Grant answered Joy’s call on the first ring, trying not to sound full of dread, even though he was. He’d dropped off Trent thirty minutes before, and Joy wasn’t home. So Grant had relinquished him to Stone. The two men had a conciliatory relationship, and that was just fine with Grant.
But Grant also knew that Joy would get an earful of stories about Maurie.
She’d been with him and Trent a lot over the past three days. Maurie had made Trent pudding and all kinds of treats—all of which he had loved as he started feeling better. Taffy had even jumped in and spoiled the kid, buying him a set of Hot Wheels that Trent kept in his pockets at all times.
The four of them had gone to the latest Pixar movie in the theaters. And Grant and Maurie had taken Trent to the ice-skating rink, where Grant learned that Maurie had never been ice skating.
“Hi, Joy,” Grant said, picking up his phone.
“How much sugar did Trent have?” Joy said without any other type of greeting.
“Today, or over the past three days?”
There was a pause, and Trent pictured the way her bright, lipsticked mouth would purse before she came up with a controlled answer.
“He says he has a tummy ache,” Joy said, in that so-familiar accusatory tone of hers.
Okay, so that was a game-changer. “He didn’t have any candy today,” Grant said in a more subdued tone. “Scrambled eggs for breakfast, chicken strips and apple slices for lunch. He ate fruit snacks on the way to your house.” Since that first morning Maurie had made scrambled eggs, Trent had asked for them the next two mornings.
Joy exhaled audibly. “Okay, well maybe it’s the antibiotic. One of my friends said that after a few days, an antibiotic can make your stomach upset.”
“Well, keep me posted if it gets worse,” Grant said. Trent hadn’t complained to him, but he hated to think his son might start feeling sick again.
“And you told me you weren’t living with that woman,” Joy said.
It took Grant a second to catch up with her change of subject. “Maurie? She has a name, you know. And she doesn’t live with me.”
“Trent said she makes the best scrambled eggs,” Joy said.
First of all, maybe the scrambled eggs were for dinner, and second of all, Grant owed Joy no explanation about the woman he was dating. “Trent’s right. They’re excellent.”
Joy puffed out a breath. “You know that all of your decisions affect Trent’s life.”
“Yes, as do yours,” Grant said in a pointed voice. Where was his vote when Joy decided to move miles away and move in with her boyfriend, Stone? They weren’t even married, yet Grant was expected to play along with everything they decided for Trent.
“It’s hard to leave my son, Grant,” Joy said. “I don’t want to have to worry about what he’s experiencing when he’s not in my home.”
Now Grant was angry. “He’s my son too, Joy. And you know that I’ll do anything for Trent, except stay out of his life. I can email over the custody agreement if you’ve somehow misplaced it.”
Joy said nothing for a moment, and then she hung up.
Grant wasn’t surprised. She hung up on him regularly. He just hated to think of all the fun and love that Trent experienced when he was with him, and then Trent had to return to his mother.
Grant stayed lost in his turbulent thoughts until he pulled up to Maurie’s house. She was officially closing on the store this week and would be holding the grand opening the following week. He turned off the ignition of his SUV and gazed at the front of the house for a moment. Memories of the past now collided with more recent memories.
Seeing her with Trent these past few days had done something to Grant’s heart that he hadn’t expected. There had been a time when he’d had no interest in dating, no interest in getting into another relationship, because he’d determined that his life was full enough with work and Trent. But the past few days had shown him that there was room for more. And that more was better.
Trent had been absolutely taken with Maurie.
Grant was too.
Which meant he had to tell Maurie about their past. He’d ask her to dinner tonight, so they could be assured to be separated from Taffy.
He climbed out of his SUV and strode up to the house. His equipment was inside; all he had left was some electrical work to replace the light fixtures.
Maurie had told him to walk in, so he did, and immediately the scent of baked goods struck him. He made his way to the kitchen, where he could hear some noise. Maurie was standing at the stove, stirring something in a pan.
Her green eyes met his, and she smiled.
Grant’s heart flipped over. He wished that tonight was already over with and everything was good and normal between them.
“Hi,” she said. She was wearing black jeans and a faded pink sweater that hugged her curves. Her hair was pulled into a twist, exposing the elegance of her neck. “Want to try some wassail? It’s a new recipe.”
Grant didn’t see Taffy anywhere, so he took the wooden spoon from Maurie and set it on the counter, then he drew Maurie into his arms.
Maurie laughed as her arms went about his neck. “Is that a yes or no?”
“It’s a maybe in a minute.” Grant kissed her, long and slow, because he was being selfish. Because he knew things could very well change between them. And because he didn’t want to forget these moments with Maurie.
She pressed against him and kissed him back. Grant pulled her closer, running his hands up her back, then tangling them into her hair. He couldn’t get enough of her, which meant he had to stop.
He reluctantly drew away.
“How was Trent on the drive?” she asked, her fingers brushing against the nape of his neck.
“Chattered like he was a sports announcer.”
Maurie laughed. “I guess he’s better, then?”
“Yeah, except Joy called and said he had a stomachache.”
A crease formed between Maurie’s brows, and Grant wanted to smooth it away. “I’m pretty sure he’s okay, though,” he said.
“I hope so,” Maurie said. “I already miss him.”
Grant nodded. “Me too.” He both loved and hated that Maurie was attached to Trent. It would make his confession all that harder.
His heart was pounding, and it wasn’t because he held a beautiful and inviting woman in his arms. It was because he knew he had to tell her before any more time passed.
“Uh, Maurie, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about something,” he said in a slow voice.
She tilted her head. “Okay.”
When he didn’t say anything right away, her eyes grew wary.
“Let’s talk outside,” he said, glancing toward the hallway. He didn’t want Taffy interrupting. He grasped Maurie’s hand, and they left the house.
Once inside the SUV, he started the engine and turned up the heater.
“What’s going on, Grant?” she asked, folding her arms and lifting her brows.
Why did her eyes have to be so beautiful and her lips so inviting?
He exhaled. “First, I need to apologize. There’s something I should have told you when I came to your house to do the bid. The timing didn’t seem right, and I...” He paused and lifted a hand to brush away a lock of hair that had fallen against her cheek.
Maurie merely stared at him, confusion on her face.
“I had wondered about you for years.”
A slight smile touched her face.
“I was worried, actually,” he said, looking away for a moment.
“You’re a sweet man, Grant Shelton,” she said.
He grasped her hand, and Maurie easily linked her fingers with his.
“Don’t say that,” he insisted in a quiet voice. “I ... On your last night in Pine Valley, I came to your house. I was going to invite you to the high school dance.”
Her lips parted with surprise.
“I wasn’t going to do anything fancy,” he said. “Just knock on your door and talk to you.” She smiled, but Grant couldn’t make himself join her.
“It was probably about nine thirty at night,” he continued, “and I knew it was late for a school night, but the lights were on at your house.”
Her smile faded, and Grant’s heart rate sped up.
“My mom’s party,” she whispered.
“Yeah,” Grant said. “The music was loud, and there were a few cars in front of your house. I figured they were your mom’s friends. So I waited a while, trying to build up my courage. I didn’t really want to face a bunch of people when I tried to talk to you.”
Maurie nodded and bit her lip.
“But then...” Grant looked down at their clasped hands. Her skin was so smooth, and seeing her hand in his made him feel protective. “As I started up the walkway, the front door burst open, and a man came stumbling out. Your mom was right behind him. It was Joe. And your mom was yelling at him for cheating on her. She threw a beer bottle at him.”
Maurie’s face had gone still.
Grant had to continue, get it all out. “Joe ducked, but then he turned around and charged after her, cursing. I think I was in shock, and I didn’t really know what to do. I could only think of you inside that house and being hurt by that man, or Joe turning on your mom.”
Maurie turned her head to look out the front window.
“So I called the cops,” Grant said quietly. “By the time they came, everyone else had gone home. It was just you and your mom inside. Still, I stayed on the other side of the street, afraid to identify myself. While the cops were inside your house, I went back home.”
Maurie pulled her hand away and wiped at her cheeks.
His eyes burned with his own tears, and he wished she’d look at him. Say something. Anything. “Maurie, you have to know that I had no idea you’d be taken from your home and put in foster care. And I didn’t intend for your mom to get arrested.” He blew out a breath and rubbed his face. “If I could go back, I wouldn’t have called. I feel like because of me, your whole life was turned upside down.”
Maurie didn’t move, didn’t speak. Tears dripped down her face, and Grant wanted to pull her into his arms. Soak up her tears. But he felt a divide forming between them.
He knew the only thing he could do now was wait for her answer.
“My mother’s problems weren’t your fault,” she said at last.
Relief should have flooded through Grant, but he was still on edge. “I know, but I’m sorry. I made a decision that I can’t ever take back.”
Maurie gave a small nod. “And my life was already upside down.” Her voice trembled as she looked at her twisting hands. “I knew that someone must have called the cops, and I never really thought of who it might have been. Things happened in a whirlwind, and I probably still haven’t fully processed that night.”
“I wish I could go back and change things,” Grant said. “I wish I had just knocked on your door instead of—”
Maurie held up her hand. “My mom did belong in jail, at least according to the law.” She wiped at her cheeks again. “I need some time to digest this all.”
“I understand,” Grant said, his heart heavy. He wanted to take her hand again, to pull her into his arms, to have her accept his comfort. His love. Because he knew he was in love with her, and this was perhaps the very worst time to realize it.
Maurie exhaled a shaky breath. She glanced at him, then looked away, and Grant hated the misery that was in her eyes.
“I think I need to be by myself for a while.” She popped open the door before he could respond.
Grant watched her walk back into the house. He’d never felt so helpless before. Not even when Joy said she was going to fight for full custody of Trent just because she knew it would hurt him. At least then Grant knew he could hire a lawyer to represent him.
Had he let things go too far with Maurie? Had she just walked away from him for good? Was it over before things had really started?
Grant wrapped his hands around the steering wheel, squeezing until his knuckles went white. What he wouldn’t give to go back to that fateful night. He could have knocked on her door. Stood up to Joe. Talked to Maurie. Or even left and returned the next day to talk to her.
Grant closed his eyes and exhaled. There was literally nothing he could do to change the past. And it had been the right thing to tell Maurie. Now he’d have to live with the fallout. He opened his eyes and stared at Maurie’s house, feeling as if he’d just shed a warm coat and was standing in the middle of an icy blizzard.