Cheek To Cheek

Chapter 1

Rain pattered down on the windshield as Charlie drove along the road underneath the tall trees that lined either side of the rode on the unusually dreary early Summer day in the Boston suburb. She soon turned her car into the driveway of her grandmother's home, climbing out of the car and feeling the soft raindrops fall down on her.

Charlie couldn't help herself and did a little softshoe number, tapping her heels and toes as she danced up the driveway as the rain fell onto her grey sweater. The gentle sound of the rain mixed with her voice as she sang, "I'm singing in the rain, just singing in the rain. What a glorious feeling I'm happy again."

Her emotions weren't quite in line with those words though. There was still such a heavy sadness that hung in her normally joyful heart. It had been almost three months since her father had passed away but it still hurt and now that the shock had worn off, all Charlie was left with an empty spot where she missed her beloved dad.

Her heart always felt a little bit lighter when she was here though. Being in the presence of her grandma always put a smile on her face and helped ease her pain. Charlie danced her way up the driveway, soft shoeing in a puddle and not caring that the water splashed on her dark jeans. She finished her dance up the steps and opened the front door, calling out, "Hi Grandma! It's me!"

"Hi Sweetie! I'm in the living room," Her voice replied.

Charlie walked inside and when Helen caught sight of her granddaughter, she couldn't help but laugh at her appearance. Charlie's chocolate wild curls were frizzy tossled. The grey sweater she wore was now dark on the shoulders were rain had soaked in and her black and white oxfords and the bottom of her jeans were speckled with mud and water from the splashing she caused from her dancing.

"Tap dancing outside?" Helen already knew the answer.

"Mhmm," She nodded with a proud smile, toeing her shoes off and running a hand through her messy curls. "I just couldn't resist."

Helen just laughed, loving that her granddaughter still possessed that child-like wonder and excitement even though she now was grown up. She patted the empty spot of the sofa next to her, motioning for Charlie to come sit with her while she asked, "How was your dance class today?"

"Oh it was good. The kids had a rough time with a few steps but by the end they got it and-" Charlie stopped her story mid sentence as she gazed out the window. She stood up and walked over so she could look outside and asked, "Wait a minute.... Is your grass mowed?"

"Yes it got mowed on Sunday," She informed Charlie.

Hearing this made Charlie sigh while turning around, her shoulders drooping while she held her hands out and said, "Grandma I'm so sorry. I didn't even think about the fact that dad always mowed your lawn. I'll come do it for you!"

Helen waved it off and told her, "It's fine sweetheart. You don't need to worry about it, the sweet neighbor boy did it for me."

"Aw well that's nice," Charlie started.

As if on cue, the doorbell rang and interrupted the conversation. Helen tried to hide her smile as she asked Charlie, "Sweetie, would you get that for me? I asked my neighbor boy who mows my lawn to bring one of my books back that he borrowed so I think that'll be him returning it."

"Sure," She replied as she walked toward the front door, leaving Helen smiling to herself on the couch, loving to see her little plan coming together.

The two unknowing parties were on either side of the door but came face to face when Charlie pulled the door open but the person who stood there wasn't at all who she thought it would be. Her eyes followed the length of mile long legs covered in a pair of straight legged jeans up to the navy blue rain jacket he had covering what Charlie could tell was a very hunky torso. A dark beard covered a jawline that looked like it was cut out of marble along with a perfectly sharp nose to match. His eyes were bright blue and Charlie could see the mischievous twinkle in them that instantly made her want to know him more. A NASA baseball hat sat on top of his head and he was just reaching inside his jacket to pull out the book when he looked at the person on that side of the door and realized it certainly wasn't Helen.

"So when my grandmother said the neighbor boy was returning her book I was expecting someone a little more.... 13 years old," Charlie just couldn't help herself from joking with a wide grin on her face.

Without even missing a beat, the hunky man leaned against the doorframe, shielded from the rain underneath the porch and told her, "Oh yeah, well I actually am, I'm just tall for my age. Puberty hit me early."

Charlie's eyes squinted up and she tipped her head back, her dark curls shaking as she laughed from the strangers response. She was just starting to let her laughter die down when he said, "You must be Charlie. I've heard a lot about you."

She reached out her hand to shake his but before she could say anything else, her eyes grew wide and realization hit her while she asked him, "Wait... you're not... are you Chris Evans?"

His soft chuckle vibrated in his chest while holding his hands up in defense and said, "Guilty."

"So is this what aging supersoldiers do in their off time? Mow old ladies lawns?" Charlie teased him.

Chris just shrugged, "Well you know, it's good to have someone to talk about the good old days with, ya know."

He watched as Charlie's eyebrows angled upward while she shook with laughter yet again, cracking up before she patted his broad shoulder and said, "No offense but... I think you need a life."

"That's what Tony's always telling me," He shrugged, making her nose crinkle as she laughed loudly.

Chris almost couldn't believe how at ease he felt with a person he had barely met. He always had made friends fast but he felt like he never wanted the fun banter between them end but they were interrupted by Helen walking into the entry way and said, "Thank you for bringing my book back Chris. Would you like to stay for some tea?"

"As much as I would love to, I have an interview I have to give over the phone so I need to get back home," He explained. "But thank you for the invitation."

Chris took a step toward the door and put his hand on the knob, twisting it open and taking a half step out the door before telling her, "I'll see you soon Helen... and Charlie, it was really nice to meet you."

"It was nice to meet you too," She gave him a smile that warmed him from the inside out.

"Maybe I'll see you around sometime," Chris was a bit hopeful and she told him he probably would before he started to close the door but stopped and then poked that handsome face back inside, his blue eyes twinkling while he told her, "By the way, your little soft shoe number out in the rain was impressive."

Realizing she had been caught made Charlie's cheeks tint pink but her wild laughter made her curls shake. Chris shared in her laughter before he closed the door and off he went. Charlie stood there, shaking her head as her laughter died down and then realized her grandma had already retreated back to the living room.

When Charlie followed her in, she leaned against the tall wingback chair as Helen sat there sipping her tea with a smirk on her face. Charlie's own pink lips twisted into a similar expression as she asked, "So when were you going to tell me that your neighbor is a famous movie star?

"Well I didn't want to scare you off," Helen shrugged. "I already know you two are perfect for one another."

"Oh Gram," Charlie laughed, coming over to sit by her.

Helen just shrugged, simply stating:

"Trust me honey, Grandma's know best."