Drive Me Wild (Bellamy Creek #1)(84)

“Could you just give me a break, please? I’m a fucking wreck, Cheyenne. I can’t stop thinking about her. I can’t sleep. Nothing tastes good or feels right. I can’t focus at work. I’m not even excited about the game tonight.”

“Whoa. This is serious.”

“That’s what I’m saying.” I rubbed my face with both hands. “So can you please just help me out? Did she say anything?”

My sister relented and spoke softly. “Of course she did, Griffin. She’s in love with you.”

My heart immediately shot into my throat. I fisted my hands in my hair. “She said that?”

“No, but she didn’t have to. I could just tell.”

I dropped my arms. “I don’t know what to do.”

“If you want her, go get her back. But I’ll tell you this, Griff.” My sister’s voice took on a warning note. “Do not mess with her. She has a really great thing going up there. A place to live, people that care about her, a job she loves. She’s definitely hung up on you, and if you apologized and asked for another chance, I bet she’d give it—but you better be sure it’s what you want.”

I didn’t even have to think about it. “It’s what I want.”

“Finally.” She opened her arms and gave me a hug that felt surprisingly good. “I love you, you big jerk. Why do you have to make things so difficult?”

“I don’t know,” I said. “I guess I just like to fight.”

She laughed and patted my back. “Well, now you have something worth fighting for. Go get her.”





Later that afternoon, I was still trying to think of what I could say to Blair that would convince her I deserved a second chance when Charlie Frankel approached me. “This is wonderful, wonderful,” he said, shaking my hand.

“Thank you.”

“Your dad and granddad sure would be proud.”

“I appreciate that.”

“Did you see those apple pies over there? Blair baked them. With Betty’s recipe.” He looked sheepish. “I had it all this time, you see. I had my reasons for keeping it to myself, but Blair reminds me so much of Betty—such a good heart and a bright spirit—I knew she was the right person to trust with it.”

I swallowed hard. “Blair will take good care of it.”

“She stopped by to see me today.”

Jealousy kicked me in the gut. “Oh?”

“Yes. She brought me a pie of my own, and we sat on the porch and had a piece with some tea, even though it was just nine in the morning.” He chuckled at the thought.

I swallowed hard. “Sounds nice.”

“We had a nice chat,” Frankel went on, scratching his head, “and she talked a lot about this event and all she’d learned working for you. I hope you won’t think this too forward, but she also mentioned that the bank has been reluctant to give you a loan.”

“Reluctant is one way to put it,” I said stiffly.

“Well, I was thinking. I’m a very good customer at that bank. My family has been for generations. And I bet if I co-signed on that loan, they’d be more willing to approve it.”

My jaw dropped. “Are you serious?”

“Sure. I see the good work you’re doing here, and I know how hard it can be to keep a small, family-owned business running. I believe we have to invest in the people we know, the people who make this town what it is. Your family has been in business here a long time too, and I’d like to keep it that way. Let me help you.”

I felt like the wind had been knocked out of me. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Say you’ll come over sometime soon and we can talk about what you need. Then I’ll make an appointment with the bank, and we’ll go in together.”

I held out my hand. “It’s a deal, Mr. Frankel. And thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Griffin. Now can I offer a piece of advice?”

“Sure.”

“Girls like Betty and Blair don’t come along too often. They’re special. One in a million.” He put a hand on my shoulder. “I probably shouldn’t tell you this, but I offered Blair the loan first. I thought she could use it to start her own bakery in town, but she said no. She said if anyone deserved the help, it was you.”

Again, I found myself at a loss for words, which made Frankel laugh.

He gave my shoulder a squeeze. “Don’t let her get away, son.”

I swallowed hard. “I won’t. I promise you, I won’t.”





That evening, Cole and I sat side by side in the dugout, waiting for the game to start. “Hey, I’m sorry about yesterday,” I said.

He gave me a funny look. “You don’t owe me an apology.”

“Yes, I do. You were trying to be honest with me, and I didn’t want to hear it, so I was a dick. It’s not you I’m mad at.”

He laughed. “I know. I’ve been your best friend for twenty-five years, remember? I see through all your bullshit by now.”

I laughed too, feeling better. “Anyway, thanks for the advice.”

“You gonna take it?”

“Yeah. But don’t let it go to your head.” I grinned at him. “Now let’s win this thing so I can go fix what I broke.”