Riley: No. Everyone knows you hardly ever leave Pine Valley.
Grant: Fair. You came home early? Or what about when you came home at Thanksgiving?
Riley: And we just...reconnected?
Grant: Yeah. Ran into each other at the hardware store or something. Started talking. Realized we still had chemistry.
Riley's chest tightened at the wordchemistry.
Riley: That works.
Grant: We're taking it slow. Not making a big deal out of it.
Riley: Right. Casual.
Grant: But serious enough that you're bringing me to the reunion.
Riley: Exactly. Although you were already going to the reunion.
Grant: LOL true. But still. So, we’re going together.
Grant: Physical contact?
Riley's fingers froze over the keyboard.
Riley: What?
Grant: We're supposed to be dating. People are going to expect us to act like it. Hand-holding. Standing close. That kind of thing.
Riley's pulse kicked up. She hadn't thought about that part. Hadn't thought about touching Grant, about standing close enough to smell the pine and woodsmoke that always clung to him, about pretending in a way that would feel way too real.
Riley: Right. Yeah. That makes sense.
Grant: We don't have to if it's weird.
Riley: No, you're right. We should.
Grant: Okay.
Riley: Okay.
Grant: We can play it by ear, and see what feels comfortable. Sound good?
Riley: Yeah, that works.
A pause. Then the bubbles popped up on her screen and she waited.
Grant: You sure about this?
Riley stared at the question. Was she sure? No. Absolutely not. This was insane. But the alternative was showing up alone and enduring two weeks of pitying looks and well-meaning relatives asking why such a lovely girl was still single.
Riley: Too late to back out now.
Grant: We could tell them the truth.
Riley: And look like complete idiots? No thanks.
Grant: Fair.
