“While I appreciate the apology, it doesn’t answer the question. Why, Grant?”
She was backing him into a corner, and now wasn’t the best time, given everything that she was dealing with, to tell Sara the truth. At the same time, he couldn’t bring himself to lie either.
He was tired of lying to everyone, but especially to Sara.
“Does it matter?” he asked. “Right now, let’s focus on getting your sink fixed—”
“No.” She jutted up her chin. “We’re doing this now, Grant. I’m done monkeying around. I don’t have time for it. So, if I’m going to rely on you as my friend, I need to know what’s going on. It matters to me.”
Grant took a deep breath. He’d jumped out of an airplane at thirty thousand feet but telling Sara the truth was more terrifying. Would the landing be hard and rough? Or soft and gentle? There was no way to know.
What Grant did know for certain was that she’d discover the truth about his attraction on her own anyway if they hung out with regularity. At least this way, it happened on his own terms. And he could go in stages. No need to smack her in the face with things all at once.
Grant met her gaze. “I’m attracted to you, Sara.”
She sucked in a sharp breath, her eyes widening. “W-w-what?”
“I have been for a long time. I used to be good at hiding it, but…” He shrugged. “I’m out of practice, and I was afraid you would find out. That's why one minute I’m fine and the next I pull away.”
She sat in stunned silence. A pinprick of hurt needled Grant. It wasn’t fair, given the circumstances, but it was there all the same. Good thing he’d started out slow by merely addressing his attraction. Telling her he’d had feelings for her since sophomore year of high school would’ve been a disaster.
“I’m sorry about the harsh way I spoke to you at my mom’s house,” he continued. “I didn’t want to help with the library program because being around you…it’s wonderful, but it hurts too. And all of it is jumbled up in Jared’s death. But that’s my issue, not yours. I’m the one with the attraction problem, and I’m the one who has to deal with it.”
She let out a breath. “I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t need to say anything.” He rose from the chair. “Can you get some towels for the bathroom floor? I’ll figure out what’s wrong with your sink and then take you back to the library.”
She lifted her gaze. “Grant—”
“It’s okay, Sara. I don’t expect anything from you, and there’s nothing to discuss.” He raked a hand through his hair. “At the very least, we can table it for today.”
She bit her lip and nodded. Rising from the chair, Sara ran her fingers under her eyes to swipe away the tear tracks. “I have some towels upstairs. Be right back.”
He watched her rush out.
Yep. Just as Grant suspected.
It’d been a hard landing.
7 Sara
Sara lifted the coffeemaker out of the shopping cart and placed it in the trunk of her sister’s car. The wind scattered a few leaves across the parking lot and carried the scent of hash browns from a nearby fast-food restaurant.
Rachel gawked at her. “I don’t understand. Grant says he’s attracted to you, and you don’t say anything?”
Sara winced. “I didn’t know how to respond. It caught me off-guard, and then Grant put the brakes on the conversation entirely.”
“You aren’t going to leave things like that, are you?”
“No, I don’t see how we can. It’s a huge elephant in the room between us now.” Sara lifted a few grocery sacks from the cart and placed them in the trunk. “And I feel terrible about the way I left it. Especially since the feeling isn’t one-sided.”
“So you do feel a spark.” Rachel grinned, tossing the last of the groceries into the car. “I knew it!”
“Yeah, yeah, you’re a mind reader. Now, can you use your crystal ball to tell me how I get out of this with my friendship intact?” She slammed the truck closed.
Rachel opened the driver’s side door. “I love you, sis, but you overthink things. Tell Grant how you feel and be done with it.”
Sara pushed the cart into a cart corral and then climbed into the passenger seat. “Won’t telling Grant about my attraction complicate things more than they already are?”
“No. Actually, I think it’s the best-case scenario. Grant’s not staying in Hidden Hollows. There’s nothing wrong with having some fun together while he’s here.”
Sara’s mouth dropped open. “You aren’t suggesting we actually go out? Like on dates?”
“No, just hang out together and flirt.” Rachel sighed. “Listen, Sara, you’ve avoided dating like the plague. This is a great way to get your feet wet with someone you like and have a good time with, but who can’t be your forever.”
She mulled that over for a minute. “Like a trial run.”
“Exactly, but without all the pressure of a relationship. You and Grant both know what the score is right from the beginning.”
Sara sat back against the seat. She blew out a breath. “I don’t know, Rachel. I’m not sure I have it in me. Jared was my high school sweetheart. We dated all throughout college and married right after. I’ve never done the casual, fun, flirty thing.”
“Again, something you can deal with as it comes. Let’s say you can’t. Then just tell Grant when you figure it out. He’s someone who would understand.” She flipped on the blinker. “Grant loved Jared too.”
Sara watched the trees as they whipped by. Her sister was right. Grant understood her heartbreak in a way that few could. “Essentially, you’re saying to be honest.”
“Yes. And stop worrying about things that haven’t happened yet. Cross each bridge as you come to it.”
It was sound advice. Maybe Sara did need to change her perspective. Grant wasn’t going to be
