“We met when I was helping Judge get caught up on service calls. I went out to repair the security cameras and upgrade the system at her business,” Grant answered.
“What kind of business?” Coal asked.
“It’s a storage unit facility called Stuff It,” I said.
Aspen laughed. “That’s a great name!”
“Thanks,” I smiled. “My Nana came up with it.”
“That’s the place beside The Brooklands, right?” Coal asked.
I nodded and wiped my lips with a napkin while I hurried to swallow the food in my mouth. “Yes, it is. My grandparents sold the land to the apartment developers and then opened a storage facility on the land they kept.”
“That’s genius,” Aspen said.
“It’s worked out well for our family.”
A large man with a friendly smile walked up to our table. “Sorry to interrupt, but I overheard your story about your grandparents. Are you Conway Collins’s granddaughter?”
“Yes, I am,” I smiled. “Do you know him?”
He grinned. “I haven’t talked to him in years, but he was once a good buddy of mine. I’ve met you once before, but you were probably too young to remember me.”
I took a good look at his face, and suddenly, I knew exactly who he was. “You gave me a sucker after you helped Nana with her dead battery.”
“That’d be me,” he grinned. “My name’s Bear.”
“I just told Grant that story the other day.”
Grant nudged me with his elbow. “Tell him the rest of it.”
I laughed and covered my face with my hand. “This is so embarrassing. I was little, okay? I didn’t know the right words, so when we got home and Papa asked where I got the sucker, I told him a big man in leather gave it to me after Nana jacked him off.”
Bear threw his head back and laughed, as did the rest of the table. “I can’t believe Conway never told me about that. How’s your grandpa doing?”
“He’s good. He had a bout with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma a few years ago, but he’s been in remission since he completed treatment. Him and Nana bought an RV and are traveling around the country.”
“Tell him I said hello the next time you talk to him. And I’d love to see him when they’re in town sometime,” he said.
“I’ll tell him. They usually make a trip home once during the summer, and they’re always back for the holidays.”
Bear looked up at the sound of his name being called from across the room and then he chuckled. “It looks like my pregnant wife is still hungry. I’ll catch up with y’all later.”
I looked across the room and saw two pregnant women sitting at a table together. “Which one is his wife?” I asked curiously.
“The one laughing. The other one is his son’s wife,” Aspen said.
“They’re pregnant at the same time?” I blurted and immediately covered my mouth with my hand. “Sorry! I didn’t mean that the way it sounded.”
Aspen laughed. “It’s fine. I mean, it is a unique situation.”
Thankfully, Grant jumped in and changed the subject, saving me from the awkward moment. “You two have something in common. I think Aspen enjoys cooking as much as you do.”
“I’m not the only one talented in the kitchen,” she grinned. “Game puts me to shame when it comes to decorating cupcakes.”
“Really?” I asked in surprise. “How did that happen?”
“It’s a secret,” he said cryptically.
