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“That’s what I thought. Now, let’s start with her name?” The smug smile on her face made my day. She was my favorite person in the whole world, and part of me was actually looking forward to talking to her about Tillie.

“Tillie,” I offered.

“A beautiful name,” she commented.

“She’s a beautiful girl,” I replied automatically before correcting myself. “Woman. Tillie is a beautiful woman.”

“And what does Tillie do?”

“She runs her own business. A diner in the little town at the bottom of my mountain. Nan, she’s the most amazing cook.”

“And we both know the quickest way to a man’s heart is through his stomach,” Nan commented, and I bristled.

“That’s not what …”

“I know, dear. What else?”

“Um, Tillie works harder than anyone I’ve ever met. She’s up early, and by the time she calls it a day, her feet ache, and more than once she’s forgotten to look after herself. She’s the best boss. Her staff loves her, and the customers adore her. Even though she’s only been open a few months, the town’s embraced her.” I didn’t realize I was gushing until I looked up and saw Nan, who’d stopped washing the dishes and had her bubble-covered hands clamped in front of her and a dreamy look on her face.

“What?” I called her out.

“You’re in love with her,” Nan declared like it was a foregone conclusion.

“I didn’t say that,” I rebutted, feeling a familiar tingling in my chest.

“You didn’t have to,” Nan added, before turning back to the dishes.

I sat there for a long moment replaying the moments and conversations I’d had with Tillie that had brought us to this point. It wasn’t the sex either, at least it wasn’t just the sex. It was Tillie. It was her fierce independence. Her work ethic. Her genuine empathy for others, which made her a bright light on a dark day. It was the way she laughed with her whole body. It was her patience and her kindness. It was watching her reaction to even the simplest things. She was grateful when I pulled out her chair or opened her car door. She didn’t expect anything from me. She didn’t want anything from me. Not a damn thing. Nothing more than my time. It was no wonder I’d fallen head over heels in love with her.

“Ah, there it is.” Nan chuckled, wiping her hands with the dish towel.

“There what is?” I asked, looking over my shoulder.

“You just figured it out, didn’t you?”

“I … I …”

Nan shuffled around the kitchen counter and came to stand beside me. She smelled like lavender and memories. When her skinny arm wrapped around my waist, I draped mine across her shoulders.

“Good for you, Cody. All I ever wanted for you was to find a good girl and give me lots of great grandbabies,” she assured me, patting my chest.

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” I told her, my voice full of humor as the image of Tillie curled up on the couch in front of the fire, her feet tucked under her and her belly swollen with our child filled my mind.

Our child.

It was the first time I’d ever let myself consider the option of even being a father, let alone giving the mother a name.

Nan squeezed me against her. “I can’t wait to meet her,” she offered softly.

We moved into the living room, and I stayed for a while, letting Nan kick my ass in game after game of gin rummy. She laughed at how bad I was, and I just smiled about how perfect the night had been. Who knew I’d love sitting around drinking hot cocoa and playing cards with my nan?

When she tried to hide a yawn behind her hand, I called it a night, but not before promising to visit again soon and agreeing to bring Tillie with me.

As I backed out of the drive, I offered Nan a wave and a smile before turning onto the road. The moment I was cruising down the street, I punched a few keys on the steering wheel and dialed Tillie’s number. I couldn’t wait to hear her voice. It felt like forever since we’d actually connected.

Seems like tonight wasn’t going to be my night either.

“Hi! You’ve reached Tillie. Unfortunately, I can’t come to the phone right now, but if you leave a message, I’ll try to remember to get back to you.”