“Let’s find it,” he said, making my wish into his command one more time.
Chapter 15
Hallie
People will never forget the way you made them feel.
~ Maya Angelou
I pull into the parking lot at work the next day, unsure what to expect.
Greyson is sitting in his Jeep, staring out the front windshield, an unflappable look on his face.
Last night, after I watched Greyson’s car turn up the bend in our road, I climbed into bed and stared at my ceiling. I knew Avery was waiting for my call. I promised her I would give her a rundown. But that was before I knew Greyson was Ace. I needed time to process the revelation, so I just texted her saying I was exhausted and we could talk later. She texted back a teasing comment about how hanging out with hot coaches would wear anyone out.
Greyson glances over at me—aware of everything, as always. I see it all now. The Army. Afghanistan. No wonder he’s so quietly observant. A smile blooms on his face and I’minstantly catapulted back to last night—the way it felt to be in his arms again.
I smile back at him. He nods and gets out of his Jeep.
“Morning,” he says, his voice slightly conspiratorial.
We simultaneously glance around the parking lot. Everyone else is inside.
“Good morning,” I say.
We walk together, silently, into the room where both crews are gathered around the table and leaning against the surrounding cabinets, talking casually. I don’t look at Greyson. And somehow I know he’s not looking at me either.
We go through the morning routine, working as usual. Every so often, I feel his eyes on me. I’ll glance up, and we stare, probably a beat too long. But so far, nothing feels as weird as I thought it might. Only—he’s Ace. The realization thrums beneath my skin. For the briefest moment, I can almost smell cocoa and pastries, feel cobblestones under my feet. But then I look around and we’re here, surrounded by the smell of hours-old coffee, concrete and steel.
Questions swirl through my head along with an inconvenient tug to spend more time with him—alone.
I push that idea out of my mind.
We’re getting ready to go on a run, stretching our legs in the driveway, when Dustin shouts over to Greyson. “Hey! Emberleigh said she heard something about you going to dinner at Hallie’s.” Dustin laughs. His eyes flit toward me and back to Greyson. “Crazy, huh? I mean, everyone knows you never eat dinner anywhere but at the station or your house.”
Greyson’s eyes lift to meet mine. This may be the first time I’ve ever seen him appear to be caught off guard. In an instant, he’s regained all composure and seriousness.
Wait, what?He never eats at anyone’s house?
But he said yes to Mia and my mom right away. To be fair,they were persuasive—as in an ambush from the Girl Scout moms during cookie season—only more feral and demanding.
Greyson glances at Patrick and then Dustin. He looks down and then his eyes meet mine—unflinching and clear.
His jaw sets and he says, “I did.”
His answer shocks me.
Dustin shouts. “What?! You ate dinner at Hallie’s!”
“Tell the neighborhood, why don’t you?” Patrick says, a light scolding to his voice.
Dustin lowers his voice. “You ate at Hallie’s? How come you didn’t invite all of us? Hallie?”
“We need to get this run in,” Greyson says.
I’m frozen in place. Greyson just admitted to eating dinner at my home. I don’t know what I expected. Deflection, probably. But he just owned it.
And, in typical Greyson style, the conversation’s apparently over, because he takes off at a light jog, looking over his shoulder.
