Kissing in the Rain ☔ ✔

☔️ part 9

But what if here and now I tell you that I'm all figured out?

Or maybe I just like how that sounds.

MARIANAS TRENCH- "SO SOON"
♪

FASTENING UP THE buttons on my wool coat, I braced myself for the inevitable sting of the cold night air. I was almost finished buttoning up when Grant pulled open the passenger-side door of his aunt's sedan, letting a gust of icy air inside the car.

"Ready?" he asked, eyebrows raised.

I tugged the knit toque I was wearing down until it covered my ears. "Yes."

Saying I was wary to accept Grant's invitation when he invited me to his Aunt Natasha's for dinner two days back would have been an understatement. But after Grant assured me it was only a small gathering his aunt was hosting and insisted that he and his family wanted me to enjoy some Christmas festivities in a family setting since I wasn't at home, I reluctantly accepted the invitation.

"It's this house," Grant stated now, pointing to a tall house at the top of an upward-sloped driveway.

Holding my breath, I quickly scanned the cement driveway to check for any signs that Landon or his parents might be in attendance. Their was no sign of their silver BMW or his black Volkswagen sedan, and I felt the tension in my shoulders subside as I let my gaze wander toward the house at the top of the hill. The house was tall, but the peak of its gable roof was no higher than the row of houses lining the rest of the street. It occupied a corner lot, and a balcony protruded from the side of the house, possessing a view I could only imagine was stunning. Rainbow Christmas lights were strung neatly around the roof and windows, glowing brightly against the dull taupe siding and reminding me that Christmastime was near.

Grant's keys jingled in his coat pocket as he stuck a hand inside to retrieve them. Pushing the door open, he motioned for me to pass.

"Thank you," I said, stepping into the foyer, where the banging of pots greeted me. When I looked up, I expected to find a kitchen nearby, but all I found was another door in front of me and a staircase to my right.

"Grant?" The voice came from upstairs, followed by a series of creeks as somebody made their way downstairs. "Is that you?"

"Yeah, it's me," Grant called back, shrugging off his coat.

I pulled off my toque, tossing it into my tote, and spent the next couple moments flattening my hair. I was in the process of unbuttoning my coat when the creaking noise stopped, and I looked up to find a woman standing at the foot of the staircase. Her dark brown hair was styled into a long bob, making her appear younger than the wrinkles on her hands, which I noticed when she smoothed them across the white apron she wore overtop her bright red sweater, suggested she actually was.

"Hello!" Her gaze drifted over to me, and a smile formed instantly on her face. "You must be Hayden."

"I am."

"I'm Natasha, Grant's aunt."

"It's nice to meet you."

"Grant, close the door!" she ordered suddenly. "You're letting the cold air inside!"

"Give me a second," Grant mumbled, his lips forming a small smile, even though he was already moving to close the door.

"You don't need to take your shoes off Sweetheart," she told me, shooting me a wink. "Grant, I've got to check on the potatoes, but take Hayden's coat please."