Chapter 7
All it tookfor Grant to come off his high was to be asked about his past with Dee. He’d been in love. At least he thought he had. He’d asked her to marry him, for heaven’s sake. He’d wanted to build a future with her by his side—one where they could do anything and go anywhere.
Money.
That was what he’d needed to ensure their future, and what better way than to build an empire?
Dee hadn’t seen it that way. She didn’t want him spending so much time in the office and away from her. Every complaint, every dig at his confidence had ultimately been what had led to him agreeing to the annulment.
Neither of them had been entirely at fault.
He vividly remembered sitting with their lawyers as they asked all the typical questions. Even now, he flinched every time he heard her voice in his head telling the lawyer there wasn’t a chance she was pregnant.
The letter he’d received hadn’t said whether or not she’d known. It had only apologized to him for keeping the secret from him all those years.
Grant scowled out the window, his vision coming back into focus as he watched the deputy walk to her patrol car. He probably should have just told her what he was thinking. Would it put him in a bad light? Sure. But his work ethic had nothing to do with the vandalism that was being reported.
That officer was intelligent. She could read people. He’d seen it in the way she watched him. She was probably looking for tics and tells as to whether he was lying. One thing was for certain, she wasn’t going to be satisfied with half-answers.
He turned away from the window. None of that mattered. Neither did his past. He’d been a different person back then, and he’d made changes to prove it. No one could claim he wasn’t doing everything in his power to take care of Nick. That was all that mattered now.
Grant glanced out the window, noting how the deputy stood outside her car as she scribbled something else on the pad. Her eyes lifted to the RV as if she could feel his gaze on her. The tinted windows prevented her from seeing anything, but it didn’t stop the hairs from lifting on the back of his neck.
He should have asked what her name was. Calling her Officer Whitfield was getting tiresome.
Nope. He wasn’t even going to go there. His past was littered with short relationships that never went anywhere. Dee had been the one for him, and he’d bombed it. That woman out there wouldn’t put up with him, anyway. He would just have to admire her from a distance.
She had the kind of drive and persistence he looked for when hiring people. She would have fit in perfectly back in Nashville.
The door swung open and an out-of-breath Nick stared up at him. “Can I ask the deputy to turn on the siren? Grandma said I had to ask you before I asked her, and she’s gonna leave.”
Grant shot a look toward the source of his admiration once again. She hadn’t gotten into her vehicle yet. “I thought you wanted to head to the park today.”
Nick’s head craned around to stare at the car. “What if I asked her real nice? It’ll only take a second.” He danced from one foot to the other. “I swear it’ll be fast.”
“And spook the animals? Bo wouldn’t be the only one to bite our heads off for that one.” He headed down the steps, gently pushing his son to the side. “Come on, let’s get going. It’s a beautiful day and we can get some lunch on the way there.”
Before Grant had the chance to shut the door, Charlotte’s voice called out to them. He turned, finding her headed their way with a casserole dish in one hand and a pie tin in the other.
“I’m so glad I caught you. I have some leftovers from the lunch I prepared for the wranglers, and I thought I’d share.”
Nick made a face and glanced up at his dad. The pleading in his face said it all. He wasn’t interested in home-cooked food when junk food was figuratively on the table.
Grant shrugged, muttering to his son, “We’ll get dinner on the way home. Go set the table, will you?”
True to his little-boy nature, Nick groaned. “But?—”
“Steak dinner and ice cream sundaes sound good to you?”
His eyes brightened and he darted into the RV.
Grant turned to Charlotte as she reached his side. “We’d love to have lunch with you. Thanks. I’ll get some coffee.”
“Oh, that’s not necessary.” She brushed him off, pushing past him. “I don’t want to put you to any trouble.”
Something about her voice always seemed a little off, but he’d chalked it up to the country living. Charlotte was old fashioned, and she liked things a certain way. It didn’t matter if it was with her clothing choices or the way she led her life, she wanted everyone to care like she did.
“It’s no trouble.” Grant smiled, risking one more glance over his shoulder toward the officer but finding that she’d left. He followed his ex-mother-in-law inside and grabbed her a fresh cup of coffee. With his back turned, he listened to Nick chatting her ear off about the deputy and the car.
“That sounds exciting, but you know something? I don’t think I would have ever let you get in a police officer’s car. Your dad is a bit of a pushover.”
He flinched. Charlotte’s passive-aggressive words were just enough to not cross the line. Nick didn’t view them as putting his father down, at least not yet. Charlotte was highly opinionated, but she was also smitten with her grandson. And Nick adored her, so Grant tolerated everything else.
Turning around with the mug, he placed it in front of her. Before he could brush off what she’d said, Nick went and made it worse.
“He didn’t know. I snuck away.”
Charlotte’s head snapped up and she stared hard at Grant. “You let him sneak away?”
“It’s okay, Grandma. You said the police are nice. Dad was on the phone.”
Her voice was more strident than before. “He wasn’t paying attention,” she said flatly.
Grant offered her a chagrined smile, but it probably wasn’t enough to hide his defensive body language. He shouldn’t have to fight to tell his side of the story. And after learning about the issues with the custody arrangement, he didn’t think arguing with her would do him any favors.
“It was an honest mistake.”
“Mmhmm.” That was the only thing she said as she scooped up some of the shepherd’s pie she’d put together.
Every syllable of that one sound grated on his nerves. Her judgmental looks would be the least of his problems if she chose to fight him on this custody issue. So, he took his seat and scooped up a big bite of the casserole.
Nick continued to talk about the deputy, chattering on as if nothing was wrong. And why shouldn’t he? The innocence of youth was something he still had in spades.
Charlotte turned to him with a wide smile. “How would you like to have a sleepover at Nana’s tonight? Just like before your dad came to town.”
Grant stiffened. She should have asked him first. He was responsible for decisions about Nick. His frown deepened, and while his mouth was full of food, he couldn’t argue before Nick gave his response.
“No thanks. Today is a daddy-son day. We’re going to stay up late and play games.”
Charlotte’s stare would have been enough to turn him to stone if she wasn’t just a mortal. Grant swallowed down the food he had in his mouth. She was a mortal, but one who could cook circles around any five-star chef.
Grant glanced down at Nick with a broad smile. His heart practically soared. It was moments like this that made every sacrifice worth it. Nick was picking him over his grandmother—something that wouldn’t have happened even two weeks ago. Sure, it might have been due to him having had such a good day, but it was still happening.
Everything was going to work out.
* * *
“Whoa.I’ve never been here before!”
Grant chuckled. “Your mom never brought you here?”
Nick’s eyes darted from one wall to the other from the moment they entered the Steer House. He shook his head, but the excitement never left his face. “She always said we have good enough food at home.”
“She was probably right.”
This time, his son’s gaze locked with Grant’s and his excitement dimmed slightly. “She was right about a lot of things.”
Grant didn’t know what that could mean—probably anything. Nick was a kid. His sober expression more than likely related to missing his mother. He had bounced back better than any kid his age, but that didn’t mean his heart wasn’t broken.
Clearing his throat, Grant motioned toward the hostess. “That young lady is going to seat us. Then you can pick whatever you want.”
When they were taken to their table, Nick practically hollered with glee. “Officer Whitfield!”
Her head snapped around and her eyes found Grant’s before darting to Nick. “Hey there, kiddo.”
Nick jumped up and down at her table. “What are you doing here? Can we sit with you?”
Once again, her eyes found Grant’s. “Actually, I’m on a date, sweetheart.” Her face filled with color as she brought her focus to Nick. “He’s in the bathroom.”
Nick frowned. “Oh.”
“Come on, bud. This is our table.” Grant nodded to the deputy. Her hair was down, framing her face in soft curls, and her eyes were accentuated by just the right amount of makeup to make them shine. It was nearly impossible to tear his attention from her, but when Nick tugged on his hand, he had no choice.
“Can we get dessert first?”
“I don’t know, kid.”
“You said I could get whatever I wanted.”
Grant laughed. “I said you could get whatever you wanted but not in whatever order you wanted it in.”
Nick scrunched up his face. “Huh?”
Laughing again, he shook his head. “Never mind.”
A tall man approached and walked right past their table. “I’m sorry, Bella. You’re going to hate me.”
There was a short-lived silence. “No, Todd. You’re not going to bail on me again. We haven’t even gotten our food yet.”
“It’s paid for. You can still enjoy it.”
“Are you kidding me?” she hissed. “You’re seriously going to leave?”
“I said I was sorry.”
Grant glanced over his shoulder to see the man shrug into his jacket.
“How about a rain check?”
“No,” she snapped. “If you leave, I’m not going out with you again.”
Grant shouldn’t be eavesdropping. He knew it. And yet he couldn’t help himself.
“Well, if that’s how you feel, then I guess this is it. See you around, Bella.”
Nick’s focus had landed on the man as well, watching him head for the door. Then, without warning, he poked his head over the barrier that separated their booth from Bella’s.
“Do you want to eat with us? We won’t leave early.”
There was nothing Grant could do to stop his kid from overstepping. And a part of him couldn’t have been prouder. With courage Grant didn’t know he possessed, he turned in his seat.
“Nick’s right. We won’t leave. You’re welcome to join us if you’d like.”
Bella hesitated. Finally, a grim smile touched her lips. “Sure, I’d love to.”
She gathered up her things and moved over to their table, choosing the seat across from Grant. When Nick was preoccupied with the menu, Grant leaned forward.
“For what it’s worth, that guy sounded like an idiot.”
Her smile was more of a grimace than anything else. “I can’t believe you had to see that.”
Grant pressed his lips firmly together and glanced toward the door. “Don’t worry about it. I’ve seen worse. We’re just glad we bumped into you.”