As Grant strode to his truck, he knew he was in big trouble. First of all, Maurie didn’t know he was the one who’d changed her life. Because of him, she’d been put into foster care. Fortunately, it seemed she’d had amazing foster parents, and that might be why she seemed so successful now. Although, there was still baggage over her real mother. Maurie hadn’t even visited the woman’s grave.
Second, being around Maurie for less than an hour had brought up thoughts that had long been buried by Joy. Thoughts of what it might be like to date Maurie, to really get to know her. To become a part of her life. She was beautiful, there was no doubt, and he was definitely attracted to her.
Therein lay the problem. Grant would be spending hours at Maurie’s house over the next few weeks, and they’d likely have many encounters. It wouldn’t be fair not to tell her about his role in her last night in Pine Valley.
Grant climbed into his truck. The wintry air had turned sharp, and he cranked on the heater. He took a final look at the house before pulling away from the curb. Had he done the right thing ten years ago? Looking at how successful and seemingly content Maurie was now, he could probably talk himself into believing it had all been for the best. But a short visit with her couldn’t erase ten years of questions and guilt. There had to be much more that she wasn’t telling him. If the roles had been reversed, he couldn’t imagine what he might be feeling.
Grant turned the corner, heading to his last appointment of the day as a dusting of snow fell from the dark-gray sky. He’d spent the last two weeks building and painting cupboards for Mrs. Jones, two blocks over. Today he’d mount all of the cupboards and install the hardware. He couldn’t wait to see the finished product, and it would be a welcome distraction to take his thoughts away from the beautiful woman he’d just spent time with.
When Grant stopped in front of Mrs. Jones’s house, he let the truck idle for a couple of minutes as he gathered his thoughts. Should he tell Maurie that he’d been the one to call the cops on her mom? Wouldn’t it only bring more pain and dredge up bad memories? Mind made up, he shut off the engine and climbed out.
Mrs. Jones greeted him at the door, a smile on her cheerful, round face and a plate of muffins in hand.
“Bless you, Mrs. Jones,” he said with a grin. “I’m starving.”
“You’re too thin for a full-grown man,” Mrs. Jones said. “I baked these special for you. From one of those mixes, but I didn’t think you’d mind.”
“I don’t mind.” Grant walked with her into the kitchen and ate two muffins before he started the install. As he worked, he could hear the hum of a game show on television.
It reminded him of time spent at his own grandparents’ house when he was a kid. The warmth of the house, the smell of homemade goods, and the drone of the television on a cold winter afternoon. Grant thought of Maurie and how she didn’t even have grandparents.
The install went smoothly, and Mrs. Jones insisted on writing him a check then and there.
“Thank you, Mrs. Jones,” he said. “Be sure to call us if there’s anything else you need.”
Mrs. Jones patted his arm. “You are a dear. Thank you, my boy. And be sure to take the rest of the muffins. I’m more of a donut gal.”
Grant laughed and took the paper plate she offered.
He left the warmth and kindness of Mrs. Jones’s house, only to arrive home to the dark and cold apartment he called his own.
As he flipped on the kitchen light, a reminder popped up on his cell phone. He’d forgotten about dinner with his sister, Julie. He was no longer starving, thanks to the muffins; besides, he had some research to do. So he texted Julie that he wouldn’t make dinner. He turned up the thermostat a notch and settled at his kitchen table, where he turned on his too-slow laptop and googled Maurie Ledbetter.
Before he knew it, he’d spent two hours clicking on links associated with her name. She’d graduated high school with honors and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in college. When he poked around on her Facebook page, he unearthed only a few pictures. To see more he’d need to friend her. But she looked happy and healthy and successful from what he saw.
Grant shut off the laptop and leaned back in his chair. Night had deepened around him, and his apartment felt emptier than normal. At least Maurie would have a roommate soon. Yet he thought about all of her losses—and they were all significant.
The guilt that churned in his stomach would fade with time. Right? He’d spend the next couple of weeks fixing up her house while she’d put together her shop. How much would he really see her anyway? After his job was completed he might see her once in a while about the town, but to have a congenial relationship with her, it wasn’t as if he needed to bare his soul.
Besides, he had his own issues to deal with. Telling Maurie about his part in her past might only give her an additional burden. So he’d re-focus on his own problems.
He reached for his phone and pulled up Joy’s number. Calling his ex-wife was his least favorite thing to do, but for now it was the only way to get through to Trent. Grant hoped FaceTime would change all of that.
“Grant, it’s late,” Joy said with no preamble.
He glanced at the microwave digital clock. It was 8:45 p.m., later than he’d thought. “Is Trent still awake?”
Joy sighed. “You know I don’t want his bedtime routine messed up. He’s reading books with Stone.”
Something in Grant’s heart pinched. As much as he couldn’t stand Stone, Grant wanted to be the one putting Trent to bed each night. “I’ll keep it short,” Grant said. He waited for her to argue, and he wouldn’t be surprised if she did. But the fact that Joy had answered the phone in the first place told him she was in a generous mood.
“All right,” she said, not bothering to hide the exasperation in her tone. “Ten minutes tops.”
Grant didn’t have a chance to reply, and while he was waiting for Joy to take the phone to Trent, Grant wondered how his life had gone from being married and taking care of Trent most of the time to being told that he could only be a dad for ten minutes at a time. If there had been any way to save his marriage, Grant would have done it. Hell, he’d been the one to suggest counseling, and he was always bending backwards to meet every single one of Joy’s demands. But in the end, Grant’s profession and simple lifestyle weren’t enough for Joy.
“Daddy?” Trent’s small voice came through the phone.
All of Grant’s dark thoughts disintegrated in a second. “Hey, buddy. Are you getting ready for bed?”
“Yeah, I’m reading a joke book.”
Grant chuckled even though his heart ached. “Sounds cool. Can you tell me a joke?”
“Okay.” Trent paused. “What has ears but can’t hear?”
“Um...” Grant stalled. “I have no idea.”
Trent giggled. “A cornfield. Get it?”
Grant laughed. “I get it.”
“Want to hear another one?”
“Yeah, in a second,” Grant said. “I want to try something first. Can you get your iPad?”
When Trent got his iPad, Grant told him how to turn on FaceTime in the settings. “I’m going to hang up and call you, okay? Do you know how to answer?”
Seconds later, Grant was gazing at Trent’s face on his phone.
“I can see you, Daddy!” Trent said.
“And I can see you,” Grant said with a grin. “How about I call you every night at eight thirty on your iPad, and you can tell me any new jokes.”
“Okey-dokey,” Trent said. “Ready for the next one?”
Grant would always be ready.
They spent the next ten minutes talking and laughing as Trent told Grant his jokes.
By the time Grant hung up with Trent, he felt less empty. Less alone. This FaceTime thing was going to make a big difference, and he had Maurie to thank for it.