Making Up (Shacking Up 4)

Griffin has started sending me lunch when I’m working at STW. At first all the doting freaked me out, but I realize this is his way of showing me he’s thinking of me. I also don’t want to hurt Griffin’s feelings, and he seems to derive an excessive amount of enjoyment out of doing these ridiculously unnecessary things for me.

It’s all very relationship-y for two people who are supposed to be enjoying a couple of months together. I compartmentalize this time with him like it’s a series of events in a book, chapters I’ll sift through in my head years from now, when I’m wishing away the life I have for one I had for a few months.

My preoccupation with Griffin means that today’s hotel management class “field trip” totally slipped my mind. I’m lucky that I dressed appropriately since we’re visiting one of the local hotel-and-casinos. It includes a tour and a lecture or whatever. Having grown up here, I’m not all that interested in working in a Vegas casino, but it’s a day outside of the classroom, and I might learn something interesting. We load up on a yellow school bus—I left the car for Nev this morning, so I don’t have a choice but to join my peers on the banana with wheels.

“I can’t wait until we find out where we’re interning,” Helix says as we head for the Strip. Our class schedules don’t match, but all the hospitality students are going on this trip, which means we get the day to hang out.

“I think I applied to, like, ten different places.”

“Me too. You applied for the cruise ship, right?”

I nod. “Four weeks on a boat is a lot, but it could be fun.”

“Oh yeah, totally. You applied to New York too.” She waggles her eyebrows.

“I did, but they only take on two students a semester, so it’s pretty competitive.” I don’t want to get my hopes up about that one for a whole bunch of reasons, not least the fact that Griffin will likely be back in the city by the time the internship starts.

“Worth a shot, though,” Helix says.

It isn’t until we’re unloading that I realize we’re at Griffin’s hotel. We’re dropped off at a different entrance and herded into the lobby. This is kind of perfect. It’s too bad I don’t have a key card to his suite or I could surprise him. Regardless, this is way more convenient since he no longer has to come get me. It also means we might be able to get in a round of pre-dinner sex.

I fire off a quick message to let him know I won’t need to be picked up this afternoon.

“What’s that smile about?” Helix asks.

“You know that guy I’m seeing?”

She perks up. “As if I could forget that slice of hotness. What about him?”

“He’s staying here.”

“Oh, maybe you’ll run into him.”

“Maybe.” I turn as a set of doors open across the expansive lobby. And there he is.

I almost expect a chorus of angels to drop from the ceiling—wearing sequins, of course. My body instantly prepares for sex at the sight of him. Griffin is wearing a sharp black suit and an icy blue tie. His expression is serious as he strides across the open foyer, a woman in a pencil skirt with an iPad in her hand almost running to keep up. He nods at whatever she says and then looks in the direction of our group. His eyes snag on me and his steps falter, surprise arching his brow before a smile curves his lips.

He does an about-face, throwing off the woman holding the iPad. He holds a finger up in her direction while he heads for me.

Which is when I realize that despite the fact that I’m wearing a dress, it’s definitely not business wear. It’s a simple blue shirtdress with cap sleeves, paired with flats. And I have a backpack slung over my shoulder. He must miss this entirely, or just not care, because he keeps coming for me, smiling the entire time while the business lady chases after him in her extra-clippy heels.

“Oh my God, he’s so freaking gorgeous,” Helix mutters in my ear.

“I know.”

“Cosy.” My name wraps around me, and so does Griffin when he pulls me in for a brief hug. He holds me at arm’s length, questions in his eyes. “What a pleasant surprise.”

“We have a facility tour today,” I tell him, hyperaware that people are staring and that the woman with the iPad looks like she wants to stab my eyeballs out with her stylus.

“Mr. Mills, we need to go, sir.”

His jaw ticks, but he turns, still wearing a smile. “Yes, Nancy, I’m aware.” He returns his attention to me. “I have a prior engagement, but I’m free later this afternoon, will you still be here?”