“If you put a Band-Aid on where it rubs your foot, it’ll prevent a blister,” said Olivia.
“You guys are like the Borg. ‘Resistance is futile.’” Her sisters stared back with blank faces. “You know... The Borg? They assimilate you, and the decisions are made by the collective?”
At their continued silent bewilderment, Grace exclaimed, waving her hands in dramatic fashion. “Where did I go wrong? How can all three of my little sisters be so clueless about Start Trek?”
“Oh, I know Star Trek,” Hannah declared. “That cute guy with the amazing blue eyes was in it...”
“Chris Pine? Yeah, he’s hot. He was in Shadow Recruit.” Claire’s expression was dreamy. “See Grace, we’re not clueless.”
“You only know the hot actors. I’m talking about classic sci-fi here. You have to know about Star Trek and the Borg. The Borg was like the greatest villain of all time.”
“Who has time for that when there are so many books to read?” said Olivia. “I swear Grace, you should have been a boy, the way you like sports and sci-fi and all that stuff.”
“I bet Brad is glad she’s not a boy.” Hannah stood back with her arms crossed to survey her work. “You look really cute, Grace.”
Grace tugged on her cropped hair as she looked in the mirror. “I can only ever be cute with this boy-cut, not beautiful like Dr. Dickson.”
Olivia said, “Oh Grace, that woman is awful. She’s so ugly on the inside it doesn’t matter how she looks on the outside.”
“And let’s face it, whatever guy you end up with needs to be prepared for accidents like this. You’re kind of prone to mess-ups,” said Claire.
“More like catastrophes.” Hannah chuckled.
“I had plenty of help with this one.” Grace pulled off her boots to place Band-Aids over the red spots on her little toes.
“Oh! I think I heard someone at the door. He’s here!” exclaimed Olivia. “Hurry up! I’ll go down and have him wait at the foot of the stairs. That way you can make a grand entrance coming down the stairs. You look great, Sis!” She kissed Grace on the cheek before scurrying out.
Grace stood up and wavered a bit on her platform boots. “These boots are like stilts. I’ll have to hold onto the banister until I get to Brad, or I’ll lose my balance.”
“Yeah, and you’re already kind of off-balance,” teased Claire. “As demonstrated by that stunt you pulled on Brad several months ago.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll never do anything like that again. In fact, I’ve decided we’re only going to do light kissing. I’m going to be the epitome of self-control, so I’ll never tempt him again.”
Hannah exchanged a grin with Claire. “I’m thinking, ‘Famous last words,’ but I won’t say it.”
Chapter Fifteen
Brad wiped his palms on his pants, praying his deodorant would hold up to his frayed nervous system. Why was he so anxious? It’s not like it was his first date with Grace. In fact, he hadn’t been this nervous on his first date with her. She’d thrown him for a loop over the last few months, and he’d lost his confidence with her. He tried to listen to Olivia, but her words flowed over his ears like a babbling brook.
Then he saw her. Standing at the top of the stairs like a vision. Her short hair only emphasized the size of her eyes, which were huge and round and locked with his. He felt a warm glow in his chest that spread throughout his entire body, simply from looking at her. One hand gripped the banister as she started down the stairs, her eyes dropping down to watch her feet. When she reached the second to last step, she paused, her gaze rising to lock with his once again. He saw her catch her breath and realized he’d been holding his.
He held out his hand to her, his fingers waiting... longing for her touch. She hesitated, only for a moment. Releasing the banister with her right hand, she switched her clutch to the right, so her left hand was free to grasp his. It felt right. It felt as though her hand belonged with his. Her wide hazel eyes crinkled as she smiled and stepped toward him.
She fell into his arms. Literally. He laughed as he caught her, easily supporting her weight and lifting her upright. But his chuckles ceased when he saw the pain on her face.
“What happened? Are you okay?”
“I turned my ankle.” She took a step. “Ow! I can’t believe it! These stupid boots!”
She hobbled to a nearby chair and sat down, wincing as she removed the boot. Brad knelt in front of her with Connie and the three sisters ogling over his shoulder. “Let me see.” He pressed on her ankle and foot and manipulated her ankle.
“Ow! Dang it! This is so stupid. I’ll be fine if I lean on you a little. I just need to walk it out.”
“No, you’ve sprained it for sure. We’d better not go.”
He saw tears welling in her eyes. “I don’t want to miss the game. I promise it’s feeling better already.” She attempted to stuff her foot back into the boot.
“Don’t be silly, Grace. At least you can wear a flat shoe.” He pulled the boot from her grasp and handed it to Olivia.