"Grant!Thomas called from across the lot. "Need you for the Johnsons!"
Grant grimaced. "Give me five minutes."
But five minutes turned into twenty, then forty. Every time he tried to break away, another customer needed help, another tree needed cutting, another family needed directions.
Riley ended up in the farmhouse kitchen with a cup of coffee, watching through the window as Grant worked. He kept glancing toward the house, clearly frustrated, and every time their eyes met, Riley felt it in her chest.
Finally, during a brief lull, he jogged back inside.
"I'm so sorry," he said, slightly out of breath. "This is not how I wanted this morning to go."
"It's fine. You're working."
"I know, but after last night I really wanted to—" He stopped, running a hand through his hair. "I wanted to talk. About the kiss."
Riley set down her coffee. "What about it?"
Grant paused like he was thinking. "Was it really okay? Me doing that in front of everyone? I thought about it, and it was kind of…well, we didn’t plan it. And I didn’t want you to be uncomfortable about it."
"Grant, I kissed you back. Pretty enthusiastically." Riley laughed. She assumed they’d already covered this.
His ears went red. "You did."
"So yeah. It was more than okay."
"Good. Because I've been thinking about doing it again all morning."
Riley stepped closer. "Yeah?"
"Yeah." His hands found her waist. "Like right now."
"Your dad's fifty feet away."
"I know."
"And there are customers everywhere."
"I know that too."
"So we probably shouldn't?—"
Grant kissed her anyway—quick and hard and full of promise. When he pulled back, Riley was dizzy.
"Tonight," he said. "Come back tonight. After we close. Seven?"
"You sure?"
"I've never been more sure of anything."
"Grant!"Another customer calling.
He groaned. "I have to?—"
"Go. Work. I'll see you tonight."
"Seven," he said again, backing toward the door. "Don't forget."
"I won't."
