It can't be!
Please, please, please do not come to me.
But as I sat down, with my back purposely to the crowd, I could feel his presence approaching me. My heart sank.
Harrison fucking O'Connor.
This wasn't the first time I had bumped into Harrison after leaving Ashburton. I had only encountered him once before. And that was awkward as fuck.
After successfully getting my family to visit me twice, my mom demanded that I return to Ashburton for a cousin's wedding. It was during my school break, so I really had no excuse. I had only planned on staying for the weekend before slinking back to California as fast as my plane could fly.
As I drove my hired car toward the familiar outskirts of Ashburton, my mom called me in a panic. She had run out of milk and had family staying, and her polite Southern manners dictated that she not abandon them. Could I please run to the store since I was almost in town and pick something up? I mean, I could hardly say no.
The drive down was hot, so I only wore a pair of yoga pants and a cropped top. I shed my comfy hoodie during the drive and couldn't be bothered scrambling through my bag in the trunk to find it again. I grabbed an LA Lakers cap—a present from a college dalliance that had fizzled out—and plopped it on to cover my plane hair.
I looked a little different than I did in high school. For one, high school Grace wouldn't dare wear a crop top and pants that showed off her figure. But college Grace was another story.
I successfully made my way to the milk aisle without anyone spotting me until I received a text from my mom telling me to bring home some cheese and crackers. It was then that my ruse was rumbled.
As I stood in the cold aisle with a wheel of Brie under my arm, I felt a prickle at the back of my neck—an awareness.
I glanced to my right and was startled at the sight of Harrison O'Connor. He was standing at the end of the aisle, a look of shock written on his face as he stared at me. He was so still that I wondered if he was suffering from some sort of brain aneurysm. The longer he stood gaping at me, the more uncomfortable I became. And considering that I was already feeling fucking uneasy since entering the bright lights of Ashburton, that was saying a lot.
"Grace." His tone was full of surprised wonder.
He strolled towards me, his brown eyes sliding over my figure with a look of blatant appreciation.
Meanwhile, I felt like a startled gazelle, my eyes darting to the side for an escape route.
Harrison noticed my apprehension and slowed his stroll, holding his hands up in a gesture of calm.
"I come in peace," he tried to joke.
One look at my face was enough to tell him how well his joke landed.
"How are you? Are you in town long? I saw your Mom yesterday at Bobbi's. She told me you were coming for the weekend. Shit, sorry." Harrison paused, shaking his head. "I'm rambling." He gave a nervous chuckle.
Now, it was my turn to gape at him. If I didn't know any better, I would have suspected hewasnervous. But that wasn't possible. Harrison never shied away from telling me exactly how he felt.
As I studied his features, I was disappointed to notice that he was not only still handsome but had become even more of a hottie since high school.
He carried a slight stubble on his face, but instead of looking scruffy, it made him appear rugged. Brawny. His body had filled out; his shoulders broader and his arms defined and muscular.
Dammit.
In my head, he had turned bald with a Homer Simpson beer paunch. Although, considering he decided to stay in Ashburton and work on his father's farm, I wasn't surprised that he was in excellent shape.
At my prolonged silence, Harrison cleared his throat, a look of contriteness on his face.
"Grace, I just wanted to tell you, err, that is, apologize to you. Um, you know, I–"
What the fuck?Was he really attempting to apologize for years of torment in aisle three of our Piggly Wiggly?
I interrupted his halting flow. "I have to go."
His mouth hung open, mid-word, for a second before it snapped shut. His brow furrowed at my words, but he wisely chose to remain silent.
"It was really...something to see you again, Harrison. I hope you're well."
