“Why are all of you so tall?” Sierra Bailey grumbled. She was definitely the shortest of the five women in the living room. But, then, she was often the shortest adult in any room. “Everyone is going to tower over me in the wedding pictures.”
“That may be the first time I’ve ever been described as tall,” Mrs. Ross said around the pin in her mouth. She’d just finished Becca Johnston’s fitting and had moved on to Kate Trent’s dress.
Hadley sat on the couch in her regular clothes, waiting her turn and occasionally checking the kitchen, where both sets of twins were playing a board game. The only bridesmaid not here today was the groom’s sister, Vicki, who was away at college, but Mrs. Ross had her daughter’s measurements.
“I can’t believe how fast you’re losing the baby weight,” Mrs. Ross said, adjusting the waist of Kate’s unfinished dress.
“I can’t believe she didn’t bring the baby with her so we could coo over how cute she is,” Becca complained.
Kate shot the mayor an apologetic look. “Cole feels like he doesn’t get much one-on-one bonding time with her. Since Luke’s running a 5K with friends and I have the twins with me, today was a perfect opportunity.”
“Speaking of running,” Becca said, “I’d better get changed and get out of here. Sorry I can’t stay longer.”
“Town emergency?” Hadley asked.
“No, Marc has a soccer game. I promised I’d be there before it’s over.”
“Well, at least you got to stay long enough to meet Hadley’s cowboy,” Sierra declared. “Dreamy!”
“He is supercute,” Kate said, obligingly raising her arms so Mrs. Ross could keep pinning.
Hadley could object that Gray wasn’t “her” cowboy, but she couldn’t protest that he wasn’t good-looking. He was wildly attractive, and not just because of his build, or his thick hair or those mesmerizing dark eyes. There was—
“Hadley?” Sierra’s voice was a loud whisper, meant to carry. “Your cheeks are going all rosy. Something you’d like to share with the rest of the class?”
Hadley glared at her friend. “I’m going to get a glass of water. Which I may or may not dump on you.”
The other women chuckled, but they didn’t drop the subject. After Hadley returned with ice water and Becca had hugged everyone goodbye, Kate asked, “So how long have you known Grayson?”
“We both grew up here,” Hadley said, “so, forever. I mean, I don’t remember specifically meeting him. He was just there, in my classes, on the playground, at the high school. And now he’s back.”
“Romantic,” Kate sighed. “It’s like life is giving you a second chance.”
“More like a first one. We weren’t close before. And I’m not saying we are now!” she added before Sierra could make any knowing comments. “We’re still getting to know each other.” For instance, just last night, she’d discovered what a skilled kisser he was.
“Well, watch out,” Sierra said, “it can happen fast. After all, I only worked for the Ross family for a couple of weeks and now—”
“And now she is family,” her future mother-in-law said, eyes misty. She sniffled, turning back to Kate. “All done, dear. You go change while I get a tissue. Hadley, you’re up.”
“The dress is hanging in Vicki’s room,” Sierra said. “I’ll show you.”
This wasn’t Hadley’s first time on the ranch, but normally she visited the refurbished cottage Jarrett and Sierra shared, about twenty acres from the main house.
Sierra led her down the hall, and Hadley smiled at the royal blue dress. Mrs. Ross had used the same fabric for all four bridesmaids, but each had her own design. “It’s even prettier than the picture we saw.”
“You’re all going to look gorgeous. I can’t wait for the big day!”
“Really? I hadn’t noticed how the wedding comes up in every conversation. Or, how when Jarrett walks into the room, you forget anyone else exists,” she teased.
Sierra brandished one of the throw pillows from the bed at her. “Hey, don’t make me sound pathetic.”
“Not pathetic. Just happy. You two are perfect for each other.”
“Maybe that’s why I’ve been encouraging you to spend more time with Grayson,” Sierra said. “I want you to be as happy as me and Kate and Becca. Not that a woman needs a man to be happy, but you’re different around him. When the two of you got out of the car, you looked almost giddy.”
“Because the ride was over and I was no longer trapped in a closed space with Sam and Tyler. They talked my ears off.”
Sierra tilted her head, expression thoughtful. “I guess it could be complicated to fall for someone who has kids. Kate and Cole made it work, but she was already an experienced mom. Would it be weird for you, becoming a stepmother?”
“Stepmother! The man’s only kissed me once, and you—”
“Whoa. Hold the phone. The two of you kissed?”
“Last night. At the reunion.” She sank down onto the bed. “It was heavenly.”
Her friend pumped a fist in the air. “Yes!”
“But it was a one-time thing.” Possibly.
Sierra winked. “Everything is a one-time thing...until it happens a second time.”
* * *
SOMEHOW, SIERRA TALKED Hadley and Grayson in to bringing the boys up to the cottage and staying for dinner. It was difficult for Hadley to be annoyed at her friend’s pushiness when dinner was so wonderful—and not just because of the food. She was entranced watching Grayson joke with the twins and reminisce with Jarrett about rodeo life. I’ve never seen him this relaxed. His dimples were in full force tonight—and when he smiled in her direction, a tingle went all the way through her straight down to her toes.
She was enjoying one of those tingles when she caught Sierra smirking at her. Oops. Cutting into the expertly grilled steak, Hadley tried to think of something besides Grayson’s dimples. “So, uh, how are the wedding plans going? Did you settle on the invitations yet?” The couple had sent out their save the date cards weeks ago, but were still trying to agree on the final invitations.
“There are plenty we like,” Sierra said unenthusiastically, “but none that strike me as perfect yet.”
Jarrett put his arm around her. “All I need for perfect is you and me hitched at the end of the day, darlin’.”
“They just seem too generic. ‘Fill in the blank’ and ‘fill in the blank’ request your presence at their wedding at blank o’clock.”
Tyler glanced up from his plate in confusion; both boys were chowing down following an active afternoon of play. “What’s blank o’clock?”
“She didn’t mean it literally,” Grayson said.
“Oh.” Tyler paused. “What’s literally?”
While Grayson tried to sort that out with the boys, Hadley said, “What you need is something to personalize it. A lyric from a song you’ve danced to, or a quote from a favorite movie.”
“Yeah, that works for you,” Sierra said, “you have a romantic streak. But Jarrett’s favorite movie is Die Hard. We are not putting ‘yippee-ki-yay’ on the invites.”
Hadley giggled. “It would be memorable.”
“And just think how much your parents would hate it,” Jarrett told his fiancée.
“Hmm. I do enjoy irritating them. Still.” Sierra shook her head. “It’s not exactly what I want to look back on during our golden years.”
“Maybe a line of poetry would be more elegant?” Hadley suggested.
Grayson looked toward her, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. “Hadley was showing me a book of poems at the library the other day. Maybe she could recommend a selection from it.”
Her cheeks warmed as she thought about the erotic verses, and his grin widened.
“Or maybe you could write us something,” Sierra said.
“What?” Hadley’s attention snapped back to her friend. “Oh, I don’t think so! Poems aren’t my specialty.”
“You’re too modest about your talent.” Sierra turned to Grayson. “Can you believe I had to buy a magazine to finally read her stuff? Heaven knows how she applied for that residency when she’s so neurotic about showing her work to anyone.”
“That’s different,” Hadley protested. “Sending pages to total strangers in a different state isn’t as nerve-racking as showing my stories to my very opinionated friends. It’s not like we can avoid each other if you hate my work, and I don’t want people to feel like they have to pretend. Besides, I needed the practice mailing off my stories. Someday, I hope to be able to submit something without getting nauseous.”
“What’s nauseous?” Tyler asked.
“I know!” his brother said excitedly. “It’s like when you’re about to yarf.”
“Oh.” Tyler leaned forward to see past Grayson’s broad shoulders. “I hope you don’t yarf, Miss Hadley.”
She bit back a laugh. “Thanks.” Aware that there’d been a lot of dinner conversation that excluded the boys, she asked them if the girls had told them lots of good things about living in Cupid’s Bow.
“To tell you the truth,” Sierra said conspiratorially, “I didn’t like Cupid’s Bow when I first moved here. It’s hard to get delivery food, and it’s easy to get lost and the theater never seems to show the movies I want to see. But have you tried the ice-cream parlor on Main Street? It’s incredible. And the stars here are amazing at night.”
That got Sam’s attention. “Vi’s teaching me about constellations! One day I wanna see them through a microscope and—”
“It’s telescope,” Tyler said with an exaggerated eye roll. “Like telephone.”
Sam scowled. “I don’t wanna talk to the stars, I just wanna see ’em.”
“We have a telescope,” Sierra said. “Jarrett bought it for my birthday. The stars are the best part of living on the ranch.”
“A-hem.” Jarrett raised his eyebrows, and she laughed, leaning over to kiss him.
“Second best part,” she amended. “You boys want to take a look after dessert?”
“I wish we could stay that long,” Grayson said, “but the boys start school in the morning. I really need to get these buckaroos home to bed.”
This was met with groans and complaints, but obviously the boys were more tired than they wanted to admit because they were uncharacteristically quiet on the drive back to Violet’s.
As Grayson removed their booster seats from the back of Hadley’s car, Sam walked up to the driver-side window, his eyes wide and imploring. “Will you come in and read a story with us?”
The invitation tugged at her heart, but Grayson had already told them they needed to make a beeline for the bathtub. “Maybe another time. But what I can do,” she said, compromising, “is come give you a good-night hug.” She climbed out of the car, sweeping both boys into her arms. “You two be good at school tomorrow, okay?”
After the boys dutifully nodded and turned toward the house, Grayson instructed, “Tell Aunt Vi I’ll be there in just a minute.” Once they were inside, he took Hadley’s hand, tugging her around the corner and out of view.
She batted her eyelashes at him. “Did you want a good-night hug, too?”
His wicked smile sent a tremor of anticipation through her. “I have a better idea.” And then he was kissing her.
He traced her lips with his tongue and her pulse kicked up a notch as he deepened the kiss. The tremor she’d experienced was replaced with a more pleasurable quiver deep and low. She gripped his shoulders, lost in the longing that had surged to life.
When he finally, reluctantly, pulled away, they were both breathing hard.
“I’d better go inside before someone comes looking for me,” he said. But he didn’t move toward the door.
She ran her hands over his back, reveling in the muscles beneath her fingers. “I’m starting to think you like me.”
The corner of his mouth kicked up in a sexy half grin. “Maybe you and I can get together tomorrow night without the boys and discuss just how much.”
“If only. Leanne has a major literature project due this week and I promised my assistance. We could be working pretty late. I’d have to check my calendar to be sure, but Tuesday might work.”
“Not for me,” he said regretfully. “I have this thing I promised Vi I’d do. Trust me, I’d rather be with you.”
“Wednesday night is wide open. Hint, hint.”
He grinned. “Then it’s a date.”
I have a date with Grayson. Since she was a grown woman, she managed not to squeal with delight—until she was alone in her car. Wednesday couldn’t get here soon enough.
* * *
VI HAD THE boys in the tub by the time Grayson entered the house, so he headed to the kitchen for a cold glass of water. As if that will be enough to cool you down. After Hadley’s kisses, he could jump into an arctic lake and still have heat surging through his veins. He mentally replayed their brief but passionate embrace. The way she—
“Well, you look pretty pleased with yourself,” Vi commented from the doorway. “Your day went well?”
“Very. Oh, hey...any chance you can watch the boys for me for a few hours Wednesday night?” If not, he needed to make other arrangements.
“Sure.”
“And how did your day go?” he asked quickly, before she inquired about his plans. When he’d left for the ranch, Violet had been frantically cleaning. Not that her house was ever truly messy, but she’d seemed to have an excess of nervous energy. She was visibly calmer now. “The meeting with Jim was okay?” He’d encouraged her to take her ex as a client before he’d had the whole story. He hoped it hadn’t been too uncomfortable for her.
She nodded. “I’ve always loved the furniture he makes—I still have all three pieces he gave me—and it’s gratifying that he gets to do it full-time now. And we talked. About his divorce. About you being back. About life in general. It’s pointless to wonder ‘what if,’ but if things had been different...” Her smile was wistful. “I’d better check on the boys and make sure some of the water is still in the tub.”
“I’ll do that. Thanks for getting them started.”
“While you said goodbye to Hadley?” she asked knowingly. “What are the two of you planning to do Wednesday?”
“We, ah, haven’t decided yet.”
He’d been hoping that after their time at the ranch, the boys would fall asleep easily. But bath time seemed to have renewed their energy. Or maybe they were nervous about school tomorrow. He certainly was. The kids he’d gone to kindergarten with were the same people he graduated with; early impressions mattered. So far, the twins had taken relocating to Cupid’s Bow well, but that was easy within the confines of Vi’s cozy home. School, where they would be required to interact with other people every day, was the real test.
Even an hour after he tucked them in, they were still finding excuses to call him back.
“Gray?” Sam’s voice trailed through the house, easily heard over the baseball game Grayson was watching.
Well, sort of watching. It was on the television while he paced circles in the living room.
“I’ll go,” Vi said from behind him. “You’re as restless as they are tonight—maybe not the best person to lull them to sleep.”
He sighed. “It’s ridiculous to be this antsy about a first day of kindergarten, isn’t it?” But they would be the new kids, trying to figure out where the classroom was and what the rules were when the rest of the class already had months of practice.
She patted his shoulder. “Concern for your kids’ well-being is never ridiculous, but they’ll probably feel more confident if you’re not radiating low-level panic.”
Sam called out again, and Vi disappeared down the hallway. Grayson jabbed the remote toward the TV, and the ball game winked into blackness. He needed a better distraction.
He could definitely think of a more pleasant one. In his room, he closed the door and pulled out his phone. He was already scrolling through his contacts for Hadley’s number when he stopped himself. He’d spent most of the evening with her. Was he really so needy that he’d call her only a couple of hours after saying goodbye? Pitiful.
He’d reached for the phone without hesitation, the way he used to with Blaine, knowing he could contact his best friend at any time with good news to celebrate or concerns he needed to vent. Hadn’t Grayson learned his lesson? Best not to be too dependent on other people. He liked Hadley, but he could wait until Wednesday before he talked to her again.
He needed to wait, for his own peace of mind.
Meanwhile, he needed to channel his energy.
“Where are you off to?” Vi asked when he emerged with his truck keys.
“To do some illicit gardening.” Hadley had given him Mrs. Feller’s address. He had gardening supplies and two rosebushes in the truck, but he’d wanted to wait until it was late enough that no neighbors would be walking their dogs one last time or watching fireflies from their porches.
His aunt sighed, still conflicted about his late-night good deeds. “Happy planting. And don’t get caught.”
“That’s my motto.” Or it had been, once upon a time. But he was a different person now, surrounded by new friends and new opportunities. He was grateful for both but still wary. It was when you let your guard down that life was most likely to knock you on your ass.
* * *
STANDING IN SOMEONE else’s flower bed at eleven o’clock at night was an odd place to have an epiphany. But it had occurred to Grayson last night outside Mrs. Feller’s house that for all the strangers and acquaintances he was trying to help, he’d overlooked the person closest to him. Wasn’t it time he repay some small measure of Violet’s kindness? So he’d called Jim McKay first thing Monday morning to ask if they could meet for lunch.
“Sorry I’m so grubby,” Grayson said as he strolled up to the picnic table, a bag in one hand and a minicooler in the other. They’d agreed to meet at the park since it was close to the construction site. “I barely had time to stand in line at the deli before my lunch hour ends. Showering and changing were out of the question.”
“No problem,” Jim said. “I spend a lot of hours in my shop and am covered in head-to-toe sawdust more often than not. Besides, you offered me a free lunch. I’m not going to nitpick the circumstances.” As he accepted the wrapped sandwich Grayson handed over, he added, “Have to say, I was surprised to hear from you, though.”
“Because last time you saw me I was a young punk more likely to slam a door in someone’s face than share a cordial meal with him?”
“Something like that.” He studied Grayson. “Your aunt know you called me?”
“Hell, no. She’d see it as interfering in her life and kick my ass.”
Jim chuckled, but shook his head. “We both know the worst thing she would ever do to you is withhold baked goods for a day or two.”
Easy for you to say, pal. You’re not the one who has a Watermelon Festival meeting to attend tomorrow night. He still couldn’t believe Vi had talked him in to that. “Regardless, I didn’t tell Vi because this isn’t just about her. I have something I need to say.” He popped open his can of soda. Did carbonated caffeine count as liquid courage? It wasn’t easy to look another man in the eye and admit his shortcomings. “I wanted to apologize for being a crappy teenager, for breaking rules and shoplifting and sneering at everyone else in this town.”
Jim’s eyes widened. “So I was right? The church graffiti—was that you?”
He nodded. “I didn’t care then about how my actions would hurt Vi or her reputation if I got busted. I do now. I told her everything. But if my misdeeds are part of why you and Vi ended things—”
“You can’t shoulder the blame there, kid. Violet and I... For all that she has a heart the size of Texas, she can still put up some walls. And me? I’m a selfish SOB. I wanted her all to myself.” He sighed. “I cared more about you cutting in to our already limited time than about your problems. I should have made an effort.”
“No hard feelings.” Grayson squinted against the sun. “But Vi is impressed by people going out of their way to help others. So, if you’re ever interested in getting on her good side, I think the local animal shelter could use some volunteers. Or that teen mentorship initiative of hers...”
“Noted. It’s encouraging that you think I’d have a chance at getting on her good side.”
Vi had been more nervous about sitting down with Jim yesterday than Grayson was about the twins’ first week of school; people only got that flustered when they cared. And she was far too young and social to be his spinster aunt. “I want her to be happy,” he said simply. “Maybe someday you’ll be part of that.”
“Maybe.”
Grayson balled up his empty sandwich bag and stood, executing a perfect shot into the nearby wastebasket. “And it goes without saying that, should you ever hurt Vi, I work on a site where I have access to a backhoe and cement.”
Jim gave a bark of laughter. “You turned out all right, kid.”
“Thanks. I’m a work in progress.”