“I know, these are hot,” she said, hoping to avoid any further discussion on Griff.
“Hey, Prissy, it’s me, your brother-in-law and former boss. I see it between you two. It was there at Charlie’s house. The way he looked at you. And you looked at him.”
She gulped hard. “Doesn’t take a genius, does it?”
“I’ve been there. So maybe I’m more aware than some people. But they’ll catch on.”
Biting her lip, she could only nod. She’d promised Griff their wedding, set for next Friday night, would remain undercover. Deep inside, she knew it was for the best; her mother would never be able to put up any obstacles to stop them beforehand.
“Come on, help me load these up.”
In the mindless carrying of boxes to his SUV waiting outside the back door and back again for more, Priscilla’s thoughts wandered. In less than one week, she’d met Griffin James, come to know him in a way she doubted he revealed to anyone before, went from crushing on him to falling for him, and agreed to become his wife.
Her middle tumbled. She, who swore off marriage the moment she bolted from her mother’s oppressive reign, now less than five months later, would walk down the aisle in just days.
Something in her sensed, with an unshakable certainty, it was the right thing to do. After mulling it over days ago when he first asked, she couldn’t get the concept out of her head. Then, when he’d proposed it again just yesterday, it clicked into place.
This man would allow her to explore and dive into adventures; he’d showed her several already, willingly participating in her quest. Yet, in a strange way, he sheltered her without smothering her all at the same time.
She felt safe with him. She could trust him.
All that and she’d put her mark on King’s, helping in reviving the once legendary store and bringing it to new heights. Somewhere up above, she hoped to make her late stepfather proud he’d adopted her and given her his name.
Marrying Griffin would help her, too. As his wife, she’d avoid the antics, unrelenting pressure, and wrath of her mother. Or so she hoped.
***
Less than a half hour later, Bruno greeted her and Marcus at the door of King’s, unlocking it for them.
“Hope you got some for me, too, baby girl,” he said, smacking his lips.
“Pick your poison, my friend,” she said, holding out the box. He took it. “Not all of it.”
He and Marcus chuckled.
“All right, all right. What you got?” He read the names on the top. “Turkey club. Hot ham and cheese. BLT. Chicken parm. Oh, now you did it. I’m taking that one.”
“Good choice,” Marcus said, passing by them and heading toward the noisy crew.
“He’d have said that about any one of them,” she whispered. “But, it’s true. He and Dolly are the best.”
“You ain’t telling me anything new.” He patted his round belly. “I’ve been testing her recipes for decades now. I even offered Mr. Marcus and his partner I’d be more than willing to taste test any new recipe at their new place.”
“Dang, I’ve gotta get in on that deal.” She grabbed for the box. “Gotta go. But you and me have a date for the next round of new recipes.”
“Quit sweet-talking me, now. I’m a married man.”
She almost let it slip that in a few short days she’d be a married woman.
***
Her admiration for Griff grew. His leadership shone. Diagrams of the finished floor plan, taped to a free standing board along with a to-do checklist on a long roll of paper, kept the project on time. Scheduled breaks, with drinks and snacks provided, and dinner from Marcus and his partner’s new place, delighted the crew and gave them incentive to press on through the long night and into the morning hours until their shift change.
“I’m impressed,” she said as she cleared off the makeshift tables lining the marble foyer.
“The end justifies the means,” Griff said, nodding to the happy workers going back to the job. He took a pile of empty containers from her and dumped them in the trash a few yards away.
That statement sent a trickle of alarm through her middle. Looking up at him as he walked back to her side, she asked, “Is that your motto? Even for us?”
Standing there in his gray T-shirt, jeans, and work boots, no one would have believed he wasn’t just another laborer. He picked up a nail gun, moved boxes and piles of debris, and lent a hand anywhere that he thought he could help. He could have been just one of the guys. But Priscilla knew different.
Sexy, strong, incredibly capable, Griffin James stood out from the others. His drive and determination fueled him.