Chapter Sixty-One
Sierra
There are two brisk knocks on my office door. I look up from my laptop.
Ellie comes in. “Hey, got a present for you. From my mom.” She hands me a small package.
“Thanks.” I manage a smile that I hope looks bright enough and rip it open. It’s a gorgeous pink candle, scented like peach. Yummy. I place it on my desk, making a mental note to send Ellie’s mom a thank-you email. “How was your trip back to St. Louis?”
“Great.” She peers at me. “Is everything okay?”
Guess I suck at fake smiling. I deflate. “Griffin and I broke up. I didn’t want to tell you over the weekend when you were spending quality time with your folks.”
“What?” Ellie takes the chair in front of my desk and drags it over so she can sit next to me. “What are you talking about? You and Griffin are like soul mates. He makes you feel special and treats you like a princess. You’re having babies together!” Something shifts in her expression. “Wait… He isn’t getting cold feet over the triplets, is he?”
If I tell her yes, she’ll drive over to Wollstonecraft College and run him over. Or at least beat him with one of our failed dildo molds.
I tell her everything that happened at the faculty party, including the article and the comment from one of his students. And how that upset him, making him feel like the respectability and credibility he’s worked so hard for have been destroyed. “He was absolutely furious on Friday.”
“How did his students find out?” Ellie asks, looking gobsmacked. “It isn’t something we advertised.”
“I think they overheard somebody talking about it when they came over for the case presentation and then couldn’t keep their mouths shut.”
“Wait, isn’t it covered under our NDA?”
I shrug. “It’s not a trade secret. It’s a fair topic for them to gossip about. Remember how it was when we were in college?” I shake my head, letting out a sigh. “Besides, the damage is done.”
“But why is Griffin upset with you for that? It’s not like you took out a billboard to advertise it.”
“Because I didn’t tell him about the Midnight God line being named after him. I probably should’ve said something about it in Tokyo. Then we could’ve avoided all this.” I glance up and see nothing but a normal ceiling, even though it feels like there are storm clouds gathering over me.
Ellie looks skeptical. “What was he going to do if you had told him? Tell you not to make those toys?”
“I don’t know. But he felt backstabbed. Some of the other professors there sort of looked at him weird, even got a little bit judgmental, and I think that made things much worse. I’m sure he felt humiliated.” I feel awful about that, especially knowing how hard he must’ve worked for his career. The award Charles mentioned told me everything I needed to know about Griffin’s dedication. If somebody did something to damage Silicone Dream, I’d be furious too.
“He’s being kind of a prude about the whole thing, don’t you think?”
I shrug. “Maybe academia is prudish.”
“Yeah, but it isn’t like you told people that he went to an orgy or you released sex tapes of the two of you.” Ellie bristles. “You know what? Forget him. You don’t need a judgmental asshole in your life.” Her gaze drops to my belly. “As for your babies, they have you and me! Screw men! I hate seeing you down like this.”
I nod slowly. “Yeah. I can raise them on my own.” I’ve already considered the possibility, so it doesn’t feel particularly abrupt, although I’m sad that they may not know what it’s like to be loved by their father. I sigh. “Every time I go home, I’m reminded of him.”
“How so?”
“He didn’t take his things with him.”
“Then pack them up and set them on fire!” Ellie smiles devilishly. “It’s sooooo satisfying.”
She’d know. She did that to an ex-boyfriend when we were in college. He deserved it, too. The bastard cheated on her.
“I don’t think I can quite do that, especially when I didn’t do it to Todd.”
“But that fucker took his stuff with him.”
“Still.” What I feel for Griffin doesn’t compare. I still love him.
Ellie sighs. “You’re such a good girl. Fine. Pack it all in a box and take it to his place.”