“Have you forgiven me?” His jaw ticked. “I mean, with your hand.”
Whoa.The question kind of caught me off guard. Did I forgive him? I had. It kind of started happening on its own, but I knew it for sure now.
“Yes, I have.”
He finally looked down at me.
I nodded. “Plus, I don’t just kiss anyone like that, you know,” I teased, throwing his words from before back at him.
He didn’t smile, though, like I thought he would.
“What if your hand doesn’t ever—”
“Hey, hey. What’s going on?” Brodie’s voice rang out over the small lake.
“Yo, Preach,” Brodie called out from the edge of the woods. Willow stood beside him.
“What up?” Preach said while staying focused on me.
What if my hand doesn’t everwhat?Get better?I couldn’t think about that. No way. I still had time to improve, and miracles happened every day. I’d get feeling back in my fingers and be fine. I needed a little more time.
“Just wanted to check on you two.” Brodie chuckled. “You’ve been out here for a while.”
“We’re good.” Preach shifted his focus behind him, to Brodie and Willow.
They made their way to the log and plopped down next to us.
“Dang,” Willow said with a nod. “I can’t believe Preach showed you his favorite place.”
“This lake is practically his church, well, after his real church and the ice ri— I mean, the track,” Brodie added.
“I’ve worked through some things here,” Preach admitted. “Anyways, how’s the party?”
“Eh, it’s all right,” Brodie admitted. “Pax passed out about twenty minutes ago. He’s sleeping it off in the back of Teddy’s pickup truck. Teddy’s keeping an eye on him and agreed to drive him home.”
A few weeks ago, that could have been Preach.
“What do you say we dip out and go get some ice cream?” Willow asked. “I’ve been craving that new flavor. What is it called again, Brodie?”
“Chocolate explosion,” he said with a grin. “Vanilla ice cream, a double serving of chocolate chips, peanut butter cups, and cake batter chunks.”
“Oh my gosh. Isoneed to try that,” I said, sitting up. “Can we go?”
“I’m in!” Preach agreed. “I’ve been wanting to take you there.”
“It’s literally the best ice cream in the entire state,” Willow said.
As we followed Willow and Brodie out of the woods and back to the guys’ car, Preach leaned down and whispered in my ear, “Just as an FYI, this doesn’t count as our first date.”
Goose bumps trailed down my arms. “Why’s that?”
“Oh, I’m going all out for that,” he said with a grin. “And when I say ‘all out,’ I mean it. I’m going to blow your track cleats off, Gracie.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
Preach
Grace’s soft lips were addicting.