“Fine.” She put both hands up, but then clamped a hand on his forearm. “Just know that I’m here if you need to talk about anything. I love both of you, Harrison. And you know those kids mean the world to me. I don’t like to see them hurting and if they see the two of you unhappy, then they will be unhappy.” She gave his arm a light squeeze. “Promise you’ll come to me if you need me.”
He gave her the barest nod before gesturing to the dance floor. “Can we go back to enjoying ourselves now?”
“Do you call what you were doing before ‘enjoying’ yourself? Maybe you do need some lessons on how to loosen up.”
“Forgive me for not being the social butterfly that your boyfriend is,” he said, pointing to where Griffin was stuck between Margo and Sienna in the conga line. Harrison chuckled. “He sure fits in with this family, doesn’t he?”
“Yes,” Indina murmured. “He does.”
She spent the next hour questioning exactly why she didn’t correct Harrison when he referred to Griffin as her boyfriend. At the same time, Indina ruminated on just how well Griffin did seem to fit in with the Holmeses. Her aunt Margo was undoubtedly charmed by him, and when her nephew discovered Griffin was a huge Star Wars fan—something Indina had not known either—Athens bombarded him with questions about his favorite characters.
When the image of Griffin at a Holmes family picnic, or sitting at the huge dining table at Christmas, enjoying dinner with her family didn’t immediately rattle her, Indina knew something had fundamentally changed.
And that’s what really rattled her.
She’d spent the past two years convincing herself that she was okay with never being in a relationship again. Yet, she could picture all too well what it would be like to start a relationship—a real relationship—with Griffin Sims. That fear of being vulnerable, of opening herself up to the hurt and humiliation she’d experienced in the past? It didn’t seem to matter anymore. None of it was as strong as the pull to recreate moments like this with Griffin in the future.
Indina thought back to their walk on the beach, when they’d discussed her parents’ marriage and how, for the barest second, she’d wondered if she could have that kind of love with Griffin. She knew the danger in indulging such thoughts, yet there they were, stealthily intruding, giving her a sense of hopefulness she had not allowed herself to feel in so very long.
The fear of trusting even that small bit of hope she felt left Indina breathless. It terrified her.
A few moments later, Monica reluctantly cut off the band’s play, announcing that they all would have to board the shuttles in the next ten minutes in order to make it back to the cruise ship before it departed. Despite the restaurant owners’ insistence that they leave everything as is, everyone pitched in to return the tables to their rightful places and pick up as much mess as possible.
“The shuttles can only stay parked at the curb for a few minutes, so we need to be out there waiting for them,” Monica said.
As everyone started filing out of the restaurant, Griffin sidled up next to Indina, his dark brown skin flush after all the dancing and laughing.
“You Holmeses know how to a party,” he said.
Indina sent him a pensive smile, still shaken by the conflicting thoughts warring in her brain. Apparently, her smile wasn’t enough to hide her emotions.
Griffin’s brow furrowed. “Hey, are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” She had to clear the lie from her throat before she could continue. “I’m happy you’re having such a good time with my family. Enjoy them while you can.”
His head snapped back. A mask of hurt and confusion shrouded his face.
“Okay, people, let’s board the shuttle,” Monica called.
“Indina?” Griffin reached for her, but she stepped out of the way.
“We should go,” she said as she started for the shuttle.
She couldn’t even look him in the eye.
The Holmes crew had taken over the left side of the small lounge aboard the cruise ship. As they relaxed on the plush sofas and chairs, sipping on a fresh round of drinks and laughing at Reid’s questionable dance moves from this afternoon’s party, Griffin quietly basked in this sense of togetherness…while he still had the chance to enjoy it.
Indina’s words from this afternoon continued to churn in his gut.
He’d questioned her once they arrived back on the ship, but she’d brushed it off, claiming she was just worried about Harrison and Willow and hadn’t been thinking clearly. Griffin believed that as much as he believed Reid was a potential contender for Dancing With The Stars. He knew damn well Indina meant for things to go back to the way they were once they returned to New Orleans, but there was no way Griffin could go for that. Not anymore. Not after being immersed in this big, boisterous, amazing family for the last three days.
He wanted them in his life. Permanently.
In the same way he wanted her in his life.
The thought of falling back into their old hookup routine made him physically sick. How could she think that would be enough for him after the time they’d spent together this weekend?
Why do you think she would want more?
Indina had never been anything but straight with him. She’d never led him on, or pretended to want anything other than the arrangement they’d agreed upon eight months ago.
That still didn’t change his feelings. Griffin could not—would not—go back to the way things were. That applied to more than just his relationship with Indina.
Earlier, while soaking in the fun of this afternoon’s celebration at the Mexican restaurant, Griffin made the decision to finally reach out to his brother. Witnessing the way these Holmeses argued one minute then joked with each other the next, showed Griffin that this
