Page 72 of Havenfall Harbor
“Shoot,” I mutter.
“What’s wrong?” Griffin, of course, hears me.
“We never went to the hardware store.”
Griffin’s dark brows pinch.
“I was hoping to put a new lock on the door. Something I could use while I was inside until we get the keypad thing.”
Evan lays his forearms on the table and lowers his chin a bit while staring at me. “About that.” He pauses. “Even though everything that happened transpired when you were out of your room, I don’t think you should stay there again. At least until we figure this out.” Evan uses the wordwefreely.
I dart my gaze to Griffin. Evan is essentially volunteering his friend’s room to me. A bubble of laughter comes up my throat. I blame the beer, or the fact that I’ve spent quite a bit of time with them over the last few days and I’ve gotten more comfortable around them. “I’ll just move right in,” I say jokingly. “You won’t mind, right, Griffin?” I grab my drink and tip it back, taking the last gulp. Yup, might be the beer making me brave.
When I place the empty bottle on the table, both guys are just staring at me, neither of them wearing a smile. “I was just joking, guys.”
“We’re not,” Griffin retorts, surprising me a little. I’ve noticed he doesn’t talk nearly as much when other people are around as he does when it’s just us.
“You’re not what, joking?” I know they’re taking this threat seriously. I’m just teasing about taking over his room.
The waitress comes from behind me, interrupting the conversation, and places a small, black padded folder on the table near Evan’s elbow. I reach for it, but he’s much quicker.
I stand and drag my stiff legs out from under the table. That was the first time I’ve sat down for any length of time all day and my muscles don’t want to work anymore. When I turn to see the rest of the patio, I notice it’s a lot busier than it was when we got here.
“Wow, it’s packed.” Griffin moves in beside me, and Evan joins us a few seconds later, flanking my other side.
“It is most weekends,” Evan confirms, and urges me forward with the light pressure of his palm on my lower back.
I notice a few heads turning to follow us as we make our way through the metal gate. A few I even recognize. “Was that the place Alice invited me to?” I ask Evan when the sound from the bar dies down a little as we gain some distance.
“Yeah, this is the closest supernatural run bar—or town really.”
“I thought I recognized a few people,” I remark. Griffin stays quiet as we make our way back to the car. I can’t let the conversation we started at the bar die without making sure he knows I was only joking about moving into his place. “You know I was only teasing, right? I’m not going to turn into some stalker because you gave me a safe place to stay for a couple nights.”
Griffin keeps looking straight ahead, so I can’t judge what he’s thinking, not that I probably could anyway. “I think I’m starting to get offended, Quinn.” Griffin finally looks at me.
“What? Why would that offend you?” I’m half incredulous, half curious.
“It’s starting to feel like you might not like me. Don’t you think, Evan?” Griffin looks over the top of my head.
Evan winces and twists his head to the side. “We should probably just tell her the truth then.”
I slow my steps until I’m looking at both of their backs. It makes a nice picture until they both stop and turn, seeming to realize I’m behind them. “What truth?” I demand.
“Think we should tell her?” Griffin watches me, and even in the dim light of the streetlamps I can see the lightness of his eyes.
“You better tell me.” I cross my arms over my chest, but the atmosphere is playful, so I’m not too worried.
Evan makes a big deal of walking over to me, then he wraps his arm around my shoulders and leans his head in close, so our faces are side by side. “We want to keep you, Quinn. I told you we make the perfect trifecta.” I bump Evan’s chest with my shoulder, knocking him away slightly.
“She thinks you’re joking.” The side of Griffin’s mouth is tipped up in a half grin.
Evan keeps me tucked into his side as he walks us both to Griffin. “She’ll catch on, give her time.” A nervous laugh escapes me. Joke’s on them, I’ll be more than happy to let them keep me. I wrap my fingers around Griffin’s hand while Evan’s arm is still around me. A clear challenge in my stare as I peer over at him. I’m daring him to call my bluff.
Griffin shakes his head slowly and a real grin lights up his face, reaching all the way to his eyes. I feel his fingers shift until his hand is fully wrapped over mine. Through the slight buzz of three beers over the last few hours, this seems like a totally good idea, plus I’m not going to back down and let them win this battle. I’m made of stiffer stuff than that.
So that’s how we walk for the next few blocks until we reach the nearly empty lot where we parked this morning. Evan releases me to reach in his pocket and tug out the key fob, the headlights flicker in the dark.
Evan
