Making Up (Shacking Up 4)

“It’s fine. I’m fine. There’s nothing to talk about.”

“Really? So you’re not the least bit affected by the fact that you found out your cousin, a known cheater, and from what I can tell, a complete psychopath, slept with your ex-fiancée to spite you? Then when he ended up getting her pregnant, he told her to go back to you because he wants nothing to do with her?” Saying it out loud makes it so much worse.

Griffin bows his head and clenches his fists at his side. “You should just leave.”

My stomach sinks. “Do you want me to leave?”

“You will eventually when you realize I’ve got too much baggage.” His voice is low with gravel.

I sigh and take his hands in mine. “Everyone has baggage, Griffin. You’ve just been given an overfull suitcase to carry around with you, but you don’t have to do it alone. I’ll carry it with you.”

“You shouldn’t.”

“Okay, first of all, don’t start telling me what I should or shouldn’t do, it’s patronizing and annoying. You know why relationships don’t work?”

“Because people realize they don’t want to deal with someone else’s shit anymore?”

“I guess that’s a possibility, but from what I’ve seen, relationships end when people stop communicating. You’re not saving either of us any pain by pretending you’re fine. Talk to me. Fall apart on me. Show me your weakness, so I can give you my strength.”

He’s slow to lift his gaze, anguish and fear holding him prisoner in his own head. “I don’t want to be too much for you.”

I settle my palm against his cheek. “Well, I want to be just enough for you, so let me give it a shot.”

“Everything was so good. We were good this morning.” His voice is barely a whisper.

“And we’ll be good again, but right now you’re not okay, Griffin, so be not okay with me.” I take his hand in mine and settle it on my hip, then step into him. I wrap my arms around his waist, praying that my love is bigger than the hurt he’s been caused.

His body remains rigid for long seconds before he finally latches onto me, squeezing tightly.

And then he falls apart as anyone would if they were betrayed so viciously by someone they once loved.

“I’m sorry,” he mumbles into my hair.

“Don’t be sorry. I’m right here, going nowhere.” Imogen might have broken him, but I’ll be here to pick up all the pieces, and it’ll be my love that glues him back together.

Which is exactly what I do.

We spend the rest of the weekend holed up in Griffin’s penthouse, and I see him at his most vulnerable. I learn his soft side, his insecurities, and I fall even harder for this man who wants nothing more than to love and be loved unconditionally.

And I reassure him with words and actions that I’m his person, and he’s mine, for as long this love binds us together, which I believe is forever.Epilogue: Get CozyCosy

Two and a half years later

I roll away from the edge of the bed in search of Griffin’s warm body. Not that I need his heat. It’s hotter than bacon sizzling on a frying pan in hell in Bora Bora, but the breeze off the water is nice, and the place is gorgeous, so I think I’ll survive the heat. We’re here for a multitude of reasons, one of them being business, since Mills Hotels has four luxury resorts on the island, the other being Lex and Amie’s wedding, which was two days ago.

Talk about the longest engagement in the history of the universe. Then again, Amie has a little wedding PTSD thanks to Armstrong the Asshole. Bora Bora is where Amie and Lex fell in love, so they decided it was going to be the place where they tied the knot as well. It was an intimate wedding on the beach, their very closest friends and family. Unsurprisingly, Armstong didn’t get an invitation to the nuptials. I’d like to say fatherhood has changed him, but based on Lincoln’s reports, Imogen has full custody of their son, whom she named Mills, possibly to spite him.

Even Nev came along on the trip. Last year she moved to New York after she finally received a college degree in communications. She fits in well with this amazing group of women, and I missed her, so it’s nice to have her close to me. Her boyfriend choices are still questionable, but at least I can keep an eye on her again.

Lex and Amie’s wedding ceremony was beautiful and touching. Those two look like Ken and Barbie’s more attractive siblings. And their chemistry is insane. Every time they look at each other, I worry their clothes are going to spontaneously incinerate. I wouldn’t be surprised if they started popping out babies like Pez dispensers soon.