Page 22 of A Mistletoe Mix Up
I stop in my tracks, Jet tugging on the leash. I press my hands down onto my knees, hunched over, trying to catch my breath.
Is that what I really want? More?
I scoff at myself.
What? Like her to be my girlfriend?
More images flit through my mind, this time ones that aren’t memories. Tandy and Grayson. Me holding her hand, her snuggled into my side as we watch a movie, us sharing more kisses. Building a life together.
A lick on my hand snaps me back to reality. Jet sits at my feet, tail wagging slowly.
I pat his head. “Let’s go home.”
A run clearly isn’t working. If anything, it’s making it worse. I jog up the front steps and unlock the door to see Gramps making coffee.
“There you are. You were up early. Everything okay?”
“Yeah, I, uh, couldn’t sleep,” I say, trying to sound nonchalant, but it’s not coming out quite right.
He peers at me over the rim of his glasses. “Got a lot on your mind, kiddo?”
“You could say that.” I sigh, pouring myself a cup of coffee.
“Need a sounding board?” he asks, sitting at the table. “I’m a good listener.”
“Sure.” I sit down across from him, and Jet lies down next to me. I sit silently, trying to wrap my own head around my thoughts.
“Are you going to tell me or do I need to resort to guessing?” Gramps teases, but there’s a calm seriousness in his eyes.
I chuckle weakly. “I just feel like I’m in over my head. My whole world feels like it got flipped upside down, and I don’t know how to flip it back.”
He studies me for a moment. “Maybe you aren’t supposed to go back. To grow, one needs to leave one’s comfort zone.”
“You sound like a fortune cookie.”
He chuckles. “Even a fortune cookie can be right from time to time.”
“Everything’s just so complicated.”
He leans back in his chair. “Complicated how?”
“For starters, my meeting with the captain. First, I was thrilled when he told me my evaluation results were exceptional. That I’ve built rapport with the guys and handle myself well on the job. But he said I’ve learned everything I can here; that there’s more growth for me elsewhere—better career advancement, and he’d even write me a letter of recommendation. Immediately, I was overwhelmed, and everything else he said was a blur. All I could think about was what I’d leave behind.”
Gramps listens, his eyes never leaving me.
“I like being a small-town guy. I like being near you. And I…”
Grandpa takes a sip of coffee, then raises his eyebrow, waiting for me to finish the sentence.
I smile, thinking about yesterday in the bookstore. I wasn’t going to kiss her. I didn’t want to cross that line, at least not with the mixed unnamed feelings I’ve had the past few days. But then, she kissed me.
The moment her lips touched mine, I was stunned. Stunned by the softness of her lips, the sweet taste, and the way my heart pounded against my chest. Those unnamed feelings were sparks, and when she kissed me, those sparks turned into a full-blown fireworks display.
Gramps has that knowing look in his eyes again, with a smirk playing on his lips.
I sigh and lower my voice. “And Tandy. I mean, we’re friends. Best friends. But lately…” I run a hand through my hair. “I’ve been seeing her differently. And I don’t know what to do about it.”
“You tell her how you feel.”
