Page 28 of How Not to Date a Griffin

Oh, shit.

Mute with something akin to panic, Nolan nodded. Oh god, he’d slept with the enemy! Well, Nolan sure as hell didn’t see him as the enemy, but if his father got wind of what had happened—

Wait, why would his father ever hear about this? He didn’t give two shits what Nolan did, outside of looking nice for pictures to uphold the happy family bullshit and giving his presentations like a good little soulless employee.

No one would be the wiser as long as they kept their mouths shut about it.

He lifted his eyes, parted his lips to say just so, but he… stopped.

Reid was still smiling, even though it had softened, and it reminded him of last night.

No, not the making-out parts, though, trust him, that was still circling the forefront of his brain. But he meant… before even that. The greasy pizza and the ice cream and the confessions and the—god, Reid made him feel like a person, and not just a puppet to prop up when needed.

The night before had been such a gift, and Reid probably had no clue just how much it meant to Nolan. And of course, Nolan didn’t think he could admit it aloud; it seemed rather intense for just one night. But he certainly wasn’t about to snub his nose at the only person who’d ever… laughed with him and traded interests and was invested in what he had to say next, instead of counting down the seconds until the interaction was over.

He snapped his mouth shut, because no. He wasn’t going to tell Reid any of the things crossing his mind—not the part about keeping it between them. Whose business was it of his father’s who he saw?

God, he felt awfully old to be having thoughts like that, but he embraced them with a sort of giddiness, and a chuckle escaped him. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m the son,” he said between chuckles.

Reid’s grin widened too, and before he knew it they were laughing quite loudly, drawing the attention of a few curious onlookers, and he shushed them both.

“Quiet, quiet. We’re disturbing the business moguls. Can’t have that.”

“Oh, of course, yep,” Reid said, covering his chuckles behind a hand.

“So, how do you plan to crush all my father’s hopes and dreams?”

Reid eyed the still curious onlookers, and took Nolan’s water bottle before slotting their hands together. “Come with me.”

Nolan let him lead, feeling sillier by the second with his salad clutched to his chest as he was pulled through the crowds of dawdling passersby, Reid’s shockingly warm hand twined with his.

Reid found an actual empty room, and even went so far as to close the door behind them.

“I knew your name rang a bell,” Reid said quietly, crossing his arms and leaning back against the door.

Nolan shrugged and set his stupid damned salad on an empty chair.

“What are you doing here?” Nolan asked, brain trying to connect these two seemingly random pieces. “You said you own a restaurant, ri—oh. Oh,” Nolan breathed, eyes slamming shut in mortification. “Fuck.”

“Bingo,” Reid answered. “My little restaurant is in the way of your mega hotel.”

“Not my hotel,” Nolan retorted automatically, eyes drifting open.

“Did you know, last night?” Reid asked, brows knotting together. Nolan wished he was brave enough to step closer and smooth his thumb over them.

“I had no idea.” Reid’s restaurant was located on the same block as the ice cream shop and the arcade. Nolan scrubbed his hands over his face, the left one still slightly chilled from the bottle.

“Chippy’s is part of the demolition?” he groaned. “And the arcade, then?”

“Yep,” he said shortly.

Nolan lifted his head. “Did you know? Is that why you took me to all those places?”

Reid frowned. “No, man. I only connected the dots just now.”

“Oh.” A massive part of him was relieved. He felt connected to Reid because of those places now, because of their night spent together. The thought of it all being a sham, just as some ploy to…what? Make him feel guilty about his father buying those businesses out? Just the idea made his chest hurt. “I’m relieved,” Nolan admitted, and paused, the words at the tip of his tongue. Maybe it was intense after just one night, but… “Last night was… special,” he choked out.

Reid stepped forward, slid a hand to the back of his neck and held his head up, meeting his gaze. Warmth was reflected in those dark brown eyes; Nolan could feel it like the heat of the sun. He felt transparent beneath their light.