,” he said, his gaze steady. “I know it’s not easy to bring stuff like that up, especially when it’s about someone important to me. But I appreciate it.”

His words warmed something inside me, easing the tension that had been building all day.

“Of course,” I said. “And I’m sorry if I came off too strong. I just… care about you a lot, Michael.”

Michael’s lips curved into a soft smile, and he reached out to touch my hand.

“I care about you too, Griffin.”