You’re Still The One by Erika Kelly

Chapter Three

Shock rocketed through her,as jarring as if Stella had touched a light socket.

My Griffin.

She’d kissed every inch of that hard, inked body.

She’d loved him with every ounce of her soul.

And then she’d kissed another man and lost him for good.

“Griffin’s your uncle?” she asked in a low voice.

“I’m serious. You have to be quiet. They can’t know I’m here.”

“Who are they?” And why would Griffin be involved with bad people?

“They’re my grandparents.”

Okay, wow. What is going on?

First of all, Griffin couldn’t possibly be this teenager’s uncle. He was the oldest of the seven James siblings. And this boy is fourteen…

I’ve only been gone seven years.

Secondly, Griffin was one of the best men she’d ever known. He wouldn’t be involved in anything shady.

Even when he’d wanted her beyond reason, he’d never touched her until her sister had gone off to college and fallen for someone else.

After that…it had been on. It was like they’d made up for lost time—constantly touching, kissing, making love.

“They’re leaving,” he said.

The three of them headed down the walkway toward a Mercedes SUV. Now, they stood close enough for Stella to hear the conversation.

“Well, I’m not going to argue with you,” the older woman said. “The situation speaks for itself. If he’d been staying with us, this never would’ve happened.”

“As I said, he didn’t actually do anything wrong, and I’ll clear it up with the principal tomorrow.” Griffin kept his voice calm, but she knew him. She knew the set of his shoulders, the tension in his jaw.

“I think we all know he should be staying with us. We have the time to give him.”

Stella didn’t like what this woman was suggesting. Sure, he’d been a hell-raiser when he was a kid, but Griffin had always taken his responsibilities seriously. His siblings all came to him when they needed something. He was a rock.

“As always, you’re welcome to see him whenever you like,” Griffin said.

The grandmother gave him a scolding look. “He should be living with us. We’re retired. We can give him the discipline and structure he so obviously needs.”

“The problem with kids today is that parents don’t hold them accountable.” The grandfather wagged a finger. “And you speaking to the principal is the perfect example. Austin needs to do that. He needs to go in there and apologize and accept the consequence of his behavior. Look, it’s clear the boy’s already showing signs of running off the rails under your care. He needs discipline. He needs family.”

“And living in a hotel?” The woman gestured around them. “You must see this is no place to raise a boy.”

“I’m not raising him.” Though still calm, Griffin’s tone tightened. “He’s staying with me until his dad gets back.”

“That’s not for eight months.” The woman’s voice rose along with her agitation. “We’re coming up on the holidays, and he’ll be spending them with us anyway. We’ll just take him home with us tonight and bring him back after New Year’s.”

“The fact that Peyton entrusted a man like you with a teenage boy is troublesome enough,” the grandfather said. “But perhaps when he hears his son’s already been suspended— not one month into his deployment—it will drive home our point about your character.”

“What a dick.” But if I’m getting this upset, imagine Austin’s reaction. He didn’t need to hear this. “Come on. It’s freezing. Let’s wait in the car.”

But the boy was riveted. He wasn’t going anywhere.

“Austin’s doing just fine here,” Griffin said.

“He’s not doing fine.” The woman lifted both arms and let them drop to her sides. “That’s the whole point. He got suspended.”

The grandfather pointed toward the cottage. “The boy’s not home, and it’s six o’clock? He should be doing his homework and sitting down to dinner. He should be doing chores. The fact that he’s galivanting around town proves our point.”

It struck her that Griffin didn’t suggest they take the issue up with Austin’s dad. And wasn’t that just like him? To carry such a huge weight on his own?

“The problem is that you’re not invested in him the way his family is,” the grandfather said.

“I’m invested,” Griffin said. “I love that boy. I spend as much time with him as I can, and we sit down to dinner together every night. Again, the door is always open for you to visit.”

Stella had so many questions, but when she glanced at Austin, she knew she couldn’t ask. He was practically vibrating with tension. She wanted to help, but she didn’t know how.

“Leonard, let’s go.” The woman tugged on her husband’s arm.

But the man didn’t budge. “We’re going to get dinner in the restaurant. By the time we’re done, I expect Austin to be home. We’ll have a conversation with him then.”

“This is why you were hanging out in the office, isn’t it?” Stella whispered. “Griffin didn’t want you to hear this conversation.”

But the boy paid her no attention.

“I’ve already talked to him,” Griffin said. “He told me exactly what happened at school today. His grades are good. Everything’s under control.”

“Nothing is under control,” the woman said. “Our grandson’s living in a hotel room with a single man.”

The grandfather folded his arms across his burly chest. “A man whose business is attached to a biker bar.”

Stella’s hackles went up. What was all this about Griffin’s character?

It had been a long time since he and his friends had used Town Hall for parkour or turned the high school into a skatepark.

And it’s a two-bedroom cottage. Not a room.

“Our businesses aren’t attached. In any event, Austin will look forward to seeing you after dinner.”

“Look, you’re taking this the wrong way.” The woman softened her tone. “You’re a single man, a business owner, and we’re retired. We can give him the cultural advantages he’s not getting. With us, he’ll join a sports team, get involved with our church. We have the resources and the time to take care of him.”

“Cultural—” Griffin’s jaw snapped shut, and his gaze dropped to his boots. Drawing a breath, he looked back at them. “I have the resources to give him whatever he needs. I own the shop, so I make my own hours. He knows he’s welcome to join teams or do anything he likes—we’ve discussed his options. Right now, he’s just happy to hang out.”

“Kids need to be busy,” the grandfather said. “They get in trouble when they have too much time on their hands.”

“Do you have any idea what that boy’s life has been like? How many times he’s moved? This is his dad’s second deployment.”

Stella could’ve sworn Austin stopped breathing.

“High school is brutal,” Griffin continued. “Try to imagine being the new kid in a small town where all the friend groups have been set for years. I’m not going to force him to sign up for anything right now, because in my book, there’s nothing more important than greeting him with a snack when he gets off the bus and just being there for him in case he feels like talking. The last thing I want to do is shuttle him off to some class he doesn’t care about. Right now, stability far outweighs ‘cultural advantages.’”

He’d rendered them silent, and Stella’s heart ached for the man she’d lost.

Griffin was a protector. Once, he’d cared about her with the same passion he showed Austin.

She would never forgive herself for losing him.

“And you think he’s going to find stability in a hotel?” the grandfather asked. “This is the last place he’ll find that. There’s nothing but transients coming and going.”

“Yeah, a lot of transients stay in five-star hotels.” She said it quietly, hoping to break the tension. “This isn’t exactly a truck stop.”

It broke nothing.

The grandmother’s spine remained rigid, but her cheeks had spots of red that had nothing to do with the cold.

Griffin held up his hands in a conciliatory gesture. “Look, I know you want the best for him.”

“That’s all we want.”

“But while his dad’s a thousand miles away, the worst thing we can do is fight over him. I’m asking you to accept that while he’s in my care, he’s my number one priority. I’m choosing to meet his very real need for stability and security before I consider bonus things like cultural opportunities.”

Her heart beat for this man. He was fierce, loyal…he was everything.

She could barely stand to live in her own skin, knowing she’d lost him.

“I think it’s in Austin’s best interests if we think of ourselves as a team, taking care of him together,” Griffin said.

“He will never be your priority because you’re not his family. We are.” The grandmother leveled a hard gaze at Griffin. “And, frankly, we have to wonder why a grown man wants to spend so much time with a teenage boy.”

Rage enflamed her. Both because the woman had just accused an amazing man like Griffin of something so heinous and that Austin had to hear the sickening implication. Emerging from behind the tree, she marched toward the walkway. Not a chance would she let them get away with calling him a predator.

As the soles of her boots crunched on the hard-packed snow, multiple thoughts hit her at once. One, Austin was listening, so she couldn’t go off on them and make things worse. Two, this was a difficult situation, and she probably shouldn’t be inserting herself.

And three, it was too late since they’d all turned to her.

So, she did the only thing she could think of.

She flashed a big smile and slid her arm through Griffin’s. “Hey, baby.” She got up on her toes and kissed his cheek. “Sorry I’m late. I had three brides call with last-minute crises.” She turned to the grandparents. “Hello. I’m Stella Cavanaugh, Griffin’s fiancée. You must be Austin’s grandparents. I’m so glad to finally meet you.”

Griffin went hard as a rock.

Oh, God.

What had she done?

Fiancée?

Of all the things she could’ve thrown out there…

The woman looked from her to Griffin, her gaze lingering, as if verifying the truth.

But she had to go with it, had to keep the smile in place.

“When did this happen?” the woman asked.

“Oh, we’ve been together off and on since we were kids. For the past few years, I’ve been working in Dallas and most recently in New York, but now that he’s got Austin with him, I knew it was time to come home. To be a family.” Smiling, Stella gazed up at him with adoration. “I hadn’t been home a day before he proposed…and of course, I said yes.”

“You never mentioned a girlfriend,” the grandmother said to Griffin.

Stella only gave him a single beat to respond, and when he didn’t, she jumped right in. “Oh, you know Griffin. He’s a man of few words.” She gave him a warm smile. “And I love that about him. Besides, we’ve just always known we’re it for each other. But we’re ready for the next stage now.”

“You said Cavanaugh?” The grandfather’s gaze rested on Stella’s hand on Griffin’s arm.

She nodded.

“Tyler Cavanaugh’s a good man.” He seemed impressed, so that was a good thing.

“Oh, yeah. My parents are the best.”

“Your family does good work.” The grandfather gave Griffin an approving look. “All right, then. We’ll get some dinner and be back to visit with Austin.”

They watched the grandparents get into their SUV.

The anger radiating off Griffin made her pull her arm out of his. “Oh, my God, did it work? Did they back off?” She really couldn’t tell.

But the look in his eyes told her she’d only made things worse.

* * *

After giving Austin instructions to set the table and warm the rolls, Griffin led Stella into the master bedroom bathroom and shut the door. “What the hell have you done?” Anger lit him up like a bottle rocket, and he needed to hold onto it, stoke it, fucking accelerate it.

Because standing right here in front of him was the woman who made his heart thunder, his body heat up, and his dick go hard.

And it was damn confusing to have a reaction like that to the woman who’d just thrown his world into chaos.

“They accused you of being a monster, so I stepped in. I had to. And it worked. They backed off.”

Always so fiery, Stella never backed down. Never just fucking apologized. She drove him crazy.

But she was so beautiful. She used to be a brunette, but this blonde hair was sexy as fuck. And that lush mouth he’d kissed countless times? Jesus, he could feel it, the sensuous slide of their tongues, the indescribable softness. Dammit. Why did his body have to respond to her?

The only way to shut it down was to remind himself she hadn’t changed at all. She was still impulsive and wreaking havoc.

Only this time, the stakes were so much higher. “They didn’t back off. They’ll never back off.” Not as long as I’m the one taking care of their grandson. “You know nothing about the situation.”

Her mouth opened as if she were about to argue, but then she deflated. “No, I don’t. You’re right. I shouldn’t have jumped into a situation I knew nothing about.”

“Then why did you? It’s none of your damn business.”

“It became my business when Austin overheard the conversation. I was with him, Griffin. He was standing right next to me when they accused you of being a pedophile.”

Griffin closed his eyes. With all the moves and deployments, this kid had been through more than enough. He couldn’t think of the last time he’d seen Austin laugh, relax, have a good time. And now, she’d made his situation worse. “Stella.”

Why did he bother trying to get through to her? She’d always been this way.

A gorgeous, sexy, avenging angel.

Who obviously hadn’t learned anything from her past mistakes. Because here she was standing in front him seven years later, battle-ready, as if a fake engagement was a fine solution to his problem. Dark eyes sparkling, cheeks pink, sexy lips pressed together so tightly his tongue was dying to lick them open.

He let out a breath. “Do you know who they are?”

“I know they’re assholes for making you look bad, and I know Austin’s afraid of them.”

His skin went tight. “Afraid?”

“He was hiding in the woods, telling me to be quiet, so we didn’t draw attention to ourselves.”

“He wasn’t hiding because he’s afraid of them. They’re not bad people. They’re just strict. I told him to get off the bus at Owl Hoot because I knew they’d be coming over to discipline him about the suspension, and I don’t want—I will not let them make him feel bad or punish him for something he didn’t do.”

Her features melted, like she was going all soft and sweet on him. And he didn’t want that. Couldn’t deal with it. “That’s Judge Pilson.”

She sucked in a sharp breath. “Oh.”

Yeah. That’s right. The Hanging Judge of Calamity.

The same judge Griffin and his friends had stood before in his courtroom.

The man had eviscerated them.

“I have to get back out there, but dammit, Stella. I don’t have legal rights to Austin, so I’m one court order away from him living with those people.” And why the fuck did she have to smell so good? “It’s been hard enough fending them off. I don’t need you showing up and blowing it all to hell.”

“I’m pretty sure Austin did that by getting suspended. I was just trying to fix an ugly situation. But you’re right, and I’m sorry. What can I do to fix this?”

“Once I break their trust, there’s no coming back.”

“So, we won’t lie.” That simple shift closer to him caused a stir in the air, and her familiar scent floated around him, drifting into his sensibilities and making him remember.

Their naked bodies under the sheets, her soft, smooth skin.

In his truck, racing to get somewhere with a bed and some privacy so he could strip her naked and feast on her sexy body.

Fuck.

Fuck.

Fuck.

She touched his arm. “It doesn’t have to be a big deal. We can just consider ourselves officially engaged. Everyone in Jackson County knows our story, and they’ll totally believe we got back together.”

“I’m not lying to everyone I know. That’s a shitty thing to do.”

“Sure, it is, but you know what’s worse? The Pilsons dropping the suggestion that you’re a creeper. You think a court order’s bad? Wait until it gets out that you’re perving on the teenager who’s living with you. Trust me. Once they put that thought in someone’s head, there’s no coming back from it.”

She was right about that.

“Look, let’s just play it out for now. They’re coming back after they eat, so I’ll stay and have dinner with you guys. If being engaged makes them back off, then we go with the lie. If it’s the same old song and dance, then I’ll be the one to come clean. I’ll say I jumped the gun and got carried away. Unless...” Her eyes went wide, and she sucked in a quick breath. “Tell me you’re not married.”

“Not married.”

“Girlfriend?”

“Nope.”

“Oh, thank God.” She sounded genuinely relieved. “So, what do you think? Wait and see their reaction or do you want me to kill the whole thing right now?”

“It’s not that simple.” And that’s the core of the problem right there. Her bold ideas fit her big, beautiful personality, but she never thought through the consequences. “How long are you here? Are you just visiting through Thanksgiving?”

“I’m not visiting. I moved here.”

“You movedback home?” Oh, Jesus. This town wasn’t big enough to keep him safe from this woman but posing as her fiancé?

Fuck my life.

“Yes, Diane hired me. She’s training me to take over the wedding planning business at the resort.”

Unbelievable. Okay, well, like it or not, she was back, and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it.

“So, I really think we can pull this off. I’ll be working crazy, long hours, but one text, and I’ll come right over and be your fake fiancée.”

She tossed out the idea carelessly. As if it wouldn’t cost her a damn thing. This is why we don’t work.She’s reckless.

And that’s how people get hurt.

“And what about you, Stella? Have you considered how this will affect you?”

“What do you mean? I just told you I’m willing to play the part.” That jut of her chin, the challenging look in her eyes should’ve pissed him off.

Instead, it made his blood burn.

Because she didn’t back down. She was strong, intense.

He’d once loved that about her.

Shake it off. “Cool. So, you’ve made peace with your family?” The last time he’d talked to her older sister, she’d just ended her relationship because the tabloids had made it look like Stella and Lulu’s boyfriend were having a torrid affair. It wound up being a total fabrication, but the damage had been done. After what had happened seven years earlier, it’d been a blow to Lulu to see the photos.

“No.”

He watched while it sank in. “I don’t know how you’re going to do that when you’re lying to them.”

Indecision flickered across her features. “They’ll understand when they find out why.”

“Maybe.” He hunched a shoulder. “Or maybe not.”

“What do you want me to do here, Griffin? Let them spread disgusting rumors about you? This is a small town, and I’m not going to stand by and let them plant that seed in people’s heads. So, if I have to pretend we’re engaged for a few months, I’ll do it. I’ll do it for you.”

“And what about Austin?”

“That’s the whole point. If this works, they’ll back off, and he’ll get to stay with you.”

“Right, but my point is that we’ll be making him lie, too.”

“Okay, okay. God.” With a defeated sigh, she lowered her face into her hands. “What’ve I done? I haven’t even told my parents I’m back in town yet. The last thing I want to do is lie to their faces. And, no, of course, I don’t want to put Austin in that position.” She tipped her chin and straightened her shoulders. “I’m sorry. I jumped in without thinking.”

It was impossible to stay angry at this woman. “I appreciate what you were trying to do, and I get where it came from, but I’ll tell you right now, you can hurt your sister, and you can hurt me, but you cannot hurt Austin. That boy’s had it tough enough, but on my watch? He gets the good stuff.”

“You didn’t see his reaction. I had to do something.” Her voice came out like she barely had any breath left in her. “But okay, I’ll fix it. When they get here, I’ll tell them I jumped the gun. That we’re not officially engaged.” She gazed up at him, her soft lips parted, her skin so creamy and smooth. “And I never meant to hurt you. You have to know that.”

Clearly, she was thinking of the rehearsal dinner. She didn’t know he’d come to Dallas.

And she never would.

“Sure.” It wasn’t her fault she hadn’t loved him the same way he’d loved her. “I have to get back out there.”

As soon as they opened the door, they heard voices. Mrs. Pilson talked to Austin like he was a toddler, and the judge spoke with his deep, authoritative tone.

Before turning into the living area, Stella stalled. In the dark hallway, she gazed up at him. “I’m really sorry.” Nervous, she licked her lips. “But I’ll take care of it, okay?”

And this was the power she had over him. Because he knew her heart. And it was good and kind and pure. For whatever reason, Stella had latched onto Austin, become his Mama Bear, and she’d lied both to protect Griffin and the boy.

He’d only had her for eighteen months, but he’d been damn lucky to be one of the people she loved so fiercely.

With a curt nod, he pushed past her, because he couldn’t get caught up in her again. Stella threw herself into life wholly and recklessly. She was a passionate woman who fell in love fast and hard, while he…well, he’d only ever loved her.

“Hey.” He swept past the Pilsons and turned off the slow cooker. As he listened to them chat, he felt Stella behind him. It was that slow churn of air that stirred up her scent, causing electrical impulses to fire at the back of his neck and cascade down his back.

And even after seven years apart—probably in the kitchen of the same cottage where they’d once spent so much time together—they fell into sync. She pulled down plates, while he gathered silverware. She got napkins, and he found the ladle.

Lifting the slow cooker lid, Stella breathed in the scent of herbs and roasted meat. “Don’t tell me you made this?”

“Ha. Good one. No, some mornings, my dad drops dinner off before work.”

“He’s such a sweetheart.”

“It helps that work is about a hundred yards away.”

“I’ll bet it does. Tell him to bring over his lemon tart.” She glanced at the stove. “Should we make some vegetables? Shouldn’t Austin have something green?”

“I don’t…uh…” He stood in front of the refrigerator as if a bunch of spinach or broccoli might magically appear. “We don’t really like…”

Standing beside him and peering inside, she playfully smacked his arm. “He’s a growing boy. He has to eat good food. I literally just got into town today, and I went straight to the office, so I haven’t gone shopping yet, but when I do, I’m going to buy you guys some fruit and vegetables.”

His pulse ticked in his throat. Noise roared in his ear, and he couldn’t have stepped away from her if someone had shouted, Fire!

This is what she does. She makes people feel like they’ve known her forever.

He couldn’t fall for it again.

The judge cleared his throat, and they both whipped around to find the grandparents staring at them. Mrs. Pilson grinned. “We’re going to head out now.”

“We’ll pick Austin up at our usual time on Saturday.” The judge gave them a nod that felt very much like acceptance. And then he turned and headed for the door.

Mrs. Pilson lingered a moment longer, watching them with a big smile, making him acutely aware of how close Stella stood to him in front of the refrigerator. “I can tell you’ve known each other a long time. You’ve got that familiarity with each other. Have a wonderful rest of the week.” And then she followed her husband out the door.

Stella looked up at him. “Did that just happen? Are they backing off?”

“Seems like it.”

Her eyes went wide, and she looked at him like they’d just pulled off a heist. “It worked.”

He stepped back, closing the door. “It worked.”

“So, does that mean we’re doing this?” she asked.

How the hell was he supposed to look his parents in the eyes and tell them he was engaged? Lie to his friends, his employees? But until he got that document from the JAG attorney, he didn’t see another choice. “As long as you understand, it means you can’t tell anyone. Not your sisters, not your parents…no one.”

She reached out a hand. “For Austin, okay?”

A handshake shouldn’t carry so much weight. But this hand—this one had sifted through his hair, smoothed the worry lines off his brow, and gripped his ass while they’d fucked, pulling him in deeper. It had fisted his cock while she’d licked him like an ice cream cone.

“Yeah, for Austin’s sake.” He reached for her, but the minute he felt her delicate hand—the warmth, the firm grip, the sizzle of their connection—he knew he was in big trouble.