Chapter Twelve
Sunday morning Jane called,asking me to go shopping.
“You hate shopping.”
She sighed and I could feel the heaviness in her voice. “Finn and I broke up. I just want a distraction.”
“Uh, wait…” I thought things were going better. “I’m so sorry.” Finn obviously was stupid. When people didn’t choose the real me I could understand, but someone not wanting Jane—that was straight-up crazy.
I heard her voice catch through the phone. “He was so great at first, but he never made time to be with me. It was always one excuse or another. Half the time I felt like he pretended he didn’t even know me. I figured if he wanted to be together he would put time in.”
I sighed.
Wow.
“Jane, I am so sorry.”
If Finn wasn’t willing to sacrifice time to be with Jane, what was the chance that Grant would do the same in the long run? I shook my head. I needed to focus on Jane right now.
“I think they have the farmer’s market starting up on the Grove?” I sat up in bed and ran a hand through my hair. “Give me thirty and I will be ready.”
Jane agreed. “Maybe I will go for a run and just meet you at your house, then.”
I was dying to tell Jane all about Grant and how he’d kissed me and said I was beautiful, but this wasn’t the right time.
Jane would shop with me, but it wasn’t what she really wanted to do. I sighed. “Do you want me to run with you?” I could barely hold back the terror in my voice.
There was a pause. “What?”
“Look, I don’t want to run, but if you want me with you, I will gasp for air like a dying fish behind you as you tell me all the ways Finn is a jerk.”
“You would run with me?” Jane cheered.
“Well, I will be running,” I shook my head. “You would probably be walking. Just to give proper expectations.”
Jane chuckled. “Aw, Em, what would I do without you?”
“For starters, run a lot faster.” I added.
She laughed. “Grab your shoes! We’re going running!”
Was it wrong to hope she pulled a muscle on her way to my house?
Three days later,as I shifted my swollen and bruised ankle on the coffee table, the bag of ice fell to the floor.
Drat! I rotated to grab the bag while keeping my ankle elevated.
“I got it.” Grant leaned forward on the couch and picked up the bag of ice, setting it on top of my ankle.
“As if me being chased by a goose wasn’t punishment enough.”I resituated on the couch, trying to ease the throbbing. “Those birds are scary. How long is this going to take?”
Grant fluffed the pillow behind me. “It happened only a few days ago. Give it a week and you will be good as new.” He leaned forward and kissed the top of my forehead. “I wouldn’t run on it for a bit longer, though.”
“You say that like I plan on running ever again.” I rolled my eyes as I readjusted the pillow at my side.
Grant raised his shoulder. “Whether you run is up to you. But take it easy in case you have a…what did you call it? Major mental relapse from kissing me.” He chuckled as he brushed his thumb along my bottom lip and leaned down and pressed his lips softly to mine.
This still felt like a dream too good to be true, and I didn’t want this dream to end.
