Page 85 of Accidentally in Bloom

The tulle hung to the floor, creating a slim ball gown skirt. Rose held up the dress to herself. It was her size, give or take a few inches. She spied a bathroom off the entry hallway.

What the hell. Who didn’t like playing dress-up?

Rose quickly changed and surveyed herself in the mirror. Not half bad. She’d kept her hair down that evening, which suited the romantic gown. She allowed herself a happy twirl.

Woah, when was the last time she twirled?

This has to be casual, Rose.

She walked into the living room, calling out louder than before. “Gray?”

“Up here!” he yelled. She rounded the corner and saw a beautifully carved railing leading to the second floor.

“Our date is in a bedroom?”

“Follow the sound of my voice,” he called out. She walked up the stairs and down a long hallway of bedrooms in various states of construction cleanup. Streams of light poured into the hallway out of the last open door.

Rose peered through and saw a large bed with a snowy white duvet, an open floor plan with a fireplace in the corner, and double French doors leading to an extended balcony.

Rose tentatively walked through, certain this was Gray’s bedroom. “I’m not sure what you did for prom, but you don’t usually start in a bedroom.” She tried to shake off the jitters she was feeling.

She was in a ballgown in Gray’s bedroom. Weird.

Gray appeared in the doorway on the patio, and Rose’s heart stopped.

He stood in a dark black suit with a long dark tie against a crisp white shirt. His hair was combed back, nearly behaving except for a few rogue strands fallen against his forehead. He held two champagne flutes, one with seltzer and one with the real stuff.

“Rose,” he said in awe. “You look...amazing,” he paused, staring at her. “Breathtaking.”

He walked toward her with the glasses. “There’s probably a better word, but half my brain just fell out looking at you.”

He leaned in and placed a slow kiss on her lips. She never got over how good he tasted. She lingered there, trying to remind herself this was temporary. This needed to be the most casual of casual dates. The jeans and T-shirt of dates.

But when she pulled back, she felt the silent crack of her heart open more. “You look pretty good yourself.” His tailored jacket reminded her of his previous life as a high-end photographer. “Though I can’t believe you remembered my prom story.”

“What’s a better first date than a teenage ritual we’re twenty years too old for?” he beamed at her.

“This view is stunning.” Rose walked toward the large patio.

Stunning was an understatement. The patio off the bedroom was a huge balcony overlooking a valley below, rolling hills leading miles beneath them.

The early evening sky had streaks of orange and yellow, giving way to purple edges. It was the perfect vantage point for a sunset dinner.

“This used to be the barn loft. I’d come up here as a kid and watch the sunset. And later, I’d come up with a girl sometimes and...”

“Watch the sunset?” Rose shot a look over her shoulder. He walked toward her with a smile.

“Something like that.” Gray wrapped his arms around her waist. “I never got tired of seeing the view, so I figured out how to see it every night.” He quickly kissed her shoulder before he walked over to the dinner table he’d set up for them.

Rose was surprised at how right that kiss felt. It was such a simple thing, but he’d done it casually without thinking.

“We’re eating out here?”

“Is that okay? I have some blankets and a fire pit if you get cold.”

Rose breathed in the evening air. “Perfect.”

“I’m going to go grab our salads. Make yourself at home.” Gray walked back into the bedroom.

---