Rock-a-Bye, Baby

It was probably childish of me to hang up on Griffith and turn my phone off so he couldn’t call me, but at the moment I just didn’t have it in me to be an adult. Not only was I sad and scared, I was also exhausted—physically and mentally. Curling my body around my pillow, I gripped the sleeves of the shirt I was wearing in my fists. It was one of Griffith’s, and I’d worn it to bed every night since he’d left. Crying myself to sleep, I couldn’t help but wonder if it was the only thing I’d have left of him from our two nights together.

Early the next morning, I plastered a smile on my face when the bell above the flower shop door jingled. When I realized it was just Aurora, I gave up trying to impress anyone. It wasn’t worth the effort since there was no way a fake smile was going to fool my sister. She knew me too well.

“Dude. What’s going on with you? You look like the walking dead.” She rushed to my side and reached out to check my temperature by placing her wrist against my forehead. “Are you sick? Do we need to get someone in to cover for you so you can go home and rest? We can’t have you infecting any of our brides and grooms.”

I pushed her hand away and rolled my eyes at her overreaction. “No, I’m just tired. I didn’t sleep very well last night.”

Her familiar brown eyes, so much like my own, filled with worry. “You’ve been tired a lot lately, but this is a whole new level. You look like you’re about ready to faint any second.”

“Maybe my late-night phone calls with Griffith are just catching up to me.” My voice cracked on his name, and any hope I had of her accepting my excuse flew out the window.

“Sit down before you pass out,” she ordered, practically shoving me into a chair before she stomped over to the door. After flipping over the “Open” sign, she turned the lock and hurried back to my side. Crouching down in front of me, she took my hands in hers and squeezed.

My sister’s simple gesture of comfort blasted through my already weak defenses, and suddenly I was bawling uncontrollably. Aurora wrapped her arms around me and held on until I got it all out of my system. Then she shoved some tissues into my hand and asked, “Do I need to drive to LA and kick some rock star ass? Because I totally will.”

“Maybe?” I sniffled after I blew my nose. “But we both know that you’re not really going to hop in your car and head to LA just because Griffith might be getting ready to break up with me.”

“I don’t know any such thing. It’s not like I didn’t warn him what would happen if he hurt you.” She grabbed the extra chair from behind the counter, rolled it in front of me, and dropped down onto it. “But first I need more details. I have to make sure Griffith has earned the kind of crap I have in store for him if I’m forced to take a road trip out there.”

Aurora was one of the nicest people I’d ever known, but she was also fierce when it came to protecting the people she loved. There were a few mean girls who’d tried to bully Ariel when she was a sophomore in high school. It’d only gone on for two days before another freshman told me about it, and I went running to Aurora, who was a senior. She took care of the situation that night. I never found out exactly what she’d done to them, but two of the girls transferred to another school and the other went running in the opposite direction any time she saw one of us.

Judging by the intense gleam in her eyes, I had no doubt that she’d find a way to make Griffith pay if he broke my heart. But it wasn’t much comfort since I’d rather have my sexy rock god than revenge. “He hasn’t earned whatever it is you’re cooking up in your brain. Or at least, not yet.”

Aurora made a circular gesture with her hand, telling me to get on with it. After taking a deep breath to steady myself, the story spilled out. I shared all my fears about Griffith with her, but she looked less than impressed when I was done.

“That’s it?”

I nodded and let out a shuddering breath.

“Belle, you’re my sister. I love you, and I’ll always have your back.” She tapped my apron, right over my cell phone. “But call him. Now.”

“Nuh uh. No way.” I shook my head. “I can’t talk to him now. I’m a mess, and he’s probably asleep.”