There was a sheen to Caelyn’s eyes as she poured the scramble into a skillet. “He’s a good man.”

“I’m beginning to realize that he’s the best kind of man.” I’d let so many of my past wounds blind me to who Crosby truly was. Now, though, my eyes were fully open. He wasn’t perfect by any means. But the core of who he was, consisted entirely of kindness and protection.

“Then you should fight for him, Kenna.” Caelyn’s voice whipped out, stronger than I’d heard it in a long time. “Show him what a life with you could be like.”

“I don’t know…”

“I didn’t think my best friend was a wuss.”

I snorted. “I’m not, I just…” I was terrified to let myself completely go there, to go after what I wanted with the knowledge that I might get hurt in the end. “Let me take it one day at a time.”

Caelyn pointed her spatula at me. “Just as long as you’re not running away.”

“I’m not. I promise.”

The screen door slapped against the wood frame as someone entered. Heavy footsteps sounded against the worn floors. Caelyn’s eyes lit up as a deep voice sounded. “Breakfast sandwich to go.”

I turned, taking in the hulking form behind me. He was handsome, there was no doubt of that. Even the scar that bisected his brow and cut down his cheek seemed to add to his beauty somehow. “Hey, Griffin.”

He gave me a chin jerk and a grunt. That was talkative for the man. Griffin took off down one of the aisles to do what I assumed was some shopping. I leaned over the counter. “Real chatty, that one.”

Caelyn glared at me. “Don’t be mean. The rest of this island is small-minded enough when it comes to Griffin.”

I held up both hands. “I’m not. He’s just a little odd. And he’s got that I-could-crush-you-with-my-bare-hands look about him.”

“I think he’s handsome.”

I chuckled. “You’ve made that abundantly clear. You and the rest of the female population of this island, who isn’t terrified of him.”

Caelyn set my scramble down in front of me and placed her hands on her hips. “Given everything he’s been through, I think it’s natural that Griffin has some walls up. But he’s always been perfectly polite to me.”

My brow rose. “Tell me, how does one grunt politely?”