The Beach House • JB

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Winnie then looked down at Peter's hand that lie rested on top of the chair arm rest, she bit her bottom lip softly and hesitantly placed her small fingers on top of his large ones.

Peter looked down at their fingers and licked his lips slowly and let Winnie interlace their fingers and let the tingly feeling form as their hands touched.

"Listen, Winnie. . .we can't go back to what we were. . .okay? You need to be with someone who you really want."

"Pete. . .I'm so confused out of my mind, you have no idea."

"Confused about what?"

Winnie let out a shaky laugh. "I-I still want there to be an us, but—"

"Winnie, don't. . .listen, life's too short not to fall in love a thousand times."

"So. . .you're saying I should. . ."

"You should be with Justin, you know it in your heart that's who you should be with."

Just when Winnie was about to speak, the sound of a small gasp for air made Winnie and Peter look over to Anne and see her starting to move in her sleep making Peter hop up from his chair as Winnie watched from her seat.

"Grandma, are you okay? How do you feel?"

"Like. . .like I got hit by a truck. . ."

Peter chuckled and bent down to Anne's face and kissed her forehead tenderly making her smile softly and reach out for his hand and give it a squeeze using both her hands.

"Winnie's here."

"Winnie? Where is my beautiful ray of sunshine?"

Winnie giggled softly and rose up from her chair and walk over to the other side of the hospital bed and see Anne reach her hand out for her to take.

Winnie softly took her hand in hers and let Anne bring the back of her hand to her lips and give it a chaste kiss making Winnie smile.

"Glad to know you're okay, Anne."

"Takes more than a fall to take me down. . .how are you, sweetheart?"

"Good. . .," Winnie breathed out as she gave Anne's hand another soft squeeze and looked up and over to Peter with a soft smile. "Great, actually."

And in that moment, Winnie and Peter both looked at each other with a look in their eyes that made Anne smile wide and laugh softly and begin to chat to them both as they listened to every word.

˚˚˚

Peter parked the truck on the side of Winnie's house and let out a breath as Winnie cleared her throat and moved a piece of her hair out of her face.

"Do you wanna come in for a bit?"

"Oh. . .I don't think I should, Winnie."

"Justin's not home. . .we can make grilled cheese sandwiches."

Peter laughed. "As tempting as that sounds, I have to go, maybe another time."

"Sure, okay."

Peter smiled and watched Winnie wave one last time before opening the door and heading out as Peter waved and watched her head over to the front door.

Once she was inside, Peter pulled off and Winnie went inside the house and shut it back while taking off her jean jacket.

Winnie had paused momentarily as she heard the sound of the television making her crease her eyebrows. "Justin?"

"No, it's me."