Page 60 of Love Felt Like This

Nervous energy bubbles up into a laugh. “So, weird question for you…”

“Shoot.”

“Is Griffin your real name?”

“Yes.”

“Griffin Harvey?”

“Yes.”

I faux grimace and pull an exaggerated breath between my teeth. “Well, I can’t trust someone with two first names.”

He thinks for a second, then adds, “My middle name is Patrick.”

“Three first names?” I tease. “Oh, completely untrustworthy. Or maybe two of them cancel each other out, so it’s like you just have one.” I narrow my eyes. “I haven’t figured out which option yet.”

A tiny smile hooks into the corner of his mouth. The same shy one from earlier that he shared with Nana.

“May as well have remained a stranger,” he says.

“Absolutely. I would have trusted you more without knowing.”

“And what’s your full name?” he asks.

“Beverly Alice Lark.”

“That’s pretty,” he says. The compliment slides off his tongue so easily. I feel my cheeks flush, thankful for the low light.

“Alice is my nana’s name,” I say.

“I remember. Yeah, it’s fitting.”

“Fitting? You don’t know me, Mr. Three Names.”

“You two are similar. I can tell.”

I smile. I like to hear that. I’d love to be like my nana.

Behind him, Ava bursts into giggles. Steak has made his way over to the window, nudging his nose against the glass and arching his spine.

“She’s charmed him,” I say. “He doesn’t like anyone but my mom.”

“Ava just has that way about her.” He scoops up his daughter, even though she squirms. “We’ll see the kitty later, munchkin. We’ve got a trip ahead of us.”

One hour.

“Griffin, that really is a long time…you should consider staying.”

He stares, then shrugs. “Yeah. Maybe. It’s nice of you to offer.”

I flush. “Hey, we Larks try.”

I step into the outdoor wind. It whips against my cheeks as we cross back to the main house. It’s cold, but that’s good; I’m much too warm now.

They stop at his SUV. “Say bye to Miss Beverly, Ava.”

Her tiny hand raises, and she very quietly murmurs, “Bye, B.”