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“Now that’s astrology!” Michael declared.
The two were clearly on the verge of something. Whether it was yet another brief, fiery affair, or the kind of thing that lasted, was a question for another day. Elise’s heart banged away in her chest with hope and happiness for them.
“I assume you’re on your way to meet Wayne,” Michael said.
Elise arched her brow. “What makes you say that?”
“You’ve got lipstick on,” Margot said matter-of-factly. “Women only wear their best lipstick when they’re on their way to meet a man.”
Elise’s cheeks burned with embarrassment, even as she grinned and said, “Is he at The Grind?”
“Of course, he is. The man can’t take more than a few days off to save his life. Good for me, though. When Margot arrived at my doorway yesterday evening, I knew all bets were off.”
“I like to make an entrance,” Margot told her.
**
ELISE RUSHED THE RESTof the way to The Grind, her heels clicking across the sidewalk. She had no idea why she felt so frantic. Somehow, sending her screenplay off had unlocked a dam in her heart and even more feelings for Wayne flowed through her. There was something about celebrating something with someone you held so dear. Somehow, the light reflected in their eyes back toward yours was exactly the way you wanted to feel. Somehow, your own happiness wasn’t enough.
Elise launched herself into The Grind. All the chairs were lifted onto their tables; the radio crackled an old Blues track, and Wayne Tanton himself stood in the center of a shimmering floor with a mop in his hands. Elise rushed toward him without thinking and just before she had the chance to wrap her arms around his sturdy form, her feet remembered the slippiness of the ground. She collapsed on the glossy-wet floor and cried out in alarm.
“Elise!” Wayne jumped for her, dropped the mop handle in the process, and managed to fall himself. There they sat, on their damp butts, with big, goofy grins on their faces.
Suddenly, they burst into gut-wrenching laughter.
“Are you hurt?” Wayne asked mid-way through another burst of giggles.
Elise shook her head wildly. “No! Are you?”
“Only my pride,” Wayne admitted with a grin. Slowly, he staggered up, then stretched out his hand for her to grip. “Come on up here, will ya? We aren’t snails. We don’t have to live on the ground.”
“If you say so,” Elise said as she slipped her hand over his.
Elise and Wayne stepped delicately toward dry land. Wayne produced a croissant from the glass counter and dotted it gently in her hands. “I baked just a batch for the morning since it’s been so slow, and I’m worried even these will go to waste,” he said.
Elise grinned wider, took a big bite of the fluffy delight, swallowed, and then said, “I did it. I sent it. My screenplay is finished.”
At this, Wayne completely lost control. He howled, dropped his hands around Elise’s waist, and spun her in circles. As he dropped her back onto her feet, he pressed his lips over hers and closed his eyes.
This reaction is more than an echo of my own happiness.
He knows how much this means to me.
He feels it in the belly of his soul.
“We have to celebrate,” Wayne announced as their kiss broke.
**
WAYNE CLOSED UP THEGrind for the day. “It’s silly to stay open when nobody’s coming in anyway,” he told her as he wrapped his scarf around and around his neck. “Besides. When you were in the bathroom, I made reservations at The Grand Hotel.”
“Reservations at The Grand? For me?”
Wayne glanced around behind him and then said, “Nope. For all these other people I care about here with me.”
Elise rolled her eyes as she slipped her gloved fingers into his. Once outside, she recited the view she had seen of Michael and Margot, the love that had simmered between them.
“I have to admit, that kid had some adventures,” Wayne affirmed. “Makes me think I really have to find my way around the world soon.”
