You Smiled (6 page)

Grace stood for a moment, taking in his words. She finally exhaled and began to relax. Was he for real? She took a tentative step in his direction. “I’m pretty sure you’re crazy, but for some reason I think I believe you.”

He smiled his half smile and walked slowly toward her. “That’s a start, I guess.” He stopped a few feet away, letting her decide whether to reclaim the closeness they’d shared earlier. She looked into his eyes, really wanting to believe him.

“I guess you don’t really look like the rakish type.”

He slanted a glance at her. “Thank you?”

She smiled. “That
is
a compliment.”

He reached for her hand. “And how would I look if I was the
rakish type?”

She regarded him. “I’m not sure. It’s in the eyes, I think. And, of course, how you talk.” She tucked her hair behind her ear. “I’m starting to feel pretty silly.”

He squeezed her hand. “Don’t. You’re smart. There’s nothing wrong with being careful.”

She tightened her own grip. “Thanks.”

They stood for a moment on the beach, recalibrating. Grace couldn’t believe the trip her nerves had just taken her on. Maybe she just wasn’t built for the relationship thing. She shivered.

“Cold? We can head back.”
He took a step toward town.

“Wait.”

He turned to face her. The wind ruffled his hair and Grace caught her breath as he gave her his full attention. She tilted her head and contemplated his lips. Was he really as innocent as he claimed? What would it be like to kiss someone like that? Like him? The possibility made her a little weak in the knees. She hadn’t felt that feeling in a long time; it was a little exciting and a lot unsettling. She wasn’t sure she should try to walk.

He took a step closer. “You should know something.”

“What’s that?”

“When you tilt your head like that,” he tilted his own, “it makes me a little crazy.”

“Crazy?”

“Yeah, not weird-crazy, you know, just distracted-crazy.”

“Oh, please,” she pushed him half-heartedly.

He grabbed the hand that pushed him. “I’m hungry. Let’s go find some supper.”

***

Theo’s was open late on Fridays, so they brushed off as much sand as they could and entered the small restaurant and ordered some sandwiches. Seated a few minutes later with chicken salad on rye, they both dug in, not realizing how hungry the fresh air and exercise had made them. Grace lost steam halfway into her sandwich and finally leaned back and regarded her sort-of date. She sipped her iced tea slowly.

“So, now will you tell me how you found me after all these years?”

Alex smiled as he finished chewing. He’d finished his whole sandwich and both of their bags of chips. Hungry boy.

“Okay.” He sipped his drink and collected his thoughts. “Ever since … well, I wanted to thank you - to let you know how much it meant. By the end of the school year, I’d almost worked up the nerve to talk to you, but never quite found the opportunity. I was still pretty much in awe of you.”

Grace smiled and shook her head.

He grinned. “And you were usually with Jim. That was intimidating, too.”

Talk about sucking the magic out of a moment.

“Anyway, I went back to Indiana after graduation - then to college - and that year in Connecticut began to fade in my mind. But never the memory of your smile. That stayed with me - even motivated me.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I’d try to remember to smile at people, made it a point to be positive. It’s amazing how people respond.”

Grace contemplated this. She doubted that her employees or customers thought of her as a smiling person. This morning had kind of driven that home.

“So I’d think about you from time to time and wonder how you were doing. I finally worked up the courage to call your house when I was back visiting my mom.”

“You did?”

“Yeah. About five years ago. You were out looking for wedding dresses.”

“Ouch.” Grace crumbled a little inside. What might have happened if she’d been home when he called?

“Well, that kind of put the breaks on my good intentions of thanking you. You were busy planning a new life. I figured I should leave you alone.”

Grace sipped her drink. What could she say?

“About a year ago I decided to try again. I figured, married or not, you should know what you’d done for me. I’d made a deal with myself that, one way or another, I would thank you by our tenth reunion, not that I would likely go, but it gave me a time limit.”

“Do we even have a reunion this year?”
             

He chuckled. “I don’t know. Haven’t heard anything.”

“Oh well, please go on.”

“So, I looked you up on the internet. You were still in Connecticut at the time. I sat on that information for a while, and by the time I resolved to get in touch, you had moved to Maine.”

“So, why didn’t you just call?”

“I was going to.” He shook his head. “I can’t explain it. I just had to see you. I didn’t know for sure that you were divorced; just that you ran a coffee shop in Clairmont.”

She smiled. “So you just walked into the shop last Monday, with no idea what or who you’d find. Pretty brave.”

“I’d say. I stepped in the door and felt like I was in high school again. I’m surprised I could put two words together.”

“Well, you didn’t act nervous. You made quite an impression on my staff.”

He grinned. “Still don’t get that.”

She considered him doubtfully. “That’s not possible. How can you not …” She stood with a sigh. “Never mind.”

Alex slid out of the booth to join her. “Can I walk you home?”

“I’d like that.”

***

The stars were clear and bright as they walked. The Big Dipper seemed to balance on the line of treetops, a sparkling beacon directing them back to her apartment. The air was cool and Alex helped Grace slip into her coat, leaving his arm draped around her shoulder as they strolled through town. She leaned into him a little, enjoying his solidness and warmth.

Entering the alley by her apartment, Alex slowed as they neared her steps, and Grace figured that he was making a point of not pushing for an invitation. It pretty much had the opposite effect, making her
absurdly determined to invite him in.

His arm dropped from around her shoulder, and he took her hands. “Thanks for spending the day with me. I had a great time.”

“Me too,” she responded. “Thanks for the sandwich. You didn’t have to buy supper.”
Nice. Talk about the food.

He smiled. “My pleasure.” He twined his fingers through hers. “What’s your schedule like tomorrow?”

Wide open - you name it. Maybe I’ll sell my shop?
“Well, Saturday is a little less predictable. I don’t often take a break.”
I will, of course, naturally; maybe just this once.             

“You need to, you know. Gotta take care of yourself.”

“I know, I know. Easier said than done.”

“Very true.”

She looked up at him, trying not to focus on his mouth. “Why don’t you stop by in the mid-afternoon, again? I’ll see if I can break away.”
Let them try and stop me.

“Sounds good.” He rubbed the tops of her thumbs with his.

Grace slowly exhaled.

“I’d like to kiss you good night.”
             

Her gaze jumped to his. Somehow it was less a statement of yearning, and more the beginning of a disclaimer. She swallowed her disappointment, reminding herself that she wasn’t in junior high. “But…”

He touched her chin. “But when I kiss you, I want to know whether it’s a beginning or an end.”

Grace sighed and took a step back, her foot connecting with the first of the stairs. She decided to step up instead of trip.

“If it’s an end, then I’ll have to figure out how to stop. If it’s a beginning,” he filled in the gap she’d left, “I may not.”

“Oh.” The profound response escaped before she could stop it.

“Either way, we’ll need an escape plan,” he finished in a light voice that belied the intensity in his eyes.

“Right, well…” She cleared her throat while she contemplated not stopping kissing Alex. “Who says we have to kiss? It’s not such a big deal.” She
of the vast kissing experience endeavored a flippant reply.

“Oh, I don’t know,” he replied, searching her face slowly. “I’ve waited a long time to kiss you - wasn’t sure I’d ever have the chance.” He let his gaze linger on her lips. “I’d say it’s a pretty big deal.”

Grace dragged her gaze away and tried to breathe. She had to leave this conversation intact. She would not swoon, or give in to the present-day equivalent.

Apparently the impulse to escape was stronger than she realized. She started to back up, again forgetting the steps. This time she did trip, falling right into his arms. Since they were already eye to eye, their first point of contact was their noses, then their lips for a brief and unromantic swipe as Alex focused on righting her before she hit the ground.

“That didn’t count, did it?” For all that she’d just tripped and fallen on top of him, her first concern was evidently the length of their first kiss and what that might mean.

Alex laughed, his hands on her arms. “I don’t think so.”

Grace nodded, the full import of her fall and rash statement sinking in. Could she be more obvious? She dared to look up at him, and her breath caught at the look in his eyes. He brought his hands to her face.

Grasping his hands, she gave them a squeeze, then turned and scrambled up the steps. This time she managed without falling.

She got to the top, unlocked her door, and at the last minute, looked back down. Alex stood there grinning, his hands in his pockets - a gesture that was becoming increasingly endearing.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Grace.” He gave her a little salute and turned to walk away. She let herself into her apartment and promptly threw herself onto the couch with a happy groan.

What is happening to me?

A ringing phone interrupted the happy fantasy she was about to engage in. She groaned again and reached into her pocket. She stared at the screen in a mixture of relief and disbelief. Her brother was calling.

Saturday

Alex regretted it the moment he walked into the coffee shop Saturday morning. He hadn’t planned on stopping in early, but the smell of roasting beans had beckoned to him as he passed on his way back from his morning jog on the beach. Of course, his route usually took him nowhere near Caf-fiend, but it was Saturday, and his Clairmont jogging days were numbered.
Why not stop in?

Why not was abundantly clear when he set foot inside the shop. It was more crowded than he’d ever seen it, which, of course, was great for Grace. It was just that the ratio of women to men was nothing short of alarming. In fact, he was hard-pressed to see another male among the dozens of women present. Under the circumstances, he’d even welcome the sight of Drew, but there were only females on either side of the counter.

Not one to know what to do with the attention of the opposite sex, much less enjoy it, Alex back-pedaled to see if he could escape the shop unnoticed.

It was not to be.

“Hey, Alex!” Jen called out from behind the counter.

A dozen women turned to stare and he inwardly cringed at the sweaty impression he was making on this ridiculously lop-sided group of people. Where were the men in town?

He tried not to focus on the sea of faces regarding him as he edged back toward the door. “I’ll come back later,” he called back.

“Hold on, I want you to try something.” She waved him over.

Apologizing to the women in the line in front of him, he reluctantly made his way to the counter, hoping to keep the interaction brief.

“We were just talking about you.” Jen greeted him with a hearty smile and pushed a cup across the counter. “Here, try this.”

Alex was mortified on all fronts. He didn’t want special treatment or free coffee, and he really didn’t want to think about why they were talking about him. “I’ll wait in line with everyone else,” he said quietly. “Or I’ll just come back later.”

“You have to try that first,” Jen insisted, watching him intently as he finally lifted the cup. Instead of being irritated, the women around him seemed abnormally interested in his reaction to the coffee. The other baristas had also stopped to gauge his reaction.

Alex decided to get the debacle over with as quickly as possible. He tasted the coffee, swallowing it with an effort. Was it a trick? It tasted thick and acidic and nasty. What could he possibly say?

He cleared his throat. “Not my favorite,” he acknowledged, trying to be diplomatic as he pushed the cup back across the counter.

Jen watched him keenly. “Okay, not your favorite, but do you like it at all?”

He simply couldn’t lie. “It has the consistency of motor oil, and  probably tastes worse.”

The crowd hushed at his answer, and Jen looked at him wide-eyed. Then her face broke into a huge grin. “I told you!” Her eyes sparkled as she addressed her fellow employees. “He’s right. It tastes like swill.”

Swill?
Fairly certain he’d never used that word in his life, Alex sighed and turned away from the counter. The women around him continued to regard him with interest, but he focused on marking his path to the door. He was almost there when Daphne walked through.

“Oh, hi Alex.”

“Daphne.”

She took in the crowd with a smile. “So, are you helping to plan one of the Christmas bazaars in town?”

So that’s what was happening. His business instinct applauded whomever encouraged the women to have their meeting at the shop. His personal instinct was still trying to propel his smelly self out the door.

“Pretty much just trying to escape.”

She laughed, taking in his running clothes. “Definitely more casual today, but nobody here is complaining.” She smiled at a woman behind him. “Want me to get Grace for you? She’s probably in the office.”

Alex finally gave up on breaking free. “I’ll just head back with you, if that’s okay.”

Daphne grinned. “Sure. Come on back.”

“I didn’t think it would be so crowded,” Alex said as they navigated through the tables. “I just thought I’d grab a quick cup of coffee, not …” he paused, uncertain how to finish.

Daphne laughed. “Not be so overwhelmingly outnumbered?” She opened the door to the office and peeked in.

“Looks like she’s on the phone. Wait here and I’ll get you a cup of coffee.”

“I’m good,” Alex assured her as she made her way behind the counter.

“You sure?” she asked, grabbing an apron and tying it on. One of the other baristas called to her, and Alex was happy not to have to make his refusal any more emphatic.

The back of the store was less crowded, so he sat down in one of the booths to wait for Grace. With a little more room to think, he evaluated the space. The women at the front of the store had begun to settle in small groups, pushing tables together where necessary to accommodate their meeting. One woman stood by the front door and addressed the group. Alex tuned out the specifics but considered how voices carried as the meeting began, acknowledging that the acoustics in the old building weren’t bad for the purpose.

He took in the rear third of the room, considering how Grace might lure the male population of the town into her store. He guessed that they were less likely to go for the diverse coffee drinks, but acknowledged that he could be wrong. Just because his tastes ran simpler, didn’t mean the men of Clairmont didn’t enjoy the variety. Still, in the week that he’d been visiting the shop, the male customer base was definitely lacking. He wondered if Grace had done any sort of statistical analysis of her customers since she’d opened shop.

“Excuse me. Can I join you for a minute?”

Alex looked up to see a very striking blonde woman addressing him. He hadn’t noticed her when he walked in, but then, he’d made a concerted effort not to make eye contact with anyone.

“Certainly.” He half stood as she settled down across from him.             

“Oh, don’t get up. I’ll just be a minute.” She relaxed into her seat in a way that suggested that she wasn’t in a rush.

Alex, his mind still in work mode, found it easier than usual to offer her a professional smile. Words, however, were not forthcoming.

That was okay, because his new friend had plenty of them.

“I’m Becky. Hi.” She extended a graceful hand.

“Alex,” he replied, shaking it.

“Hi Alex.” She smiled a breathtaking smile. “So, the women over there, and there, and there,” she pointed, “were all wondering … well, they want to know who you are.”

Alex raised an eyebrow.

“I was elected to come over and find out.”

This
is
a small town.
“You’re part of the church Christmas bazaar planning committee?”

“Christmas bazaar? No. Is that what they’re doing here?” Becky looked around the room and then back at Alex. “I’m just picking up coffee.”

Alex smiled. “But somehow you knew that all those women want to know who I am?”

“Well, it’s not like I took a poll.” Becky smiled her winning smile, again. “But it was pretty much a no-brainer that they want to know who the only man in the place is, especially when he’s a good-looking man whom no one recognizes.”

She leaned forward expectantly.

“Hey Becky.”

Alex knew the voice immediately, though it lacked the warmth he’d become accustomed to.
His new friend waved over his shoulder.

“Grace! Come help me unravel this mystery.”

Alex felt her presence behind him. He turned. “Morning, Grace.”

She looked tired. She didn’t look particularly happy. Alex got to his feet, and she looked less happy at the prospect of looking up at him.

“No. Please sit down. I can’t stop and talk right now.”

“You know him?” Becky sounded delighted with the discovery. “I was sent to find out who the mysterious runner was.”

Grace took in Alex’s T-shirt and running shorts, her eyes quickly returning to his. “Yes, I met Alex on Monday.”

He didn’t feel particularly embraced by the comment. He wondered what had happened in the last twelve hours.

“We’re high school friends,” he amended, keeping his eyes on her face. “We were getting reacquainted this week.”

“Oh, how sweet,” Becky replied. “The ladies will be delighted.”

Alex glanced at her and then back at Grace. He really wanted to get her alone and find out what was wrong.

“Please, don’t make a big deal about it,” Grace looked pointedly at Becky. “Did you pick up your coffee?”

“Jen’s looking into it for me,” Becky replied cheerfully. “Say, do you have a minute to talk about your, ah, you know.” She gestured
at Alex,  questioning.

“He knows,” Grace assured her, concern for her brother now winning out over her earlier irritation. “What’s up? Is he okay?”

Alex decided to sit down while the women talked. He made room in the booth for Grace, but she remained standing.

“I wouldn’t really know,” Becky replied. “I haven’t seen him except for one little … altercation. He’s not a super friendly guy, is he?”

“Not particularly,” Grace conceded. She winced a little. “Was he rude to you?”

Becky flipped her blonde hair over her shoulder. “Yes. And I generally don’t bring out the rude in men.” She glanced at Alex with a smile. “Anyway, I tried to talk to him about his bill,” she paused. “Is his name really ‘Tank’?”

Alex raised a brow as Grace allowed a small smile to surface. “That’s what we’ve always called him.”

“Right, but what’s his real name?”

“He’ll tell you when he’s ready. If he’s ready.”

“Well, he wasn’t very forthcoming with billing information. He’s good for it, right? I mean, he played professional football; I’m assuming he’s got money somewhere.”

“Oh, he’s good for it, I promise,” Grace assured her. “I’ll make sure it gets sorted out.”

Becky smiled. “Thanks. I hate to bother you, but you did tell me to check in and let you know how it was going.”

“Absolutely. I thought I’d have heard from you before now.”

“Well, there was nothing to report. He never comes out of his room. It’s just getting to the point where the other guests are wondering what’s going on.”

“Oh no, really?”

“Well, maybe not the other guests so much as Burt. It’s kind of freaking him out, not knowing who’s in that room.”

Alex looked between the two of them. “Who’s Burt?”

“Maddy’s dog,” they both replied.

Alex didn’t know whether to nod or shake his head. He hadn’t come into the shop this morning planning to discuss the emotional state of Grace’s friend’s sister’s dog. Neither had he planned to be the only man in a room full of women, uncharacteristically unshowered, in public, after a workout. The day was turning out to be full of surprises. Judging by Grace’s demeanor, the surprises might not be over.

Becky continued. “He’s usually friendly and pretty easy going, but you can tell this has him worked up.”

The dog or the brother?
Alex shook his head.

Grace nodded as though this was all the motivation she needed to confront her sibling. “I’m planning to stop out there this afternoon,” she replied. “I’d be happy to bring the coffee then, if you’d like. I was going to call you earlier to offer, but it’s been a busy morning.”

Becky stood. “I don’t mind waiting.” She picked up her purse and smiled at Alex. “It was nice meeting you.”

“Nice to meet you, too.”

“Let me know how it goes with
Tank,
” Becky said to Grace.

“I will. Thanks for, you know, taking care of him out there.”

Becky shrugged. “Well, he’s an interesting problem, anyway. The other guests are all behaving, but they’re a little boring.” She grinned wickedly. “I’m going to find out his name - give me a week.” She tossed her bag over her shoulder and walked over to a group of women at one of the tables.