Page 52 of Hibiscus Heights

Mason looked up. “Can he come back to the hotel so we can get the frisbee? He likes that a lot.”

Deb knew he did, but she couldn’t prolong this interaction. “I’m afraid not.”

Teddy’s face lit up with an idea. “Can we walk Duke for you sometime?”

Before Deb could respond, Mason picked up a piece of driftwood and hurled it down the beach. Duke immediately gave chase, barking joyfully. The boys exchanged a glance, then took off after the dog, leaving Deb and Grant standing alone.

The deliberateness of their actions wasn’t lost on Deb. She whistled for Duke to return, but the boys were all over him now. Although her dog wriggled to break free, he finally succumbed to the fun.

Grant chuckled. “They’re not subtle, are they?”

His laugh triggered another cascade of memories in her. “About as subtle as a tsunami.”

“I’m sorry about their efforts.”

“It’s kind of sweet.” Deb ran her hands over her hair, tucking windblown strands under her bandana headband. As she did, she caught his gaze lingering on her legs.

Grant turned to her. “Look, I know things are awkward between us. Would you have dinner with me tomorrow? Just the two of us, so we can put the past to rest and act normally.”

The directness of his question caught her off guard. “Why do you think we need to do that?”

“I’d like for us to start over.” His voice had dropped a note and sounded more intimate.

“What do you mean by that?”

When he reached for her hand, the unexpected contact sent a jolt through her.

His eyes were bright with emotion. “Something is drawing us all together. You, me, the boys. I can’t be the only one who feels it.”

Grant’s hand blazed in hers, sending her heart racing as if she was still running.

“Tell me you don’t feel anything, and I’ll back off.”

“Grant, I…” Suddenly, her throat closed, and she couldn’t get words out.

“Have dinner with me. No pressure, no expectations. Just old friends. My mother has bought a beach house here, so we’re staying for the rest of the summer. Don’t make it awkward, at least not for the boys.”

His request was reasonable. “Nothing fancy.”

Grant’s smile was immediate. “I would have suggested dinner at the Majestic, but with my family there, it might get crowded.”

“Cuppa Jo’s will be better,” Deb said.

Before they could confirm a time, a shriek rang out from down the beach. They whipped around to see Teddy on the ground, crying and holding his foot. Duke was licking his face.

“Oh, my gosh,” Grant cried. He dropped Deb’s hand and sprinted toward his son.

Deb raced right beside him.

Grant skidded to a stop beside Teddy, who clutched his foot, rocking with pain. Tears streamed down his face, and blood seeped from beneath his fingers.

Mason looked up, his eyes grave with concern. “He slipped on the wet rocks.”

“Let me see, little guy.” Grant moved Teddy’s hands away. An open cut sliced across the boy’s heel.

Deb leaned in to inspect the injury. “That might need stitches. We need to stop the bleeding.”

Quickly, she untied her bandana and wrapped it around Teddy’s heel to cover the wound and stem the flow of blood.

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