Eleanor & Grey(78)

“But, Daddy,” Lorelai yawned, climbing into Shay’s lap.

“Really, honey, we’re almost there. The next batter is the one who’s been hitting all those balls our way. And I have a good feeling.”

Lorelai groaned, but didn’t put up much more of a fuss.

Then, like magic, Greyson’s player delivered a ball in our direction. Greyson stood up from his seat and it all felt oddly like destiny. Greyson’s eye was on the ball, and as it started to come down, Lorelai tugged on Greyson’s jeans, forcing him to break his concentration for a split second. That was all it took, though. In the amount of time it took for Greyson to glance toward his daughter then back to the sky, his focus was shot. The ball was too close, and it hit him square in the face.

“Ugggh!” he groaned, tumbling backward and dropping the ball.

Everyone gasped.

“Are you okay, Dad?” Karla asked, seeming very concerned.

“Daddy, you missed the ball,” Lorelai mentioned.

“Oh, look! We’re on the jumbo screen! Dance girls!” Shay instructed, and the three of them began wiggling their bodies as I helped Greyson sit up straight.

“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.