His blood boiled in anger, but he kept his face neutral. There was no reason to put that on his mom. “No.”
She sighed and shook her head. “I don’t know what he’s thinking. If your father were still here…”
He could see the pain that his brother’s actions were causing his mom and he wanted to wring his neck for it. Jim was a selfish, asshole who couldn’t care less about the wake he left from his destructive behavior.
As pissed as he was that he’d left Chrissy and the kids, he was actually glad that they were rid of him. For years he’d “travelled for work” and barely spent any time at home. Chrissy had been, for all intents and purposes a single mom. Plus, she’d cared for his mom. Maybe now she could find a partner that would actually show up for her. Or at least not have to carry the deadweightthat was Jim Caldwell.
His mom exhaled as she sat up straighter in bed. “How’s work?”
“Good.” He lowered down in the chair beside her bed.
Her lips flattened into a line as she tilted her head to the side. “Whisper Lake is not Los Angeles.”
That was the understatement of the century. “I know.”
A sad smile curled at the edges of her mouth. “I’m sorry.”
“You have nothing to be sorry about.”
“Yes, I do. You loved L.A. You were about to be promoted.” Tears pooled in her lower lids.
Grady had never handled women crying very well, especially not women he loved. “I hated the traffic and, you were right, I was never going to find someone to settle down with there.” Was it a little bit manipulative to bring up the only subject he knew would distract his mom from thinking about all he gave up to move? Sure.
But it worked like a charm.
She sniffed and he saw a light of hope flash in her hazel eyes as her smile widened. “Well from what Chrissy tells me, it seems like you have some help in that department. I hear you are the newest target of the Needlepoint Mafia.”
His mom had wanted him to settle down for a while. The heat on his singledom really got turned up after he hit thirty. It went from her bringing up his love life casually, to an all-out campaign to find someone he liked so much he’d put a ring on it. If he didn’t know any better, he’d think his mom had put the meddling seniors up to it.
“It seems that way. Last night I got a call about a possible prowler, but it turned out that I was at Laura Lopez’s house. She answered the door in a towel, a very small towel.”
His mom chuckled lightly. “That sounds like quite the meet-cute.”
“It wasn’t.” His mom loved romance novels and the meet-cute was her favorite part. She loved the moment that two people’s lives changed forever after a chance, or even a not so chance, meeting.
He’d had a real life meet cute last night, but it wasn’t with Laura. His mind flashed back to Olive St. Claire opening the door. The moment he laid eyes on her it felt like a bolt of lightning struck him. He’d never experienced anything like it.
Part of him wanted to tell his mom about it, but he wasn’t going to. If he did, she might get the wrong idea. This wasn’t one of her novels. He wasn’t even sure if he’d see Olive again, and if he did, if she’d be interested. Hell, for all he knew she was in a serious relationship. He hadn’t seen a ring, but that didn’t necessarily mean she wasn’t married.
No, he’d keep this to himself.
“Laura’s very attractive.”
“She is,” Grady agreed.
“And she’s a successful business owner.”
Grady nodded. “She is.”
“What is it gonna take for you to be interested in someone and actually settle down?”
Olive’s face popped into his mind’s eye as a warm sensation spread through him.
“Someone…special.”
Her brows lifted an inch as her eyes widened. “Got anyone in mind?”
His mom knew him too well. If this conversation continued, he’d end up spilling everything.