Page 25 of Heart Strings

“I like that,” I manage to say, my voice steady despite the whirlwind of emotions inside me. “Letting it come naturally. It’s... it feels right, Gracie.”

She nods, her eyes bright with a mix of nerves and excitement. “It does, doesn’t it? I mean, we already know each other so well. We just need to... be open to whatever else there might be.”

I can’t help but smile, feeling the tension ease between us. “Open to whatever comes,” I echo. The idea seems less scary now that we’ve laid out our intentions so transparently. It’s not about changing what we have but allowing it to evolve, to grow into whatever it’s meant to become.

Gracie’s hand is still in mine, her touch grounding me. “We’ve always been good at talking, you and I. We should keep that going, no matter what,” she says, her voice earnest.

“Absolutely,” I agree. “No matter what, we talk. If something feels off, or great, or weird, or whatever, we talk about it. Deal?”

“Deal,” she replies with a nod, her relief palpable.

We sit in comfortable silence for a moment, just enjoying the simplicity of being together without the cloud of uncertainty that had been hanging over us. I glance at her, this incredible woman who’s been my friend through thick and thin, now possibly something more, and I feel a profound sense of gratitude.

“You know, I was worried,” I confess, turning to look at her fully. “Worried that bringing this up, feeling this way, might wreck what we have.”

Gracie squeezes my hand again, her presence reassuring. “I was scared too. But I think, if anything, being honest about these feelings has made me realize just how important you are to me. And not just as a friend.”

The sincerity in her voice sends a wave of warmth through me. “You’re pretty important to me too, Tink. More than I knew, maybe.”

Gracie stands, pulling me up with her. “Come on, let’s not waste any more of today. We’ve got a lot of ‘naturally’ to catch up on.”

We both laugh, the tension that’s been building over the past few days dissipating, leaving a comfortable silence in its wake. I gaze at her, really look at her, and it strikes me how much deeper my feelings are than I’ve ever admitted out loud.

She’s not just a friend; she’s the most important person in my life.

“So, how do we do this?” I ask, a bit of uncertainty coloring my tone. “Just keep hanging out and see what happens?”

Gracie shrugs, a playful smile tugging at her lips. “Yeah, I think so. We just keep doing what we’ve always done. Hang out, talk, laugh... and maybe throw in a couple of dates here and there, see how it feels.”

“Dates, huh?” I tease, feeling more like myself than I have in days. “You think you can handle going on a date with me? I mean, I might be a little rusty.”

Her laughter fills the room, easy and genuine. “I think I’ll manage. Besides, it’s you. We could go on a date to a laundromat, and I’d probably still have a good time.”

“Challenge accepted,” I grin, already imagining how much fun we could make even the most mundane activities. “Laundromat date it is. You bring the soap, I’ll bring the quarters.”

She nods and gives me one of those smiles that has my heart kicking up. “It’s a date then. But for now, how about we start with something simple, like grabbing dinner? There’s this new place I’ve been wanting to try.”

“Dinner sounds great,” I agree, as we head towards the door. As I hold it open for her, a sense of contentment settles over me. This is new, uncharted territory for both of us, but it feels right.

Natural, just like she said.

Chapter 19

Gracie

Connor holds the door open for me, and I step inside the new place I’ve been eager to try, my senses immediately greeted by the delicious aromas of spices and cooking. “It smells amazing in here,” I remark, taking a deep breath as we’re greeted by the host.

“It does,” Connor agrees, smiling down at me with that familiar, easy grin that melts all my worries away. We follow the host to our table, a quiet spot by the window with a view of the bustling street outside.

“So, what looks good to you?” Connor asks, handing me one of the menus. His sleeve brushes against my hand, a simple touch, but it sends a warm flutter through me.

I scan the menu, my eyes catching on several dishes. “I’m torn between the Kung Pao chicken and the Szechuan beef,” I admit, looking up at him. “What are you thinking?”

“I was eyeing the Peking duck,” he says, his eyes twinkling. “But we could share a few dishes, try a bit of everything?”

“That sounds perfect,” I agree, thrilled at the idea. Sharing dishes on a date feels like such a couple-y thing to do, and it makes my heart skip a beat in the best way.

We order our food, and while we wait, our conversation flows freely. We talk about everything from recent movies we’ve seen to books we’ve been reading. Connor tells me about a new guitar technique he’s been mastering, and I share a funny story about a customer at the bookstore who insisted on rearranging all the books by color.

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