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It had been a week since his Kenny Rogers Friday night dance party with Jena.
Saturday, they’d had their bagel breakfast. He’d felt brushed off, but he’d decided to persist. He liked Jena, and nothing about what she’d said had convinced him she didn’t feel the same. There was a connection, an attraction, between them.
So, he’d talked to Mrs. G again, and to Jena’s uncle, and whoever else he could, not asking questions outright, but he’d come away with useful information all the same.
Saturday afternoon, he’d run into her at Careys’ General Store, where Mrs. G said she went every Saturday afternoon. They’d talked while shopping, and she’d let him help carry her purchases home. But only to the bottom door to her apartment building.
Sunday, they’d met at church, and walked together to her uncle’s for Sunday supper. They’d talked Star Trek on the way over, and he’d gotten to see her with her family at the meal, observing how she teased them and listened to them. He and Jena had watched a movie with her teen cousin, Clara, while Tim and his wife had taken an afternoon stroll together. Then Jena had left, citing a phone appointment with her family in Arizona.
Monday, he’d tried to catch Jena at Gallagher’s—Mrs. G said she came there every Monday night for a latte and dessert—but she hadn’t been there. He’d called her cell, but she hadn’t answered.
Tuesday, he’d met with Luke and Tim and accepted their bid for the renovation project. Jena called him back but she hadn’t had time to talk.
Wednesday, Mrs. G made him come for a walk, and they’d “happened” to run into Jena outside of Dolly’s bookshop, where Jena had been working on last-minute lighting for the soon-to-open shop. Mrs. G invited her to dinner, but Jena said she had more work to get to. Grant admired her work ethic.
Thursday, he admired her for her caring, too, when he went to the county animal shelter to look at adoptable dogs and found Jena there volunteering. Together, they’d played with some of the dogs. He wasn’t ready to adopt, but they’d had fun, and Jena had agreed to meet him today, finally having a break of sorts in her schedule.
So, here he was on Friday, with her as she finished some preliminary work on the renovation. As they finished some work. Together, they’d put on some music and, earlier in the day, helped Luke and Tim do some reconstruction work, carefully taking apart cabinets and woodwork, tossing what couldn’t be salvaged, preparing other piles for recycling and repurposing, and meeting with his architect on the project.
Now, she’d safely capped some wiring, after having torn out others, getting ready to update the system next week. The wood floors were awaiting sanding and refinishing, the floor plan more open than it had been, and the kitchen and bath were ready for complete re-dos. Empty spaces to be filled in with new and old mixed together in a fresh combination.
As he hoped this space, this openness, between him and Jena could be filled in with memories they’d had and would create.
Luke and Tim had left, and Grant waited for her in the now-empty hall. He liked her even more than he had a week ago, but he wasn’t sure how she felt. Her teasing made him believe she liked him, and her making time for him shored that belief.
“Okay,” she said, joining him as she hefted her duffle. She’d already taken off her coveralls and work gloves, and brushed out her hair.
His core surged with heat. He reined himself in by taking a deep breath. “Can I take that for you?” he asked, motioning to her bag.
She nodded. “I’m tired.”
He also liked that she told him the truth about how she felt, even if so far it was about mundane topics. It was a start.
They walked out into the chilly evening. She opened her truck and he set her bag inside. “So, see you at Gallagher’s?”
“I’m hoping you’ll be up for a surprise instead. I’ve brought Gallagher’s to you.”
She closed the car door with a metallic thump which echoed the dull beat of his heart at her unreadable silent response. She checked her phone then glanced into the darkening sky. The streaks of orange and blue soothed him in his wait.
“You’ve got me for the next two hours.” She slid her phone into the pocket of her jeans.
His chest warmed. “Right this way,” he said. He came close to touching her lower back as they walked. The almost-contact made him forget the chill and settle into this time with her. He knew she had tasks she could be doing, marks to check off on her list, and his chest expanded that she made this time for him, for them.
Their footsteps crunched over fallen leaves, evidence of the waning of the year. But this was a new beginning as well, he hoped. A time to plant seeds that would bloom come spring.
Across the yard, where he planned to have an extensive garden, lay the old barn. Light shone from its open doors.
Jena slowed. “So, what are you planning...I mean...” She let out a breath.
He touched her fingers. She turned to him. They just stood a moment, letting the light breeze float over them, the sounds of crickets and chirps and rustles whirling.
“I’m planning a garden.” He swept his hand around. “Sometimes planning is needed. If you want certain things to grow, you’ve got to make the space for them and plant the right seeds.”
Her lips upturned. She leaned over and kissed his cheek, a repeat performance of last Friday night. He grinned and grasped her hand.
She tugged him forward. “What’s this surprise?”
They strode into the barn. Lights had been strung on one side, and a table laid with a cloth and dinner. On the other side, a screen hung in front of his truck, which he’d driven in earlier.
“Dinner and a drive-in movie.”
She laughed. “Okay.” With a three-sixty turn, she seemed to take in the space with a quirk of her lips. “This also took planning.” She squeezed his hand. “And I’m ready to be spontaneous.”
He led her to the table and held her chair. They sat and ate the dinner Mrs. G had sent over, a vegetarian bean soup and fresh challah bread, with a carafe of coffee.
“I like how you respected my time this week, Grant. I like you.”
His grin felt permanent. “I like you, too.”
“I can tell.” She nodded and glanced around. Setting down her napkin, her expression turned serious. “I just...this all feels...really romantic. And I don’t know if I’m ready for that. How I feel around you, it’s a lot.”
“Yeah?” he asked with a waggle of his brows. He noticed she liked to use humor to keep away from conflict, and he could do that too. Teasing wasn’t always hurtful. He liked Jena’s gentle ribbing.
She shook her head, but her sly expression said it was in a he’s cute way. “Yeah.” She grasped his hand across the small table. “When I feel this connected to people, it can lead to...drama. I’m getting better about that, and I don’t want that with you.”
Her willingness to get this vulnerable made him as soft as the insides of the marshmallow candies he had stashed in his truck. “I believe we can complement each other. We’re just at the beginning. If you want to take it slowly, we can.”
“Slow and steady...”
“Wins. Gotcha. I just want to be in it with you.”
She worried at her lip for a moment. “Can we start by enjoying the night? I’m too tired to make big decisions.”
“Of course. Your enjoyment awaits,” he said, standing and holding her chair.
She grasped his hand again and they strolled to the truck.
***
JENA COULDN’T QUITE believe all this. Grant had planned all this, for her, for them. Wait until she told John about it. He’d go gaga for the grand gesture. She’d find time to call him tomorrow, or maybe even tonight, off schedule. He’d be proud. Alice would be too, that Jena’d had fun.
Grant helped her up into his truck bed, which was filled with pillows and bean bag chairs and blankets. There were bowls of snacks, too, including her favorite chocolate-covered marshmallows and candy-coated chocolates.
“Have you been talking to people about me,” she asked as she settled into one of the seats.
Grant plopped next to her. “You’ve come up in conversation. I hope you don’t feel I violated your privacy.”
His earnest expression made her ease return. “I may have spoken to some people about you, too. In passing.”
He mirrored her expression and leaned into the seat next to hers. They were so close now she could smell his sprucy, spicy scent. She held his hand. “What movie are we watching?”
“Star Trek: First Contact.”
“My favorite. At least of the next gen.”
“I remember.”
She glanced at him. Right, she’d mentioned it on their way to Uncle Tim’s on Sunday. She squeezed his hand again.
“Ready?” he asked.
“Yes.”
And she was, ready to sit with him and enjoy this night that he’d planned, an experience for them both. Maybe even, as he’d said, a beginning.
The party in her stomach got louder, and she just smiled. With Grant, she could begin to explore a new frontier.