that?”
"Don't be dramatic, Carr. He's messing with you. We'll head out in a few."
In most situations, Josh craved control.
Yet, when he wasn’t in control, he reacted the exact opposite.
He had a habit of sitting back and observing uncomfortable situations as they unfolded in front of him, like tonight and at the frat party. It was like he got a sadistic pleasure out of it. He sat back and watched, like he expected people to disappoint him, even though he could do something about it.
I pushed my chair back and headed to the bathroom.
"Carrington," Josh yelled after me, but I continued.
I found the bathroom and sat in the last stall with my head in my hands.
How pathetic am I to hide out in the bathroom?
I cleared my head and shook it off, but when I came out, Amanda stood at the sink reapplying her makeup. The heat in my cheeks returned.
"Hey, Carrington. You okay?" The plastic smile on her face made my skin crawl.
"I'm fine." I washed my hands and studied her in the mirror.
"Don't worry about Brian. He’s just a big flirt," she said.
The whole family was in denial.
"Can you tell Josh to meet me at the bar?"
"You know, since our mother died two years ago, Josh has had a hard time. But I can tell he likes you. He seems happy."
"Your mother died two years ago?"
"Yes, didn't Josh tell you?" she asked.
"No."
"Well, he hasn't wanted to be around the family much. I think it's harder for him. They were close."
"I'm sorry."
"Why don't you come back to the table," she suggested as she took my hand. "I'll make sure Brian backs off."
She didn’t give me a chance to respond as she pulled me out of the bathroom.
We headed back to the table, and before I sat down, Amanda whispered something into her husband’s ear. He got up and joined the people at the next table that seemed excited about the opportunity to kiss his ass.
I shook my head and turned to Josh. He avoided my gaze.
The whole Griffin family dynamic seemed so off, but I bet his mother’s death played a role in creating that.
Chapter Fourteen
Carrington Olivia Butler
Whatever Amanda whispered to Brian worked. He never returned. Soon, Josh and I excused ourselves and left, but my relief was short-lived and was soon replaced with anger and pity for Josh.
We walked out to Josh's car in silence. He didn't take my hand. He didn't open the car door. It took him much longer than necessary to make his way around to his side of the car.
He was stalling, but I needed answers. His dead mother, his conversation with his sister at dinner, and his handsie brother-in-law topped my list.
I waited to see if he would say something first, but we rode a good ways down the highway in silence.
"So, tonight was interesting." I asked in an attempt to break the ice.
"Yeah," he said.
"Your sister Erin seems really nice."
"She is."
"And Amanda is interesting."
"That's one way to put it." He stared straight ahead. I placed my hand on his, and he took it.
Warmth spread from my fingers throughout my body and I settled in the seat, staring out into darkness. I squeezed his hand, and he squeezed mine back.
"I'm sorry to hear about your mother."
He dropped my hand and placed his on his lap.
"What about my mother?"
"Amanda told me she passed away recently. I’m sorry. Were you two close?"
Silence.
"Amanda said you had a hard time when she passed away."
"Why did you talk to her about my mother?"
"She brought it up. She said she was happy you were doing well and kind of thanked me."
A headlight coming from the other direction illuminated his face, and I caught his expression. I gasped as he pulled off at an exit and accelerated down the road. He turned off onto another street.
"Josh," I yelled and braced myself in time before he slammed on the brakes. He shut off the ignition and started in on me.
"Why would you do that?"
The darkness sent a chill through my body, and I felt heat coming from Josh's side of the car. "If you want to pry into my business,
"Don't be dramatic, Carr. He's messing with you. We'll head out in a few."
In most situations, Josh craved control.
Yet, when he wasn’t in control, he reacted the exact opposite.
He had a habit of sitting back and observing uncomfortable situations as they unfolded in front of him, like tonight and at the frat party. It was like he got a sadistic pleasure out of it. He sat back and watched, like he expected people to disappoint him, even though he could do something about it.
I pushed my chair back and headed to the bathroom.
"Carrington," Josh yelled after me, but I continued.
I found the bathroom and sat in the last stall with my head in my hands.
How pathetic am I to hide out in the bathroom?
I cleared my head and shook it off, but when I came out, Amanda stood at the sink reapplying her makeup. The heat in my cheeks returned.
"Hey, Carrington. You okay?" The plastic smile on her face made my skin crawl.
"I'm fine." I washed my hands and studied her in the mirror.
"Don't worry about Brian. He’s just a big flirt," she said.
The whole family was in denial.
"Can you tell Josh to meet me at the bar?"
"You know, since our mother died two years ago, Josh has had a hard time. But I can tell he likes you. He seems happy."
"Your mother died two years ago?"
"Yes, didn't Josh tell you?" she asked.
"No."
"Well, he hasn't wanted to be around the family much. I think it's harder for him. They were close."
"I'm sorry."
"Why don't you come back to the table," she suggested as she took my hand. "I'll make sure Brian backs off."
She didn’t give me a chance to respond as she pulled me out of the bathroom.
We headed back to the table, and before I sat down, Amanda whispered something into her husband’s ear. He got up and joined the people at the next table that seemed excited about the opportunity to kiss his ass.
I shook my head and turned to Josh. He avoided my gaze.
The whole Griffin family dynamic seemed so off, but I bet his mother’s death played a role in creating that.
Chapter Fourteen
Carrington Olivia Butler
Whatever Amanda whispered to Brian worked. He never returned. Soon, Josh and I excused ourselves and left, but my relief was short-lived and was soon replaced with anger and pity for Josh.
We walked out to Josh's car in silence. He didn't take my hand. He didn't open the car door. It took him much longer than necessary to make his way around to his side of the car.
He was stalling, but I needed answers. His dead mother, his conversation with his sister at dinner, and his handsie brother-in-law topped my list.
I waited to see if he would say something first, but we rode a good ways down the highway in silence.
"So, tonight was interesting." I asked in an attempt to break the ice.
"Yeah," he said.
"Your sister Erin seems really nice."
"She is."
"And Amanda is interesting."
"That's one way to put it." He stared straight ahead. I placed my hand on his, and he took it.
Warmth spread from my fingers throughout my body and I settled in the seat, staring out into darkness. I squeezed his hand, and he squeezed mine back.
"I'm sorry to hear about your mother."
He dropped my hand and placed his on his lap.
"What about my mother?"
"Amanda told me she passed away recently. I’m sorry. Were you two close?"
Silence.
"Amanda said you had a hard time when she passed away."
"Why did you talk to her about my mother?"
"She brought it up. She said she was happy you were doing well and kind of thanked me."
A headlight coming from the other direction illuminated his face, and I caught his expression. I gasped as he pulled off at an exit and accelerated down the road. He turned off onto another street.
"Josh," I yelled and braced myself in time before he slammed on the brakes. He shut off the ignition and started in on me.
"Why would you do that?"
The darkness sent a chill through my body, and I felt heat coming from Josh's side of the car. "If you want to pry into my business,
Similar Books
