Brett was the one who’d been the angriest with her for not showing up for her father when he was in the hospital and for his funeral. But Brett was the one who’d taken her to town, so maybe he’d forgiven her. Even if he had, Brett was insistent on staying single, on forever being a bachelor cowboy.
So maybe he would be their first failure with their matchmaking.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Unloading the animalsand setting them up in their new homes took Brett longer than he’d thought it would. Hopefully, Trish hadn’t had any issues with Lucy. She was already getting nervous about raising twin babies on her own. He could understand that; he was nervous for her doing it alone. And he was nervous for himself, too, that he kept feeling some obligation toward her and those babies.
Was it just because she was Frank’s daughter?
Was that why he felt like he had to keep stepping in and helping even when he didn’t agree with what she was doing? At least with the petting zoo and kids’ camps. He had no intention of helping her with her kids, and despite her nerves she claimed that she didn’t want help.
He totally understood why she wanted to raise her kids on her own. He would have hated growing up like she had, shuffled between bickering parents. He hadn’t been too happy about the way he’d grown up after his family had moved to the city. So he definitely understood her wanting to have these camps for kids to spend time with animals out in the fresh air.
He would have loved to do that as a kid. And he imagined that all the kids who participated in the camps would love them, too. They’d picked out some perfect animals for the petting zoo. And Trish had mentioned having plans for other activities as well.
After settling in the last of the animals, Brett rushed across the yard toward the house. His stomach dropped when he noticed the vehicle parked in the driveway. The vintage red Cadillac.
His grandparents were here.
Then he noticed what was gone: Trish’s truck.
He groaned but continued up the steps to the house. When he pushed open the screen door, Sadie put a finger to her lips and pointed to where Lem rocked Lucy in one of the living room chairs.
“She just got back to sleep,” Sadie whispered.
That was probably where Trish should have been after their busy morning. But she’d taken off.
“You two just drop in?” he asked.
Sadie smiled and shook her head. “No. Elise called us to watch her. Nobody was here then.”
“Where did Trish go?” he asked, but he tried to make the question sound casual, like he didn’t care. He was all too aware how his grandparents loved playing matchmaker, how they loved love.
And each other. They sent each other a sappy-looking smile. But he wasn’t sure if that was expressing their love or something else.
Probably some plan that involved him.
“She went into town to follow up with Maci about the will,” Sadie said. “She said she wanted to make sure that her father’s estate is all settled now.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Shewanted to make sure? Oryoudo, Grandma?”
Sadie’s smile widened, and she stood up and kissed his cheek. “Shedoes. She brought it up and apologized about holding up the will. She’s actually a very sweet young woman.”
He groaned.
“What? You don’t think so?” she asked.
He swallowed another groan. “I think she’s just gone through a very messy divorce, and she has no interest in someone trying to match her up with anyone else, Grandma.” He shot a warning glance at Lem. “Grandpa.”
Lem arched his bushy white eyebrows, looking all innocent.
Brett knew better.
“What about you?” Sadie asked.
He acted deliberately obtuse. “I have not gone through a messy divorce. That’s something I will never do because I will never get married.”
Lem sighed and shook his head. “That’s a shame for sure. You don’t know what joy you’re missing.”
