“I’m sure it looks better than it feels,” he whined.

“Which is scary, because it looks awful. We should get you home.”

We all headed to the car, and the ride was pretty quiet. I couldn’t stop from glancing over toward Greyson’s reddened face. It looked like it really hurt.

During the quietest moment in the car, Karla started snickering to herself. “Hey, you guys…remember when Dad caught the baseball with his face?”

Everyone started giggling, even Greyson.

“Who needs a glove when you have a nose?” he joked.

I swore, that was the first time I’d ever heard Karla laugh.

Another small step.

When we got back to their house, Lorelai requested that Shay put her to bed—after she finished showing off all her artwork on the walls, of course.

Karla yawned as we walked into the house. “Night, everyone.”

“Good night,” Greyson and I told her.

When everyone was out of the living room, Greyson gave me a sheepish grin. “She said good night to me, can you believe it? And she made a joke in the car, and she asked me if I was okay when the ball slammed into my face. Small steps.”

“It’s a big deal. This is really good. But you know what’s not good? Your face. Sit down on the couch. I’ll get some ice.”

When I came back with the cloth, I had instant flashbacks of younger Greyson as I sat down in front of him. “You know, maybe it’s best if you stay away from baseballs,” I mentioned, placing the cloth against his skin.

His arm brushed against mine, and chills raced down my spine.

“It’s going to be a bit bruised, but I think you’ll live to see another day.”

“Thanks, Ellie.”

I pulled the cloth back a little and gentle touched his skin as he took a deep breath.

“I remember it all,” he said. “Everything that happened between us when we were kids. Your favorite coffee, the stuffed panda I won you, the way you nervously rubbed your arm up and down.”

My eyes locked with his and I swore somehow, we were closer. Somehow, his hand was on my thigh. Somehow, my hand was on his chest.

“Do you remember anything about me, Ellie?” he whispered.

I felt his heart racing as my hand laid against him. “Only everything.”

He bit his bottom lip and looked down for a split second before putting those gray eyes back on me. I’d wished he’d stop looking at me.

I couldn’t think straight whenever those eyes found mine.

“You ever think about kissing me, Ellie?” he asked, brushing his finger gently against my neck.

My body was betraying my mind as it reacted to every touch he delivered my way. I shut my eyes. “Only always.”

“Ellie…” he breathed out, and I knew he was closer. I felt his breaths dancing against my skin, but I couldn’t open my eyes.

If he was going to lean in, though, I’d let him. If he’d moved in closer, I’d allow it. If our lips fell against one another…

“All right, I think she’s down for bed,” Shay said coming into the room. The minute we heard her voice, we both jumped back. I grew flustered as I leaped to my feet. Shay looked my way with a look of confusion mixed with pleasure.

“Okay, good, we should get going,” I muttered. “Uh, Greyson, I’ll see you, um, yeah, okay, bye.”

I hurried out of the house with Shay following closely behind.

When we got into the car, Shay turned my way. “What was that about?” she asked, curious as ever.

“Nothing. Just a little bit of nostalgia,” I mumbled, closing my eyes and hoping my wild heart would slow down at some point.

“He was about to kiss you, Ellie,” she said, as if I hadn’t known what was about to happen.

“Yes, I know.”

She whistled low. “I swear…this reality show is getting better and better each night.”

I ignored her comment, because currently my mind was too jumbled to tell her to shut her mouth.

Greyson almost kissed me.

And without much thought, I almost kissed him back.

44

Greyson

“What do you think about Eleanor?” Claire asked me for our weekly lunch date. I had to admit, the question threw me for a bit of a loop. Did she know what almost happened between Eleanor and me? Could she tell somehow that we almost kissed?

Was I overthinking everything ever since Eleanor’s lips moved in toward mine?

Yes, I’m just overthinking. Shake it off, Grey.

“I think she’s great with the girls. Lorelai is in love with her. Even Karla is getting used to her, which is insane to me. She’s really good for them.”

“Yes, I agree. I think she’s wonderful for the girls, but that’s not what I meant.”

“Oh?”

She leaned in closer and gave me a smirk. “I meant what do you think of her?”

I sat back a little, confused. Then the more I looked at her, the more I realized what she was getting at. The slyness in her smile. The wonderment in her eyes.

Oh, for fuck’s sake, Claire. Knock it off.

I glanced at my watch. Our hour lunch date was up. Thank God. “Oh, will you look at the time? It seems our lunch date is coming to a close.” I scrambled to my feet and tossed some money on the table—probably more than we needed to pay. “I have to get back to the office. Great seeing you again, Claire.”

She snickered, almost pleased by my discomfort. “You, too, Greyson. I’ll see you next week for lunch. And next week, you’re going to actually let me buy you a meal.”

Never.

“And think about an answer for that question!” she hollered, but I ignored her. I definitely wouldn’t be thinking about an answer for that question at all.

And Claire needed to cut back on those corny romance novels she was so obsessed with reading.

One Friday night after the girls went off to their grandparents’ house, I noticed Eleanor sitting in her car, trying to start the engine, and it just wouldn’t turn. We hadn’t really spoken since the almost kiss we shared.

I almost felt like she was going out of her way to avoid me.

“No, no, no,” she moaned as I walked out toward her.

“Ugh! I cannot believe this!” she hollered as she hopped out of the car and started kicking the air before pounding her hand against the hood of the vehicle.

“I don’t think that’s going to fix it,” I commented, making her stand up straight. “Need help?” I asked, making her turn around to face me. When she did, she looked seemingly flustered, almost embarrassed by me catching her in the middle of her breakdown.

“Oh, Greyson, hey. Sorry. My car just isn’t starting and I had plans to go to Laurie Lake tonight since it’s my mom’s birthday. Plus, I’ve been trying to call my father all day to check in on him, but he’s avoiding my calls again. I haven’t heard from him in weeks, actually, and I’m starting to worry. Especially on days like today, because I know how hard they are for him…” She released a heavy sigh. “And obviously that’s too much information for you, but seeing how I’m having emotional breakdown and all...”

“Take one of my cars,” I offered. “Any one you want.”

Her eyes widened and filled with tears. “Really? That’s okay?”

“Of course.”

She rubbed her hands over her eyes and took deep breaths. “Really, really?”

“Yes, of course, as long as it gets you to Laurie Lake.”

Then, she leaped forward and hugged me.

Her arms wrapped around me, and she held on as tight as she could. At first, I stood still, taken aback by the embrace that seemed to come out of nowhere. Then, seconds later, I relaxed into it and held her back. I’d forgotten how good she was at doing that, how good she was at hugging me.

As a kid, her hugs had been one of my favorite things.

When she dropped her hold on me, she stepped back and combed her hair behind her ears. “Sorry. Like I said, I’m emotional today.”

“That’s understandable. I’m pretty sure I’ve had my fair share of emotional days.”

She smiled, yet I saw the sadness that sat behind her grin.

“Would you like me to join you?” I asked. “That way, you wouldn’t have to go alone.”

45

Eleanor

Would you like me to join you?

Greyson’s words kept dancing around my head as I stared his way.

He wasn’t wearing a business suit, which seemed odd. He was dressed in a simple T-shirt and jeans.

Kind of like old Grey.

“Yeah, I’m okay,” I lied, giving him a tight smile.

“Fake grin,” he told me. “I’ll go with you,” he offered once more, giving me those gray eyes that always gave me chills.

“What? Oh gosh, no. I can’t ask you to do that. I’m fine, really.”

“You’re not asking me to do it. I’m offering to join you,” he said, never taking his stare from me.

My heartbeats were untamed, and my gosh, I missed him. I missed Greyson so much. I hadn’t known I missed him to this extreme until I started to see the pieces of him that made up our youth. The parts that showed up for me when I needed him the most.

“All you have to do is say okay,” he told me. “Say okay, and I’ll come.”

I knew I should’ve said no because of what my heart was doing. I knew I should’ve walked away because my stomach was filled with butterflies for a man who wasn’t mine. Yet as my lips parted and I released a sigh, I whispered, “Okay.”

He came with me, just as a friend. As a companion giving me moral support on one of the hard days.

Nothing more, nothing less.

We drove silently to Laurie Lake, because I couldn’t really think of anything to say. Well, other than, “Remember when we almost kissed? What was that about?” Or, “Hey, what would’ve happened if Shay hadn’t walk into the living room exactly at that moment?” Or, “Well, if at first you don’t succeed…try, try again…”