Page 60 of Bidding on a Second Chance
Allowing a sliver of space, he brushed her cheek again. “I love you too.”
“Aside from Jesus, you’re the best thing to ever happen to me, Graham Lockhart.”
He managed to squelch his grin long enough to brush another kiss across those lips. As they parted again, he took her hand. “What if you and Bryce came with me over Christmas?”
“Let’s see …” She pressed her lips together in thought, her expression so cute, he almost interrupted with another kiss. “We’d have to scramble to get ready, but I bet Lucy would watch Teddy. We’d have to postpone our plans with my grandparents, but I think they’d understand. Although they and your family would probably assume we were very serious about each other.”
“And what if we are?”
This time, she tightened her arms around his neck, pulling him down as she went up on tiptoes to press a quick peck to his lips. “Sounds like the best-case scenario.”
Epilogue
What if it was too soon?
Piper’s what-if questions had lost most of their bluster, but this one got her heart going.
Graham laid his hand over hers where it rested in the crook of his elbow. Though he didn’t voice a question, his glance conveyed concern.
The hostess had moved ahead of them into the dining room of Ridgeline Grill, but worried mess she was, Piper had failed to follow. With a sheepish smile, she quick-stepped to catch back up. Graham squeezed her hand in reassurance as they threaded into the maze of tables.
Off to the right, near the door to the kitchen, sat Jason Keen. A few months ago, when she’d had her untimely run-in with a pickup truck, Jason had been the one to drive her to the doctor. Tonight, he sat with his arm around his wife, Cassie, discussing what looked to be serious matters with Cassie’s brothers. Made sense, what with them all in business together as the owners of this restaurant and the ranch it sat on. But the part that stood out to her and spoke to her what-if question was the sweet way Jason paid attention when his wife spoke.
By all accounts, Jason and Cassie had gotten married quickly. Maybe even—according to some people—too quickly.
And closer to her own table, Mav and Bella Knight dined. Again, not people Piper knew well personally, but their marriage had been through the wringer too, and look at both couples now. Happy. Committed.
So, what if it was too soon to propose to Graham? If he did say yes, even prematurely, the Lord could still work things out.
Besides, maybe she and Graham had only reconnected a couple of months ago, but they’d dated a year in the past. She knew him, and he knew her. And he’d already said he was all in.
The hostess started to pull out her chair for her, but Graham took over. He squeezed her shoulder before taking the seat across the small table from her. As he got situated, his gaze roamed their surroundings. Not unusual for him. First, this place was packed with memories, not all of them good. Second, as a police officer, he cataloged more details than she’d ever notice.
Ridgeline Grill wasn’t formal, but it was one of the nicer restaurants in Redemption Ridge. Exposed beams and antler chandeliers dressed down the creamy linen tablecloths. The dress code, if you could call it that, varied from casual to semi-dressy, sometimes even among those sharing a table.
For example, Bethany Shepherd, who owned the local bookstore, wore jeans and a slouchy cardigan. With her sat Margie Buchannan. The real estate agent wore sharp black pants and a jewel-tone blazer. Nearby, lawyer Ruby Thompson had dressed to kill, trading her usual professional attire for an elegant red dress. Her husband, Levi, had made an effort by choosing a black button-down, but he hadn’t upgraded his jeans and cowboy boots. Not that Ruby seemed to mind—she only had eyes for her man.
Speaking of … Piper refocused.
The blue-gray of Graham’s sweater brought out his eyes. He pushed up his sleeves as he finished his scan of the room and lifted his menu. He must’ve thought he’d cleared the dining room of threats, but he apparently hadn’t thought to read much into his date.
Her face burned as she considered the surprise she was planning. She lifted her own menu, but another what-if crashed into her concentration. What if this was the wrong place for a proposal because of the past?
This was their second time back to Ridgeline Grill together since his failed proposal. She eyed the table where it’d happened, currently occupied by famous best friends Clint Taylor and Nora St. James. Instead of sitting across from each other as most of the couples in the room had, the friends sat on adjacent sides of the small, square table, heads tipped together as Clint animatedly recounted some story that had Nora laughing.
Piper and Graham could have a similarly nice time if she dropped this idea of proposing. He’d never know the difference. Eventually, he’d get around to it himself.
Or she could propose somewhere else. But he’d taken her here for their first date. She figured that was why he’d proposed here. The failed proposal had made their first visit back a little awkward at first, but by the end of the meal, they’d been talking and laughing like old times.
“What are you getting?” Graham asked.
She scanned the menu without reading a word. She fell back on what she’d ordered when they’d come here on New Year’s Day, three weeks ago. “The petite filet mignon.”
“Not going to mess with success, huh?” He tapped his finger against his menu. “I think you should branch out.”
She hoisted a coy smile. “Want me to pick something more expensive?”
“I want to make sure you’ve considered all your options, and I can tell you haven’t even read your menu.”
