Aria bursts into laughter, and Griffin squints back in confusion. “What? I’m serious.”
“I’m not going to take advantage of your kindness,” Aria says warmly, the laughter not yet completely run out.
“I’m a Midwestern guy at heart. We help a neighbor out.”
“How about we grab some coffee? There’s a place close to the stadium that’s amazing—it’s an old house, so they have these cozy little rooms where I can usually fly under the radar. I’m rarely ever over there, so this gives me a great excuse to meet you on your turf.”
“Great! Text me the details and you’re on.”
When they say goodbye Griffin pulls Aria into a friendly side hug before climbing into his Bronco. Griffin leaves feeling lighter, buoyed by the down-to-earth fun he and Aria had today. That’s the thing about being a public figure: There’s always someone willing to do the hard stuff for you, alwayssomeone to pay to do the boring stuff. But sometimes that’s where the unexpected comes from, or those are the moments when the simple delights in life are highlighted—the satisfaction of a job well done, the afterglow of helping out a friend, laughing with someone new.
As the country roads turn slowly into city streets, Griffin becomes more certain about the fact that Aria is someone special. He can’t wait to see her tomorrow.
Chapter 14
Aria
Aria sits in her favorite room at the coffee shop, the one so small and tucked so far in the back that it only has room for one table. Her hat is pulled down low and drinks for both of them are on the table before her. When Aria had texted Griffin to ask his order, she couldn’t help but smile at his reply.
Griffin:Green tea, please. Let me know how much, and I’ll Venmo you.
Of all the people who claimed to be “friends” of hers over the years, most assumed that she would always pick up their tabs anyplace they went. It wasn’t that she minded; she could afford it. It was more the assumption that the friendship came with financial benefits.
Aria hears the creaking of the old wooden floors of thecoffee shop before she sees Griffin. They squeak in a way she can only presume is due to the massive bulk of a professional football player. When Griffin appears, he has to duck slightly to enter through the small opening.
“People back then must’ve been smaller,” he says by way of greeting.
“Nowadays most people arestillsmaller than you.” She lifts her cup and sips.
Griffin settles into the chair, and Aria loves that he blocks them from view in the doorway, that passersby will see only his back and his cap-covered head. To anyone else, they’re two regular people having coffee. It’s a luxury to disappear in public.
Griffin nods to his tea. “Thank you for this.”
“Sure thing. Double mocha latte with extra whipped cream, right?”
Griffin falters for a moment, eyes darting between Aria and the lidded cup, when finally she bursts into laughter.
“I’mkidding. That’s what I got for myself, minus the extra whip.”
Griffin lets out a breath. “And there’s nothing wrong with that.”
“Did you see theLate Nighttalking points that were emailed over?” Aria asks. She pulls a flat brown bag from her purse and takes a jumbo chocolate chip cookie from inside it. She sets it on top of the bag on the table between them.
“I did. And honestly, it seems pretty simple?” Griffin’s voice lilts upward as if he suspects he’s being deceived.
Aria picks a small bite from the side of the cookie and nods while she chews. “They’re very easy, and this show is knownfor going easy on noncontroversial celebs. So, I think they just want to see us be friends. They’ll ask us their questions, and we can answer them however we like.”
Griffin taps around on his phone screen. “I’m looking again. Yeah, you’re totally right.”
“Obviously we just stick to the story,” Aria says. “We got connected when you first went viral over ‘Glass Heart,’ and we hit it off from there. We can make up any answers that sound good to the other questions about our friendship, and we’ll just back each other up and work together.”
After the time they spent together yesterday, “working together” seems like the easiest thing in the world.
Griffin nods. “You’re right. Maybe I was making too big of a deal over this.”
Aria pushes the brown paper bag, cookie atop, toward Griffin.
He shakes his head. “No thanks.”
