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She was beautiful. Long, chocolate-colored waves hung around her shoulders, but her deep brown eyes were hidden behind too-long bangs. She wore a simple black T-shirt and a pair of jeans with the knees scuffed out.

“What brings you to Wattle Creek? Surely the excitement of Nashville would’ve been hard to give up?” I asked, genuinely intrigued. Nashville was on my bucket list to visit, but for now, it was just another dream that had to wait.

“I … ah … ugh … I just needed a change of scenery,” Olivia replied, but I got the feeling there was more to the story. Not that I could talk. We all had baggage we’d much sooner forget.

“Well, it seems like you might just be the miracle I’ve been wishing for. If you want to start right now, these breakfasts belong to those cowboys over there. Emmy can show you the ropes,” I offered with a smile.

“Really?” The surprise in her squeak was evident.

“Really. Let’s see how you go today, and if we’re all happy, let’s get you on the roster. I could use a day off occasionally,” I added, making it sound like she was doing me a favor.

Emmy threw herself at me, hugging me tightly before turning and doing the same to Olivia. A few moments later, Olivia was wearing an apron and clearing tables like she was one of us.

I was slicing the cherry pie when Emmy wandered over and stood beside me, nudging me with her shoulder. “You were always going to give her a chance, weren’t you?” Emmy asked.

“Am I that transparent?”

“Not to everyone. I just know how good a person you are, Tillie.”

“Well, shush! I don’t want to lose my street cred,” I told her.

“Oh, come on, Tillie. We both know you don’t have any street cred,” Emmy tossed back at me with a wink, as she took the pot off the warmer and went to refill mugs.

Chapter nineteen

Cody

Iwas on my third helping of apple pie with ice cream while Nan stared at me like she knew all my secrets. I freaking hoped she didn’t. Some of that shit was a secret for a reason, and the last person I needed to find out was my grandmother.

As my spoon scraped against the bottom of the bowl, I glanced over at her. She was still the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen. Her hair was short now and the most magical shade of silver, but it was her soft wrinkles and bright eyes that made me feel warm all the way through.

I finished my dessert, set the spoon down, pushed the bowl away, and rubbed my stomach. “You still make the best pie I’ve ever tasted,” I acknowledged.

After yesterday’s bullshit at the doctors and then finding out I was going to be in town longer than I’d anticipated, I rang Nan to see what she was doing. After telling me I’d better get my butt over to see her, then waiting for her to rearrange her schedule, she invited me over for dinner.

I spent the day in my sterile apartment, one that had sat empty for weeks and smelled like it. After only a few minutes, the place I’d thought was home started to feel like a prison cell. Like the walls were closing in around me. I was going to have to figure something out because being surrounded by all that expensive, dull gray furniture and minimalism was going to send me crazy.

Nan patted my hand and collected my plate.

“I can clear that,” I commented, wiping my mouth on the napkin and following her into the kitchen.

Her place was small but tidy and most important of all, completely hers. Picture frames lined the walls. Handcrafted patchwork quilts hung over the back of the couch, and the whole place smelled like peaches.

“Oh, shush. Now, go sit down and tell me about the girl,” she bossed, pointing at the stool as the sink filled with bubbles.

I felt like a deer caught in headlights. I hadn’t said anything about a girl. I’d even forced myself to stop obsessing about my phone in my pocket, wondering if tonight Tillie and I would be able to line up our schedule and actually talk instead of just trading hurried text messages.

“And before you say there’s no girl, remember Cody Michael Lucas I’m your grandmother, and you can’t lie to me. Not when the truth is written all over your handsome face,” she accused with a shake of her finger.

She shut off the water and started washing dishes. My guilt was ridiculous. Not only had she cooked dinner and dessert for me, but now I was sitting here like a chump watching her clean up. I should be taking care of her, not the other way around.

“Right. Now tell me about your girl,” she requested, setting a plate on the dish drainer.

But my guilt wasn’t going to override my need to make her work for it. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I denied, leaning back, folding my arms across my chest.

“Cody. Don’t forget about the photo album I have of you in the back of my closet. You might be all grown up now, but I’m sure the paparazzi would love to get their hands on some of those pictures. You know the ones of you running around the yard in your underwear. Or dressed in your old Halloween costumes? Oh, do you remember the time you dressed up as …”

“Okay! Okay,” I conceded, knowing the feisty old woman wouldn’t stop until she got what she wanted, even if we both knew her threat was hollow.