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He nodded as he tucked his hands in his pockets.“Ah, I see.”He blew out his breath and came toward her.“Well, I’ll get out of your hair.”
Bea suddenly didn’t want Grant to leave.She had a beat of time to wonder how her friends would react when she texted them all later tonight and told them she’d gone to dinner with a handsome man.
Then another to tell herself she was completely crazy, and then a third where she let her mouth take control of her brain.
“Actually,” she said.“If the offer still stands, I’d love to go to dinner with you.”
Grant paused, his surprise evident in the rounding of his eyes and the way those eyebrows stretched for the sky.
“I’ll probably get lost on the way again,” she said, smiling now.
He returned the gesture.“Sure, yeah.Do you like seafood?”
She almost said no, but because she’d allowed her friends to add a few items to her love list, and she’d studied it on the flight from Texas, she knew Joy had put onTry a food you think you don’t like.
Out came, “Yes,” and Grant’s smile widened.
“I know just the place.”He continued past the couch, but instead of going toward the door, he took a step or two toward her.“I’ll go get the air conditioning going in my car again, and you…you might want to check your ear there.”He reached out and touched her left earlobe.Just a tiny breath of a touch, but the heat of his skin melded into hers instantly, sending shocks of attraction through her.“It looks like it’s bleeding.”
Her hand flew up to cover her ear.Her voice sounded mostly robotic as she said, “It’s not bleeding.It’s raspberries.”
Grant chuckled, the sound of which brought her back to life, and she allowed herself to giggle with him.After all, if she couldn’t laugh at what had happened at The Mad Mango, she might start crying again.
“I’ll just go—” She turned and went around the couch and then along the back of it while Grant cleared his throat.
“Yep,” he said.“And I’ll be out in the car.”He made a quick exit after that, and Bea practically skipped down the hall to the bathroom, which sat between the two bedrooms.The master had its own bathroom, and Bea could admit the house was quaint and comfortable.It definitely had everything she’d need for the next ten days—except for food.
Her stomach roared at her now, but she wetted a cloth and wiped the missed smear of raspberry puree from her earlobe, the other organs in her body screaming at her about her date tonight.
“It’s not a date,” she said.“You broke down in front of him.It’s a pity meal at best.”She dropped the rag into the sink and gave herself a stern look.“You will not cry again.So the plane was delayed.So they didn’t have your rental car.So you didn’t get your smoothie.None of that is life-threatening, and it all worked out.”
She couldn’t help thinking that if the smoothie shop had been exactly what she’d hoped for, she’d be too full for dinner.
Her phone chimed, distracting her from reading too much into what had happened at The Mad Mango, and she pulled her device from her pocket.Cass had texted, of course, wanting to know how the house was and demanding to know why they hadn’t gotten at least a half-dozen pictures by now.
Bea hesitated, and then she let her fingers fly.No pictures, because I got hit by a flying glob of raspberries, then drove in the wrong direction to the grocery store, and just now made it to the house.I’m going to dinner, and then it’ll probably be too dark for pics.You’ll have to wait until tomorrow.
She sent the message, satisfied it opened just enough doors to drive her friends crazy.She wasn’t expecting to get Bessie’s question so quickly.Where are you going todinner?
Somewhere new, I hope, Joy said with a smiley face.
Good for you for going out alone, Sage said.
Should I not go?Bea asked, a little miffed not a single person had asked about the raspberries.Of course, they hadn’t teased her about how she could literally be staring at a map and still turn in the wrong direction.
Don’t worry, Cass said.They’re used to having singlediners.
Oh, good, Bea said, biting her bottom lip so it couldn’t curve into a smile.It did anyway, especially when she typed and sent:But I’m not going alone, so I’m sure it’ll be fine.
When her phone blared out the horribly loud old-fashioned phone ring, she quickly silenced it.She didn’t have time to talk to Cass right now anyway.
“So you’ve livedhere your whole life?”Bea asked later that evening.Riding in a car with Grant had been easy, as had chit-chatting about simple things in life.She now knew he had a thirteen-year-old daughter who made him smile every time he spoke of her.He managed several rental properties here on Hilton Head, not just the cottage Cass had rented for her.And he didn’t like blue cheese dressing.
He’d driven them past the grocery store and down the Main Street, not even glancing at the many restaurants along the way.“Osmond’s is the best,” he’d said when she’d asked, finally taking her onto a plantation to a restaurant in the country club of a golf course.He’d flashed a badge here and there, and they’d been seated in a matter of moments.
He hadn’t had to put on a jacket, and no one gave her a second glance at all in her skinny jeans and black blouse.She’d smartly worn tennis shoes to the airport, because she’d once gone on a business trip with Nort where they’d had to run to catch their plane.She’d been in flip flops, and by the time she’d arrived at the appointed gate, one had been broken and lost, and the other had rubbed a blister between her toes.
Now she wore tennis shoes to the airport, and she hadn’t had any problems since.
