“Everything.”
“Everything, huh? Well, that narrows it down.”
She laughed. “You know why I’m apologizing.”
“Because you don’t return my text messages?”
“I am truly sorry about that. Rob called earlier this week, asking about dinner when he was in town. That’s where we were tonight. I froze you out this week so I wouldn’t have to think about you at the same time.”
“Ah.”
“But I didn’t tell you. I just… thought about me. About what I needed. Survival skills are not the same as people skills. I think I’m stuck in survival mode. And that’s not an excuse. I just thought you should know so you can call me out on it. You know, if we stay friends after this.”
“We’re staying friends no matter what.” I smiled, so relieved to hear what was going on in her head. “I wish I could hold your hand right now.”
“Dean.” She said it on a sigh. “I’d love that. But maybe in a platonic, friends-holding-hands kind of way?”
“Is that the survivalist in you adding that caveat?”
“Yes.” Her answer came out grumpy. “But you also talk me into things that are totally inappropriate, so it’s partly your fault.”
“I’m loving this apology. I think we should continue it in person.”
She laughed. “Piper’s staying the night at Isaac and Carmen’s. I could stop by for a little bit.”
“I’d love that.” First, I’d need to kick some people out, but that wouldn’t be a problem. “How soon are you coming? I have some old friends who came for dinner, and I know they’d love to meet you before I tell them to get out. But only if you want to meet them.”
“You have guests over? You said you had time to talk. Did you ditch them when I called?”
“They’ll be fine. They’re probably finishing off my food as we speak.”
“You were still eating?”
She was dying at my appalling manners, and I loved every second of it. “Yes. I’m hiding out in my room, so feel free to tell me what you really want to do. They won’t know any different.”
“I’d love for you to stop hiding in your room and get back to them. Are you sure they’d want to say hello to some rando who stole you away in the middle of dinner?”
“They already saw your name on my phone. You’d be doing me a favor by saying hello. I’ll get fewer questions this way.”
“Then yes, I’d be happy to meet your friends, Dean. In person or on the phone.”
I opened my door and returned to the kitchen to see Charlie and Olivia had started dessert without me.
I muted myself for a second. “I’m going to let you guys say hello to Grace. She might be coming over. Don’t embarrass me.”
They looked offended that I would assume such a thing, and then proceeded to embarrass me as thoroughly as possible the second I put Grace on speaker. But they genuinely liked her, and vice versa, so I was calling it a win.
Chapter 29 – Grace
Dean’s house had this great archway above his porch and enough warm light for me to see every step from my car to his door. His house wasn’t huge, but it was beautiful and luxurious inside and out, and I’d always loved driving through his neighborhood because every house had character and everyone took such great care of their yards.
In my neighborhood, everyone had as little growing in their yard as possible because our water bills were so high.
Dean answered before I had time to ring the doorbell a second time and stepped out, shutting the front door behind him. He was barefoot, with jeans that fit him just right and a t-shirt that said “Let’s Make Questionable Decisions” across the front.
I pointed at the words, trying not to pay attention to how nicely the shirt fit across his chest and shoulders. “Did you put that on for me?”
“You wish. I was already wearing it.” He stepped closer, and my heart picked up speed. He was always so present when he looked at me, and now that I knew what it was like to kiss him, my mind was already there. But he leaned in and kissed myforehead. Our fingers found each other and laced together, and I sighed. Everything would be right in the world if I could just stay like this forever. How could something that scared me so much bring me so much comfort at the same time?
