“Memories.”
Holly’s smile brightened, her touch dancing across small knobs Colt had whittled by hand. “Can I see?”
“Go ahead. You’re gonna do what you want to.” A querulous note vied with long-suffering affection in Mrs. Sadie’s dry voice. “Always have.”
Apparently, he didn’t quite swallow his laugh because Holly fixed him with a killing look before opening the first drawer to peek inside. Awe and hope and intrigue made her glow all over again, and he rocked back on his heels. Holy hell, she was beautiful.
“This is amazing. Someone did all of this by hand.” She cradled a drawer on her lap, caressing the joinery. With a speculative frown, she glanced up at Colt. “It feels familiar. Is this Chuck’s work?”
Mouth shut, Colt spread his hands on a shrug.
“I’ll have to ask him.” Sliding the drawer back into place, she straightened. “Gran, do you need anything while we’re here?”
Colt found himself dispatched to the vending machines because Mrs. Sadie wanted a Sprite and a pack of crackers, while Holly fussed around the room with a myriad of little tasks. Finally, Holly wrapped Mrs. Sadie in a tight hug. “We’re gonna get going, Grandma.”
Mrs. Sadie smacked thin lips and gestured Colt closer with an imperious gesture that was all too familiar. “Come get a hug, Lamar.”
He stiffened, and Holly winced. “Gran–”
“Have a good night, Mrs. Sadie.” Giving in was easier, even if being Tick’s stand-in chafed. He leaned down to fold Mrs. Sadie in a brief hug.
Strong fingers gripped his biceps, and she squinted at his face. “You smell like Gene.”
A surprised chuckle burst free. “Goodnight, Mrs. Sadie.”
Holly waited until they were outside to laugh. “Oh, my Lord, that was weird.”
“You think?” He cast her an askance look as they walked toward the exit. “I don’t want to know how your grandma knows what my grandaddy smells like.”
“Oh.” Holly covered her mouth with both hands, eyes wide with gleeful horror. “Oh, Colton, can you imagine?”
“Holly.” He swung the door open. His psyche had enough trouble with the idea Gene was Louise’s second husband and every reality that entailed. He did not want any mental pictures involving Grandaddy and Mrs. Sadie. “I don’twantto imagine.”
Her laugh rang out, helpless and chagrined, and he grinned, glad she was more relaxed, more herself, even if every millimeter of skin he possessed was crawling. “Lord help us.”
Still giggling, she pressed a hand over her heart. “Maybe they just danced together at prom or something.”
“You are not helping.” A laugh rumbled up from his chest, and he paused on the sidewalk in front of his truck, staring down into sparkling blue eyes, enchanted by her glowing expression.
Hell, Holly, I love you.
He tried the words out in his brain, smart enough not to let them form on his lips because she wasn’t ready and D had not raised a fool. Instead, he settled for cupping a gentle hand around the back of her skull and leaning down for a chaste, standing-on-the-sidewalk-in-Coney-Georgia kiss. Hands pressed to his chest, she flexed her fingers into the fine knit of his sweater, mouth moving under his before she levered back, eyes shining.
A hand at her waist, he rubbed his thumb over that kitten-soft sweater. “We should go.”
With a disgusted noise, she turned toward the passenger door. “Don’t remind me.”
“Why are we even doing this?” He tugged the door open and stepped back so she could sit and slide her legs in.
“Because if I don’t go, she wins.” Puffing her bangs out of her eyes, she latched her seatbelt with more than necessary force. “She already won him. She’s not getting my friends, too.”
Mid-breath, his lungs seized up like an oilless engine. Unable to exhale, he gripped the top of the door until the metal bit his fingers. In slow motion, Holly lifted her horrified blue eyes to his. “That did not come out the way I meant.”
“Yeah.” His voice came out like shattered safety glass.
“Colton, really–”
“It’s fine.” She was fucking calling him Colton after saying that? He stepped back, dropped his hand, and prepared to shut the door. “You know what? That’s a lie. It’s not fine.”
