Grounded for Love: A Reunion Romance Novella (9 page)

Serena sat back, her stomach filled to capacity. “I don’t come home to visit as often as I’d like.”

“Maybe I could talk you into coming more?” Colby said with a glint in his pale blue eyes.

“Maybe.” Spending time with Colby felt comfortable. It kept her mind off her dad. And… nope, she wasn’t going to think about Graham. At all. Colby was right in front of her. And they were having fun.

After dinner, Colby said, “How about a walk along Main?”

“Sure.”

The winter air was brisk, so she wrapped her coat around her tighter. As a teenager, this was her stomping grounds. They used to walk up and down Main all the time, looking in windows and hoping to spot cute guys along the street. She glanced up at the black sky with its spattering of stars. “It’s nice to be home for a minute. I love California, but San Francisco is such a big city. Sometimes, I miss being in a small town where you know everyone.”

“It’s great living here. Not much has changed since we were in high school. After spending time away from Durango, I found that this is a pretty good place.”

“The mountains are so beautiful covered in snow.”

“The people are awesome. We’ve got winter sports. Hiking and kayaking in the summer. Clean air.” He pointed down Main. “And the best train ride. Have you ever been?”

Serena drew in a quick breath. “Yes.” The last thing she wanted to do was get lost in the memory of her romantic ride with Graham.

“And, of course, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory,” he said.

“With the best fudge. And the big stuffed bear outside.” Serena and her friends used to take photos with the giant-sized bear.

They walked along Main talking and laughing. Being with Colby was easy. If she lived in Durango, she wouldn’t mind spending more time with him.

“I feel like a popsicle.” Colby laughed. “Not really the best weather for walking on Main.”

“I agree.” Serena’s teeth chattered.

Colby drove her home then walked with her to the front door. “If you’re going to be in town a few more days, would you like to go out again?” he asked.

“Yeah, I’d like that.”

“Tomorrow night?”

“Sure.”

He dipped his head. “See you then.”

Serena walked into the house then sat on a chair in the dark. She never imagined she’d be going on a date with Colby Whigton. They’d been friends way back when, but that was it—at least that’s what she’d thought. Apparently, he’d wanted more. Who knew?

And who knew she’d ever see Graham again? Or that seeing him would turn her insides to goulash. She leaned her head back.

Why was I such a fool three years ago?

Graham walked into the kitchen for a typical Saturday morning pancake breakfast. Annie was at the oak table with Sarah, who had syrup smeared all over her face.

“Does she ever get any
in
her mouth?” he asked, patting the little girl on her head.

“Once in a while.”

“Good morning,” his mom said with a cheery smile. She was the ultimate morning person. “What are your plans today?”

“I thought I’d hang out with the family.”

“Only if you aren’t going to be droopy,” Annie said.

“Droopy? What does that even mean?”

“You know, you act like this.” Annie proceeded to turn the corners of her mouth down, make her eyes sad, and hunch over.

Graham wondered if spending so much time with a toddler had made his sister’s brain turn to mush. “Mom, what is she talking about?”

“Oh, Mom knows. We’ve been discussing it.” Annie slid a piece of pancake into Sarah’s mouth.

“Discussing
it
? I have no idea what
it
is.”

“I told you he’d play dumb if we said anything,” Annie said to their mom.

“I’d play
dumb
?” He pointed to himself.

“Yeah. You’re good at it. Remember all the times you did stuff then played dumb and I got blamed?”

“I think you are remembering things wrong. I believe it was the other way around. I always had to take the blame for you.”

Annie laughed. “So back to being droopy.”

“Whatever that means.”

“Your sister is so eloquently trying to say that you haven’t been your usual self since you got here.” His mom handed him a glass of orange juice. “I’m going upstairs to take a shower. I need to run some errands this morning. Help yourself to breakfast.”

“Thanks, Mom.” Graham sat at the table.

Annie raised her eyebrows at him.

“What?” His sister obviously had something to say and he wished she’d spit it out.

“You know why you’re acting weird.”

“I do?”

“One word,” Annie said. “Serena.”

“Is that what this is about? Because I saw an old girlfriend?”

“A girlfriend that you loved and whined about forever after she moved to California.” Annie wiped Sarah’s face.

“I did not whine.”

Annie gave him a dubious look.

“Doesn’t matter. I’m dating Dana. And I love her.” He did. Didn’t he? Well, if he didn’t, he should.

“You do?”

“Yes,” he lied. Anything to get Annie off his back.

“Why didn’t you bring her with you to the wedding?”

“I don’t know.” He shrugged, the heat crawling up the back of his neck.
Why does Annie have to ask so many questions?

“Okay then. I won’t give you my advice,” Annie said over her shoulder as she took Sarah’s plate to the sink.

“Thank you.”

“Actually, I’ll give it to you anyway. Because I’m generous like that.”

Graham shook his head. No use in trying to avoid one of Annie’s psychoanalyses, because she was relentless.

“You still love Serena.”

“No, I don’t,” he said quickly.

“And seeing her made you all weird, because you’ve been acting strange since you got here.”

“Wedding jitters for my little brother.”

“Not likely. You’ve never gotten over Serena, and now that you’ve seen her again all your feelings are back and you’re trying to figure out how to deal with them.”

“Maybe you should lay off those night classes.” He tried to downplay Annie’s evaluation of the situation, because he didn’t need her getting involved and trying to tell him how to feel or what to think.

“You don’t have to be an expert in human behavior to see what is so obvious.”

“Annie, you don’t know what you’re talking about. And even if you did—”

“All I’m saying is you let her get away once, you shouldn’t let that happen again.”

“First of all, I didn’t let her go. She ran out on me. And for no reason whatsoever, I finally learned. She didn’t even trust me enough to talk to me. She thought I was cheating on her and didn’t even give me the chance to explain. She made me miserable for a long time. I don’t have any feelings for her now. That is for sure. All of my feelings are for Deena.”

“Deena?”

“I mean, Dana. You are stressing me out with all of this. You need to butt out, Annie. I didn’t ask for your opinion and, honestly, I don’t want it. Who I date is none of your business.” Graham stomped out of the room, grabbed his jacket, and went outside.

The arctic air bit at his cheeks, but he didn’t care. He was over Serena. Yeah, it had been weird and unexpected to see her, but he didn’t have any feelings left for her. And she didn’t have any left for him. It was over and done.

He kicked a small rock and watched it tumble down the walkway, landing in an old pile of snow. Suddenly, his mind darted back to when he and Serena were outside the hotel. For a moment—a slight, very tiny moment—he’d been tempted to kiss her, but that was simply old feelings trying to resurface. Now that he’d had time to think, he was sure he was better off without her.

Annie’s words nagged at him.
“You’ve never gotten over Serena, and now that you’ve seen her again all your feelings are back and you’re trying to figure out how to deal with them.”

He had to admit that seeing Serena made him feel something he hadn’t since she’d left—something he didn’t even realize was missing until he saw her again.

Maybe Annie was right. Maybe he still had feelings for Serena after all. Maybe he’d just buried them so deep he thought they didn’t exist anymore. But they did.

Graham pushed out an exasperated breath.
It’s too late to rekindle what Serena and I once had.

Isn’t it?

And what about Dana?

Serena sat at the kitchen table.

“How was your date last night?” her mom asked.

“It was fun.” Serena grabbed a piece of cinnamon toast and took a bite of the spicy treat, reminding her of childhood breakfasts.

“Are you going to see him again?”

“Yeah. Tonight.”

“Oh.” She hated when her mom said that word, because it meant so much more. “Would you like some apple juice?”

“Mom, why shouldn’t I go out with Colby?”

“You should.” Her mom poured juice into the glass in front of Serena then sat next to her. “He seemed like a nice young man.”

“He is.”

Her mom nodded.

“Weren’t you the one telling me to go out with him?”

“Yes.”

“So what now?”

“I just wonder where it can really go, since you live in California. Maybe if you moved back…”

“Mom, I can’t move back here.” Serena took a bite of the toast. “And I’m not looking for a relationship, if that’s what you mean. Maybe a couple of fun dates while I’m here. That’s all.”

“Because the one you really care about is—”

“Nope. That’s not true.”

“You don’t even know what I was going to say.”

“Yes, I do. You were going to say I still have feelings for Graham and that seeing him in the airport has made them all return and that I want to date him again and that I regret running out on him and I should make it up to him somehow, and, and, and.”

“Something like that.” Her mom smoothed the tablecloth.

“Well, first of all, none of that is even true. And secondly, he is involved with someone else.”

“Are they married?”

“No.”

“Engaged?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t ask.” The room began to feel hot and stifling.

“It isn’t over until the fat lady sings.”

“You know, I’ve never really understood what that means. You’ve always said it, but I’ve never understood it.”

Her mom peered at her with a serious expression. “It’s only over if you give up.”

“It
is
over. It was over the minute I didn’t trust him. I could never expect him to forgive me for thinking he was cheating and never talking to him again. I have to live with the consequences of my actions.” Even if those actions left her with a gaping hole in her heart.

“But you saw him at the airport.”

“A coincidence.”

“Or something bigger in the universe is working.”

“I don’t think so.” Serena shook her head. There was nothing
magical
or
fateful
about it,
as her mom seemed to be insinuating. “Besides, we had our chance. I blew it. End of story.”

“But—”

Serena stood. “We need to get over to the hospital to see Daddy.” With that, Serena made her way back to her room. She didn’t want to discuss, or even think about, Graham. The past was the past and everything was better left there.