“It’s good,” she said. “Which I’m sure is no surprise, since it’s your handiwork.”
He shot her a glance that she thought might indicate he was pleased with her subtle praise. “It’s just practice, is all,” he said. “No great trick to it.”
“Don’t underestimate the value of steadiness,” she told him as she stood to join him near the sink. He turned on the water to test that everything was fine, then waited for it to get hot. “It might be exciting to make a sudden move and open a bookstore, but wild decisions like mine work because there are reliable people like you. It’s a skill, a talent.”
“Well, thank you,” he said. Then a hint of slyness crept into his tone as he said, “But you know, just because I’m reliable doesn’t mean I can’t surprise people.”
“Oh yeah?”
And that was when he grabbed the sprayer and shot her directly in the chest with a shower of water.
For a split second, Eleanor was so shocked that she could only stare at him. A flicker of doubt passed Garrett’s expression, as though he was about to apologize…
This expression vanished the moment that Eleanor wrestled the sprayer away and shot him back.
He looked down at the spatter of droplets that covered his flannel shirt. “You shot me!” he said.
“You shot me first!”
The two of them paused for one second longer and then, in unison, burst into gales of laughter.
“Give me that,” Garrett demanded, trying to wrestle the sprayer back from her.
She hid it behind her back. “Never!”
He wrapped his arms around her, using his greater reach to try to get the sprayer, bringing them close together. Eleanor’s breath hitched, as did Garrett’s, but they only hesitated a moment before he bent down and she pressed up until their lips were pressed together.
The kiss was like fireworks, Eleanor thought.
And then,How interesting. His beard is soft.
When they both pulled away a moment later, Eleanor knew she was blushing. Garrett looked as though he too, might be hiding a flush beneath his beard.
“I, um,” he said, clearing his throat rapidly. “Everything works. So, I’d better go.”
Part of Eleanor wanted to grab him, make him stay so that they could kiss some more. But the cooler part of her recognizedthat it would be the smart and mature thing to think this through.
"Right,” she said. “Okay.”
He held on for a moment longer before releasing her.
“Yeah, okay,” he said. He took a step back, then another. “I’ll see you around?” he asked, a note of hope in his voice.
The question reassured her.
“Yeah,” she told him. “I’ll see you soon.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Diana squinted at her inventory spreadsheet. Why did the people who made these programs always make the fonts so darn small? And why did that question make Diana feel so old?
She was interrupted from one of her least favorite parts of operating a business when the gentle door chimes rang. She looked up to see Cadence, looking far more pleased with herself than she had since the ill-fated perm. The reason was no mystery. Cadence’s hair was looking far more chic and cute than it had the last time Diana had seen her.
“Wow,” Diana said, immediately putting her laptop aside. “You look great!”
Cadence fluffed her new ‘do happily. “I know, right? June is a miracle worker, I swear. She just went snip, snip, snip and suddenly I was more old time Parisian and less Shirley Temple.”
“Yeah, you look like you’re about to go down to the local gin joint to dance to jazz all night,” Diana said. “Very chic, very cool.”
