Of course, he also had a parade of issues he needed to work through, but she couldn’tmaketwo people fall in love with each other.So she wasn’tforcinganyone to take on anyone else’s issues.Because Cal wasn’t alone in having issues.Jill had Glenda, and Glendawasa bit of an issue.
“What are you plotting?”
Aly looked up from where she’d been stirring the mashed potatoes.She hadn’t heard Landon come in from the dining room.Because shehadbeen plotting.
He didn’t need to know that.Not when he looked vaguely disapproving but relaxed, instead of tense or worried.He was a lot more relaxed these days, and justthatfilled Aly with a kind of contentment she had been missing all these years.
So much bad had happened, but there could still be so much happy.So much hope for a future.
She smiled at him, filled to the brim with love.
And conviction thatsheshould dosomethingfor Cal.“I love you, you know.”
“Now I’mreallysuspicious.”But he dropped his mouth to hers and murmured the words back to her, before kissing her.
“Hell.What iswithyou all?”Cal muttered.“Did no one hear the door?”Then he strode off, presumably to answer the door.
Landon kissed her again, making her smile.
*
Jill didn’t knowwhy Aly had invited her and Grandma to dinner.Based on howweirdAly was being, Jill wasn’t sure shewantedto know.
But it would be an opportunity to talk to Cal about the book proposal, and her agent was getting irritated with her not responding to emails about it.
Jill had to admit she was kind of enjoying holding someone else up for once, but the enjoyment was short-lived because…
She wanted to write the damn book.
Why did she have to have a conscience?Why had she thought this wouldn’t be complicated?Okay, she’dknownit would be complicated, but when an idea didn’t want to let go, it was hard not to forgo complicated because those complications would comelater.
Later was now.
She parked her truck next to the row of others.Sam and Nate were here, and she assumed the big SUV with the temp tags was Cal’s new vehicle.She sure hoped it was Cal’s and not some new stranger to be added to the mix.
After the past year, Jill was done with new people and surprises and heart-breaking mysteries.
She glanced over at her grandmother.Well, she wasn’t done, because she was still hoping Sam would findsomeexplanation for her grandmother.
Grandma looked back at her, the placid expression on her face slowly turning to one of frustration.She lifted her hands to sign in her rudimentary way.
Stop staring at me like I’m dying.Then she pushed the car open and carefully got out of the truck.
Jill blew out a breath.She wasn’t worried about her grandmother dying these days, at least not in any immediate way, but she was worried.
She got out of the truck herself.Watched as Grandma walked up to the house with certain strides.She’d fully recovered from her stroke and was even looking sturdier and doing better than she had been last year at this time.
Jill knew she should be happy with that—content not to rock the boat.
But she wasn’t.
She followed Grandma, carrying the rolls Grandma had spent the afternoon making.When she made it onto the porch, Grandma had already knocked.
After a brief wait, the door opened.
To Cal.
He eyed them both, and Jill couldn’t read the expression on his face.Blank seemed to be the prevailing response.Still, his mouth curved into a smile that she wondered if anyone fell for.It was a charming smile.He was a handsome guy.
