“The food here is better than I expected,” Grayson said.
“Too bad,” Hadley said, raising her voice to be heard over the erratic rhythm of bowling balls roaring down the lane into the pins.
He frowned. “Why is it a shame that I like the food?”
“Because if you didn’t, I could finish your fries for you.” She grinned, completely without shame when it came to potatoes. She’d once arm-wrestled her sister over the last of their mom’s sinfully cheesy au gratin.
Grayson laughed. “Maybe we should get another order to split.”
“We can after we bowl.” She raised an eyebrow. “I’m always hungry after kicking ass.”
“Big talk. Care to make a wager on—”
“Gambling, Mr. Cox? Tut, tut.” Sixteen-year-old Mona Flores paused by their table, holding hands with a boy about an inch shorter than her and who had a pierced eyebrow. “What kind of role model does that while impressionable kids such as myself are around?”
Grayson turned his head, looking surprised but not displeased to see her. “Mona! What are you doing here?”
The girl turned pointedly toward the bowling lanes, then back to him. “Playing racquetball,” she replied, deadpan.
He snorted. “I meant, how are you out and about? Last I saw you, there was complaining about your ‘ridiculous parents’ grounding you for the rest of your natural life.”
“Guess this must be my unnatural life then. Hi, Miss Lanier. Thanks for that book you recommended about glass sculpture. The pictures are sick. One day I’ll get out of this town and actually see some of those museum exhibits.”
“In the meantime, go to your classes,” Grayson said. “All of them.”
“I am.” She lifted her chin. “I even got an A minus on my math quiz today, hence the parental units letting me go out to celebrate.”
“Nice job.” Grayson high-fived her, then turned a flinty glare to her date. “It’s a school night. Have her home early.”
The boy choked out a startled “yessir” as Mona laughed and dragged him away.
Watching them go, Grayson suddenly paled. “Dear Lord. I really am becoming a dad.”
Hadley shook her head in mock-pity, charmed but not above heckling him. “We’d better go ahead and bowl before you start yelling at kids to get off your lawn.”
They paid their bill for dinner, then headed for the counter, where they rented shoes and signed up for a lane. On weekends, there was usually a significant wait unless you called ahead and reserved one, but tonight, the crowd was moderate, evenly split between the lanes, the diner and the arcade. She was giving the attendant her shoe size when a too familiar voice behind her said, “Hey, puddin’.”
It was her father’s pet name for her. You have got to be kidding me. She spun around slowly, as if he would vaporize into thin air given enough time. But there he was, grinning, with his arm around her mother’s waist.
“Mom, Dad.” She managed a somewhat strangled introduction. “Grayson, these are my parents. Paul and Wanda Lanier.”
“A pleasure to meet you. Grayson Cox.” He politely shook hands with both of them.
“What are you two doing here?” Hadley tried to make it sound like a cheerful, isn’t-this-a-fun-coincidence question, rather than the blatant accusation it was.
“We were at the church potluck,” Wanda said, “and got to talking to Gayle and Harvey about how much fun it was when we used to go bowling. Then on the way home, your dad said maybe we should pop in for a few frames.”
Uh-huh. That certainly was one possibility. Another was that Hadley had been spotted on her date sometime during the last hour and a dutiful citizen had reported in to her parents. Maybe we should have just stayed at my place. Except, based on the heated kisses they’d shared, their physical relationship would have escalated pretty quickly. Hadley wanted Grayson, but she wasn’t one for casual sex.
Then again, judging by the wicked intensity of the man’s mouth, casual wouldn’t be the right word to describe it.
Her face heated, and she suddenly realized her mother was staring at her. Damn blushing. It was why she always got busted and Leanne had gotten away with things when they were little.
“Mind if we share a lane?” her dad asked Grayson.
“Not at all. The more, the merrier,” her date said gamely.
As the two men walked toward the racks to choose bowling balls, she overheard her father ask, “So what is it you do for a living, Grayson?”
Just what every couple wanted for their first date—burgers, bowling and interrogation.
“Mom...”
Wanda smiled beatifically. “Yes, dear?”
Hadley mentally searched her vocabulary, censoring the words too inappropriate for using with parents. “I...”
“I’m so glad we ran in to you and your gentleman friend. We’ve heard so much about him from your sister and Miss Alma and Anne Ross. Why, we were starting to feel left out.”
It wasn’t quite a guilt trip. More like a guilt casual outing. “Mom, we’ve only been out a couple of times. You know that if it turns in to something, I would have brought him to meet you and Daddy.”
“Well, now you don’t have to. It’s serendipity.”
Once they had all the necessary equipment, her dad bought them a pitcher of soda while Hadley entered their names into the system. She was rattled enough by her parents’ appearance that her first attempt was a gutter ball, but she knocked down all ten pins on her next go.
“That’s my girl,” Paul cheered. To Grayson he said, “I knew she was special even when she was a baby, that she would do great things.”
A shadow crossed Gray’s face, and Hadley would bet all the overdue fines she’d collected this year that he was thinking about her arm and her lost scholarship. But he rallied. “You’re right, sir. She is special.”
She beamed at the sincerity in his tone. Maybe the evening wasn’t a complete fiasco. Still, the more childhood stories her proud father shared, the more she winced inwardly. Not because the anecdotes embarrassed her, but because of Grayson’s past. Was it difficult for him to be around doting parents when his own family life had been such a train wreck?
As they finished up their first game, she quickly shut down the idea of a second. “I’m really tired. Grayson, would you mind taking me home?”
“Or we can,” Wanda said. “And your father could take a look at that kitchen light that’s been giving you trouble.”
“Another time,” Hadley said firmly. “Night, guys.” She gave each of her parents a kiss on the cheek. On the way out to the truck, she muttered, “If those two follow us to my place, neither of them are getting Christmas gifts ever again.”
Grayson laughed. “I like them.”
That warmed her heart, given how close-knit her family was. “Thank you. But next date? Just you and me. No family members.”
He gave her a sheepish smile. “Is this a bad time to mention I promised the boys I’d invite you to have dinner with us Saturday?”
* * *
ALL THE HORSES were in their stalls and Grayson was putting away the last of the equipment when Jarrett entered the barn.
Grayson grinned. “Hey, boss. Almost wrapped up here. Come to check my work?”
“Nope, just wanted to say thanks. With Mom and Dad deciding to spend the weekend in Austin after his cardiology appointment yesterday and Sierra and I meeting with the reverend this afternoon, I would have had to cancel at least four lessons if you hadn’t been here.”
“I enjoyed it,” Grayson said. More than he’d expected, actually. “I’ve never taught before. The kids were fun.” Sam and Tyler were giving him a new perspective on children. But despite liking his work, he’d been looking forward to quitting time. He had a date to prepare for.
Coincidentally, so did Violet. When he’d told her about inviting Hadley over, saying he hoped it wouldn’t inconvenience Vi, his aunt said she wouldn’t even be home Saturday night. She’d shyly admitted that she was going to dinner and a movie. With Jim. Grayson couldn’t be happier for them.
“Want to stop by the house for a cold drink before you head out?” Jarrett offered.
“Rain check for another time? I promised a pretty librarian a home-cooked meal tonight.”
“You cook?” Jarrett looked impressed. He’d told Grayson before that he had exactly one culinary skill—grilling steak.
“Vi attempted to teach me, but I was a horrible student. I didn’t bother measuring right or I’d get impatient. So, before I moved out on my own, she taught me one surefire meal—pot roast in a slow cooker. There are fewer than ten ingredients, and it’s impossible to screw up. I just hope it doesn’t raise Hadley’s expectations, because the rest of my repertoire is pretty hit-or-miss.”
Jarrett chuckled. “From the way she looks at you, I don’t think you’re gonna scare her off with rubbery pasta or a burned entrée.”
“Well, I might scare her off if I show up smelling like sweat and horses. I’d better get home so I have plenty of time to shower. See you tomorrow.”
Cupid’s Bow didn’t have some of the amenities of bigger cities, but that meant no city traffic, either. He made it to the farmhouse in good time, and the delicious aroma of roast hit him as soon as he opened the door.
“The boys have been asking every five minutes if it’s time to eat yet,” Violet said as he entered.
“I don’t blame them.” He straightened from taking off his boots and got his first real look at her. “Excuse me, miss, have you seen my aunt anywhere? About yay tall, lives in T-shirts and yoga pants?”
“Ha, ha.” But there was a touch of nervousness in her expression. “When you work at home, there’s no reason to wear dresses every day. Or makeup.”
“Well, you look great.” But it wasn’t the clothes or cosmetics. It was the sparkle in her eyes and happy glow about her that made the real difference. “Have fun tonight. When’s he picking you up?”
She checked the slim gold watch around her wrist. “Fifteen minutes. As long as you hurry, I can watch the boys while you shower.”
“Thanks. And don’t let them near the pot roast!”
By the time Hadley rang the doorbell half an hour later, he was cleaned up, Violet had left and the hungry five-year-olds had been placated with cheese-and-cracker appetizers.
Hadley inhaled appreciatively. “Dinner smells incredible.”
“I cooked it myself,” he boasted. “Well, actually the Crock-Pot cooked it, but I threw in the ingredients and turned on the pot, so I’m taking credit. Now, before I pull the plates down, should I be setting the table for your parents, too, or will it just be us?”
She laugh-groaned. “If they show up, I’m talking to Sheriff Trent about some kind of restraining order.”
From somewhere within the house there was a loud crash.
He clapped a palm to his head. “We’d better see what the twins have knocked over now.”
They found the boys in the back hall, trying to shove flowers into a broken vase.
Sam’s expression was stricken. “We were just tryin’ to get one to give to Hadley.”
Grayson gave his date a sheepish smile. “I’ve been outclassed by five-year-olds. I should’ve thought of flowers. I’m not much of a romantic.”
“You have your moments,” she reassured him. “As for you two...” She kneeled to fold the twins into a hug. “It’s the thought that counts, so thank you for my flowers.”
Watching her cuddle the boys close made Grayson’s lungs feel tight. One of his biggest regrets at that moment was that Blaine and Miranda would never meet Hadley. You guys would love her.
Once the broken vase was cleaned up, they moved on to dinner. The boys were so excited by their guest that Grayson barely got a word in edgewise. But he didn’t mind. It was deeply satisfying to watch three of his favorite people interact. It was also wildly entertaining. He gave up eating halfway through the meal because the twins’ kindergarten tales made him laugh so hard, he was afraid he might choke.
“We finished all our food.” Tyler wrinkled his nose. “Even the salad. Can we play a game now?”
Violet had taken the boys to a toy store downtown and let them pick out a few inexpensive board games.
“One game,” Grayson intoned. “After that, story time and bed.”
Somehow, one game turned into three, with Hadley laughing at Grayson’s frustration that he couldn’t build a bug. Everyone else had a brightly colored plastic bug with pieces they’d assembled by rolling dice on their turns—bodies with legs, heads that had eyes and antennas. Sam only needed to roll the number six for a mouth to win the game. All Grayson had was a collection of feet.
“Maybe you should stick to bowling,” Hadley said. “This doesn’t seem to be your game.”
“Tyler, hand me the rules,” Grayson said. “I think we forgot to read the part where the person with the most feet gets bonus points.”
Hadley shook her head. “Boys, don’t you think there should be a penalty for attempted cheating? When I was growing up, the punishment was...being tickled!”
They all three pounced on Grayson, who fought back. The living room echoed with laughter and shrieking. Grayson couldn’t tell if the breathless antics were tiring the boys out or just winding them up. But, finally, he and Hadley convinced them that they had to get ready for bed in order to hear a story.
While she read to them, Grayson cleaned up the kitchen, then returned to the dimly lit bedroom, noting how beautiful she was bathed in lamplight. And the boys, snuggled on either side of her, looked cherubic. Last weekend had thrown Grayson some curveballs, finding out about Rachel and about Hadley’s arm, but now he felt...dangerously happy. It wasn’t an emotion he was comfortable with. Too many times in his life, joy had been overturned by tragedy. His self-preservation instincts fought against contentment.
“Okay,” he said gruffly, “that’s enough for tonight. Time to go to sleep.”
Hadley slid out from between the boys, but Sam tugged on her sleeve.
“Can you help tuck us in?” Sam asked.
She kissed his forehead. “It would be an honor.”
“What’s an honor?” Tyler asked around a yawn.
“We’ll save that for the next time I come over,” Hadley said. “I’ll bring a book about an honorable knight who lives in an enchanted castle.”
The four of them shared hugs and night-night prayers, and Grayson tried to squelch the voice inside that asked if it was wise to let the boys get so attached to her. How can I stop them when I can’t even stop myself?