Taking his phone and glad she was committed to manis and pedis, she shone the light on his face. She’d wanted to see him since she barreled into him.
He settled his varsity jacket around her shoulders, then snatched his phone from her and clicked off the flashlight.
Her heart beginning to pound for an entirely different reason, Mattie slid her arms into the sleeves, enveloped by the residual heat from Grant’s body and surrounded by his scent.
“I’ll give it back to you tomorrow.”
“It’s no rush, sweetheart. I know where to find you.”
She shoved her hands in the pockets. “Okay,” she said shyly.
“Come on. I’ll take you back.”
“I didn’t come through a door,” she admitted. “The voice would’ve announced it opening.”
“When you say you snuck out, you were not kidding.”
“I will be in so much trouble if I’m discovered.”
“A phone call would’ve worked, Matt.”
“I guess, but I wanted to talk to you in person. See your expressions.”
“Aww, sweetheart. I’m sorry. You need to tell boneheads like me. I wasn’t even thinking about our lack of light.”
“It’s okay. Really.”
“I’ll make it up to you. I promise.”
Pleasure swept through Mattie. “Yeah? How? When? My schedule’s completely free. Saturday would be perfect.”
“Saturday afternoon is out for me and that night is Diesel’s volleyball game.”
She wanted to know his plans for the afternoon, but that would totally give her crush away, so she remained silent and asked another question. “You’re going to the game?”
“Sure am. I’m on CJ’s team. I also heard Tennysee will be there.”
Mattie bit her lip, holding in her disappointment. Of course Grant liked the club girls. He was a grown man and only saw her as a little sister. He was also a nice guy. She hoped he was ready for the treachery of the club girls.
“What about Sunday afternoon? I can take you out for ice cream.”
“You’re downgrading me already,” she blurted, then laughed nervously. “From that delicious meal to ice cream. Not even a pastry shop.”
“I’m returning to Boston Sunday night,” he told her. “Since you, Rebel, and Roxy have made me see the error of my ways, I’ll complete the semester, then come home.”
“You’re leaving?” She didn’t mean to sound so distraught, especially because Grant had barely paid attention to her until recently. She’d just been one of the girls. “When…when are you coming back?”
“June. Maybe to move back home or to get my own place. I’m not sure. It all depends, but I need to talk to my dad.”
“Right.”
“I’m just a text or a phone call away, Matt. If you need me to tell Roxy to check on you, let me know. Just remember that we support you and we love you.”
“Thanks, Grant,” Mattie said softly.
Without warning, he swept her into his arms. “Tell me where to stop so I don’t activate the lights, but you’ve been standing in your bare feet long enough to help me. The very least I can do is carry you back to your window.”
Giggling, Mattie nodded, knowing she’d remember this night for the rest of her life when her own knight had swept her off her feet both literally and figuratively.
