“Are you ready?” Grant held her gaze, a playful smile curling the edges of his mouth.
“For what?”
“The Charleston Flip.”
Eliza’s breath caught in her throat. They’d only successfully managed the flip once—after several weeks of practice. Grant had to be crazy to attempt it after all these years. And yet, Eliza’s body eagerly fell into step, her feet kicking off the ground as Grant flipped her backward over his arm.
For a moment, time slowed down, and a gleeful laugh escaped Eliza’s lips as she flew in the air, suddenly free from every burden weighing her down.
As she prepared to land, a crucial part of the maneuver flickered through her mind. But it was too late. Failing to remove her arm from around his shoulders, Eliza’s limbs tangled with Grant’s, sending them both crashing to the cold, hard tile.
Grant’s chest broke her fall, and he released a winded groan.
“I’m so sorry! Are you okay?” she breathed, scanning his body for signs of injury.
“Minus the cracked ribs, I’m completely fine.” Grant flashed a lopsided grin. “Guess we need a little more practice.”
“Guess so.” Smiling, she poked him in the ribs. “Are they really broken?”
“No, just my pride. And maybe my glasses….” Grant reached for his wire frames lying a few feet away.
As he slipped them on his face, Eliza giggled. “They’re a little crooked.”
“Remind me to wear contacts next time.”
“We did pretty well, considering we haven’t danced together since…” Eliza’s words hung in the small space between them, disrupting the delicate bubble that had momentarily separated them from their painful past.
Grant cleared his throat, and Eliza scrambled to her feet. “So, um, why are you here?” She smoothed down her blouse, unsure if she meant here at the bakery or back in Poppy Creek.
“Cassie told me where I could find you.” Grant pushed off the ground, wincing slightly as he stood. “I wanted to apologize.”
“For what?” Eliza turned away, tucking wayward strands of hair behind her ears.
“For showing up at the Secret Picnic without telling you first. I honestly didn’t think we’d wind up eating lunch together. But, in hindsight, I should have known it would be a possibility.”
“You don’t owe me an apology. It’s your hometown, too. You can visit whenever you’d like.”
“Oh. Well, I thought…” Grant hesitated, clearly not receiving the reaction he’d expected. “It doesn’t bother you that I’m back?”
“Why would it?” Eliza managed to keep her voice steady even though her pulse ran rampant.
“I guess, because of our history…”
“That was a long time ago, Grant.”
“Was it, Lizzy?”
Eliza’s breath hitched as he evoked her nickname, and Grant seemed to notice the effect he had on her.
Taking a step toward her, he closed the gap between them.
Eliza backed away, pressing herself against the counter.
“So, being near me doesn’t bother you at all?” Grant moved closer, until he stood mere inches from her face.
“No,” she lied. “Does it bother you?” Why did her voice sound strained and breathy all of a sudden?
“Nope.” Grant leaned in, his gaze flickering to her lips.
