Page 117 of Indigo Ridge (The Edens 1)

“I do.”

“It doesn’t always make sense.”

“You’re right.” My shoulders slumped. “I was ready to put it away. To let it go. Then the purse and wallet showed up, and I just . . . gah. I hate dead ends.”

“They exist in this world to torture people like you.”

“You’re not wrong.”

“What’s Griffin say about all of this?”

Since our fight a month ago, Griff hadn’t brought up Briggs other than to give me an update on what the doctors had found.

Harrison had been taking him in regularly to meet with a specialist. There wasn’t much they could do, but they’d enlisted him in a drug trial and everyone was hopeful it would slow the dementia’s progression. But it was early on and that road was long.

“Griff knows I have a job to do and he’s respecting my position,” I said.

“Because he’s a good man.”

“He is.?

?

“A heck of a lot better than Skyler.” Pops spewed the name with a lip curl.

“I thought you liked Skyler.”

He arched a white eyebrow. “No. He was never good enough for you. Your parents thought the same.”

“What?” My mouth fell open. Mom and Dad had always been so nice to Skyler. They’d invited us over for regular dinners. They’d helped us move in together. “Why do you say that?”

“He’s an asshole.” Pops chuckled, his chest shaking. “We used to talk about him behind your back.”

“You did?” I smacked his shoulder. “Why didn’t anyone tell me?”

“We all knew you’d figure it out eventually. Though I think your dad was losing patience. When you got engaged, he about lost it. The pissant didn’t even bother asking for his permission.”

I couldn’t believe I was hearing this. I stared unblinking at my grandpa’s profile as he watched the river flow like he hadn’t just dropped a bomb on my lap.

My parents hadn’t liked Skyler. If anyone but Pops had told me, I wouldn’t believe it.

But in a way, it made me feel better. That they’d landed on the same conclusion I had, though much earlier.

“Wow.” I shook my head. “And Griffin? Is there anything you want to tell me now?”

Pops turned and gave me a sad smile. “They’d love Griffin.”

I pressed a hand to my heart as my eyes flooded. Dad would have dropped everything to help me move my stuff into Griffin’s house. Mom would have loved sitting on the porch to watch the sun set behind the mountains.

“I wish they could have met him,” I whispered.

“They did meet him.”

“What? When?”

“Oh, it had to have been years ago. They came to visit. You were busy working, so it was just them for a weekend. We all went down to Willie’s for a drink. Harrison and Griffin were both there.”

“Griff didn’t tell me.”