Page 27 of Griffin
“Hey.” His voice is warm, low, and moves through my body like honey. “You sound tired.”
“I am,” I admit. “But the shop’s almost ready. And the baby’s… Well, the baby’s on its own schedule.”
He chuckles, and the sound slides right under my skin. “I figured. You need anything?”
“No,” I say automatically. Then quieter, “I mean… I don’t think so.”
“Savannah.” His voice drops enough to make me shiver in the best way. “You can call me. For anything. Even if it’s because you’re overwhelmed… or bored… or you want to hear something that isn’t a bakery appliance.”
A laugh slips out of me before I can stop it. “I don’t want to be a burden.”
“You couldn’t be if you tried.” The low certainty in his tone sends heat straight to my cheeks.
“I, um… I didn’t expect you to call,” I admit.
“I didn’t expect you to message,” he counters, and I can hear him smiling. “But I’m not complaining. You made my day a hell of a lot better.”
My breath catches. God, he shouldn’t say things like that. The baby shifts under my ribs, and I wince.
“You okay?” Concern filters into the question. Protective. Alert. “Savannah?”
“Yeah,” I breathe. “Just my insides are running out of room, and the baby is pushing around, ensuring they’re comfortable.”
He chuckles. “I can imagine. Well… not really. But I’m trying.”
The sound of his laugh does something to me, something I’m not ready to name.
“I’ll be back in Whispers in a few days.”
“Oh.” I try to sound neutral, but longing creeps into my words anyway. “So… I guess I’ll probably see you around then.”
“You probably will.”
I bite my bottom lip so my smile doesn’t split my face. “See you then, Griffin.”
“See you then, Savannah.”
I end the call, but I keep the phone pressed to my chest, letting the warmth of his voice settle into the quiet shop.
I shouldn’t be falling for him.
But he makes it far too easy.
13
Griffin
I walk over the land at the distillery, enjoying the peace it brings. The new wind turbine sits tall and proud off to the side, its blades gently moving silently in the breeze. I’m amazed by how one tall thing like that can power this entire site. Yet it does.
“Happy with it?” Tanner steps toward me, the man who just spent millions upgrading his facilities, my team finishing off some key areas as Victoria’s team starts putting the finishing touches on it.
“I think it’s one of the best builds I’ve done.” I’m proud. I work hard, I have original ideas, and the success of my business is testament to that.
After a few days in Sundown Valley, finalizing plans and stepping out measurements, I immediately came back here, my jet landing at the local airport about an hour or so ago. Tanner is my first stop. The bakery next.
“I love it. I can’t believe we’ve built all this.” Tanner stands taller, looking over his land.
“We’ve come a long way.” I nod. Seeing the progress like this after years of work really is satisfying.
