been able to tell Bradley wasn’t the right person for her, but she sure as hell knew Grant was.
* * * *
For the second time since he’d started back to Taverna Fiora from Harper’s house, Grant considered pulling over. The snow swirled relentlessly in front of him, almost obliterating the roads which hadn’t yet been plowed. He’d already seen one car careen through an intersection, and he had no desire to end up in a snow bank, so he slowed down to a crawl. He worried about where she might be in this weather and hoped she’d gone to her friend’s house. He’d just have to call her as soon as he got off the road, but he hadn’t yet decided what to say to her other than just to beg her to see him again, regardless of what anyone in Spring River Valley or anywhere else thought about them being together.
He considered stopping just to call Elaine and tell her to lock up the lobby and go home, but technically he was only five minutes away from the restaurant , so he was probably safer going there and staying in the office for the night. There was plenty of food in the kitchen, hot coffee always ready, and he could sleep in the bridal suite if he needed to, though it wouldn’t be any fun to lie on that comfy couch alone.
He slammed on the brakes without thinking about it as a pair of headlights drifted into his lane from the other side of the road. His momentary lapse into thoughts about Harper had taken his attention away from the treacherous conditions for a split second during which another driver had hit a slippery patch and slid across the double yellow line.
Grant’s car spun halfway around, fishtailing into a snow bank with a dull thud. At least he’d avoided hitting the other car which halted in the middle of the road.
After a deep breath, he flung his door open and stepped out into the storm to see if the other driver was all right.
Bundled in his jacket with the hood up, yet still shivering, he crossed the street and tapped on the frosty driver’s side window of the other car. The icy pane rolled down a few inches and a red nose and a familiar pair of sky blue eyes appeared.
“Harper? Oh my god, are you all right?”
“Grant? What are you doing out here in this weather?”
He laughed, thrilled to see her, thrilled she was all right , and desperate to climb into the warmth of her car with her. “Looking for you. What are you doing out?”
She ducked her head and made a sound that could have been a laugh or a sob. “I was trying to find you to apologize for being such a ninny the other night.”
Grant leaned on the frame of the car as she rolled the window down the rest of the way. “You don’t have to apologize for being a ninny. I happen to love ninnies.”
She squinted at him. “Are you saying I’m a ninny or that you love me?”
He flung open her car door and pulled her to her feet so he could wrap her in his arms. “Yes.”
“Good, so do I.” She snuggled into his arms, though through all the layers of coat between them he could barely feel her. It didn’t matter. He had her, and he wasn’t going to let her go. He kissed her chilly lips until they warmed under his, and when he pulled back, all he saw was sunshine.
“It’s supposed to be a terrible storm,” she said, eyeing the barely visible road. “Why don’t we take one car and go back to my place?”
“I would love to, but Elaine is still at TF, and I want to see she gets home safely. How about…we spend the night in the bridal suite?”
She met his gaze , and this time, despite all the fluffy down and wool between them, he felt her shiver. “Ooh, could we?”
“I know the manager. He won’t say a word.”
Chapter Twelve
While the snow continued to pile up outside, Grant led Harper up the curving marble staircase to the bridal suite.
They’d made sure Elaine got home safely to her family and locked up TF, then made a scrumptious dinner of leftover hors d’oeuvres and piping hot
* * * *
For the second time since he’d started back to Taverna Fiora from Harper’s house, Grant considered pulling over. The snow swirled relentlessly in front of him, almost obliterating the roads which hadn’t yet been plowed. He’d already seen one car careen through an intersection, and he had no desire to end up in a snow bank, so he slowed down to a crawl. He worried about where she might be in this weather and hoped she’d gone to her friend’s house. He’d just have to call her as soon as he got off the road, but he hadn’t yet decided what to say to her other than just to beg her to see him again, regardless of what anyone in Spring River Valley or anywhere else thought about them being together.
He considered stopping just to call Elaine and tell her to lock up the lobby and go home, but technically he was only five minutes away from the restaurant , so he was probably safer going there and staying in the office for the night. There was plenty of food in the kitchen, hot coffee always ready, and he could sleep in the bridal suite if he needed to, though it wouldn’t be any fun to lie on that comfy couch alone.
He slammed on the brakes without thinking about it as a pair of headlights drifted into his lane from the other side of the road. His momentary lapse into thoughts about Harper had taken his attention away from the treacherous conditions for a split second during which another driver had hit a slippery patch and slid across the double yellow line.
Grant’s car spun halfway around, fishtailing into a snow bank with a dull thud. At least he’d avoided hitting the other car which halted in the middle of the road.
After a deep breath, he flung his door open and stepped out into the storm to see if the other driver was all right.
Bundled in his jacket with the hood up, yet still shivering, he crossed the street and tapped on the frosty driver’s side window of the other car. The icy pane rolled down a few inches and a red nose and a familiar pair of sky blue eyes appeared.
“Harper? Oh my god, are you all right?”
“Grant? What are you doing out here in this weather?”
He laughed, thrilled to see her, thrilled she was all right , and desperate to climb into the warmth of her car with her. “Looking for you. What are you doing out?”
She ducked her head and made a sound that could have been a laugh or a sob. “I was trying to find you to apologize for being such a ninny the other night.”
Grant leaned on the frame of the car as she rolled the window down the rest of the way. “You don’t have to apologize for being a ninny. I happen to love ninnies.”
She squinted at him. “Are you saying I’m a ninny or that you love me?”
He flung open her car door and pulled her to her feet so he could wrap her in his arms. “Yes.”
“Good, so do I.” She snuggled into his arms, though through all the layers of coat between them he could barely feel her. It didn’t matter. He had her, and he wasn’t going to let her go. He kissed her chilly lips until they warmed under his, and when he pulled back, all he saw was sunshine.
“It’s supposed to be a terrible storm,” she said, eyeing the barely visible road. “Why don’t we take one car and go back to my place?”
“I would love to, but Elaine is still at TF, and I want to see she gets home safely. How about…we spend the night in the bridal suite?”
She met his gaze , and this time, despite all the fluffy down and wool between them, he felt her shiver. “Ooh, could we?”
“I know the manager. He won’t say a word.”
Chapter Twelve
While the snow continued to pile up outside, Grant led Harper up the curving marble staircase to the bridal suite.
They’d made sure Elaine got home safely to her family and locked up TF, then made a scrumptious dinner of leftover hors d’oeuvres and piping hot
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