I waited for Grace to pull her car out of the lot, and we waved to Jackson, Tessa, and Stella, who were watching us leave together. We’d hear about their speculation in the chat later. Now that they knew our history, I’m sure they were filling in blanks with all sorts of things. The truth was a bit stranger than any fiction they could ever come up with, though.
The first time I flirted with Grace, it felt like nothing more than a dare. She was a fun person to tease. But I’d quicklygrown addicted to that wondering and wary look in her eyes. If she was picturing us together, why couldn’t I? What would that even look like? And then… I got all the payback I deserved and more, because the more I hinted at my interest, the more she pushed me away. I still wasn’t sure if she was committed to never dating anyone seriously ever again, or just committed to keeping me at a distance.
It was almost scarier to feel things shifting now. Her distance had never been fun, but it was familiar. Predictable.
I followed Grace to the neighborhood where Piper’s friend Lucy lived and pulled up behind her at the curb. The two girls hopped out of their folding chairs and ran at us with their arms waving. Lucy’s mom was sitting in a folding chair a little farther back, reading a book with her feet propped up on another chair. I liked her immediately because she didn’t look particularly relieved to be rid of Piper or put-out about having her most of the day. My mother never would have been that chill.
“Oh, it’s your mom.” Lucy skidded to a stop once she realized we weren’t lemonade customers and threw her arms around Piper, lifting her up off the ground in a tight hug. She was as blonde as Piper was dark-haired, but they were the exact same height. “Don’t leave yet!”
“I’ll try not to,” Piper stage whispered. Piper turned to look at Grace, her eyes a mix of innocence and mischief. “Do you want some lemonade, Mom?”
“Who’s that guy? Is that your dad?” Lucy asked, pointing at me.
“No, that’s Dean. I bet he has money on him. Dean, did you bring any money?”
“Piper, you shouldn’t ask that.” Grace threw me an apologetic look.
“It’s for sharity, Mom.”
“Yeah, it’s for sharity,” Lucy echoed. “And our lemonade is really good.”
“I’m always happy to help sharity.” I pulled a bunch of bills out of my front pocket, gaining me some serious side-eye fromGrace. Then I pulled out the bag of coins I’d been keeping hidden from behind my back. “How much lemonade do you have left?”
Lucy and Piper exchanged secret smiles before Piper answered me. “A whole pitcher, but the ice is almost melted.”
“My favorite kind. I’ll take the whole thing.”
Amid their whoops, I plunked my money down on their little folding table along with the bag of coins. I picked up the pitcher and considered drinking straight from it, but that wouldn’t have been fair to Grace or kind to my shirt. It would need to be at least 110 degrees out before I’d consider dousing the front of me in lemonade. I took two cups from their stack and poured them full, handing one to Grace.
“Is it good?” Grace whispered to Lucy’s mom.
She smiled at us, not looking the least bit curious as to who I was or what I was doing with Grace. Or at least, she hid it well. “Oh yeah. It’s excellent. I helped with the measurements. We even strained out the seeds. I’m Molly, by the way.” She held out her hand to me, and I reached over and shook it.
“Dean.”
“How was the hike?” she asked.
Grace took a sip of the lemonade, giving us a thumbs up with her free hand.
“Was that for the hike or the lemonade?” she asked.
“Both. How did the breakfast go?”
Molly yawned. “So good. I think I’m doing a breakfast party for her every year from here on out. My husband cleaned up the kitchen, and all the loud, giggly girls were out of my house by ten-thirty.”
“Except for mine.”
“I like yours.” Molly pulled a chair closer to her and gestured for me to bring over the other one. “Two minutes, girls,” she hollered.
Grace plopped into the chair next to Molly and drained the rest of her lemonade. “This is really good. I would have made the powder stuff.”
“Keep that in mind, because they’re already plotting to do this again in your neighborhood.”
Grace groaned. “I was afraid of that.”
“Don’t be afraid to tell them no. It’s okay for them to be disappointed. As long as it’s not by me.” She scrunched up her nose at Grace.
Grace rolled her eyes. “I know dad jokes are a thing, but that was definitely a mom joke.”
