He shrugged. “No particular reason. Do you want help bringing these inside?”
“Oh, no thanks,” she said, taking the rest of the dishes from Greyson. “I can manage.”
“All right then. Good luck tomorrow.”
“Thanks.” Hope watched Greyson walk back to the Montgomery home. She smiled at no one in particular before heading into her own house. Now that she was free from the sudden drama Georgie had introduced, she was starving.
Chapter Five
“Welcome to Home Again Cafe,” the petite, dark-haired woman at the register said as Greyson walked forward. “What can I get for you?”
“Uh, that’s a good question,” he replied with a rueful grin.
“Take your time,” she said. “How’s Miss Georgie doing?”
Greyson blinked. “Do I know you?”
The woman laughed. “Not used to small towns, huh? I’m Katie. From what I understand, you’re Greyson Able, grandson of our very own matriarch, Georgie Able.”
“Guilty.” Greyson chuckled. “And Gram is doing well, thanks for asking.”
“Good to hear. Well, I’ll stop talking so you can decide what you want.”
“Oh, it’s not for me,” Greyson said before he could stop himself.
Katie’s brown eyes twinkled. “Oh?”
Kicking himself, Greyson cleared his throat. “Well, it’s just that I heard there’s a big surgery happening at the vet clinic and I thought I’d take Gram’s neighbor some lunch. She said she’d be working all day.”
Nodding, Katie said, “Hope told me about that. We’ve been praying for Beauregard over here. That horse is something extra special, you know? Kind of like our unofficial town mascot. So, you’re getting lunch for Hope, that’s sweet of you. Would you like some insider information?”
“Yes, please,” Greyson replied.
She grinned at him. “Hope’s go-to lunch on a day like today is our ham and cheese sandwich with a cup of loaded potato soup. And just get her water. The girl is so boring,” she added with a laugh.
“Okay, yeah, that sounds good.”
“Shall I add two of my special chocolate chip cookies?” Katie asked. “One for each of you?”
Greyson suddenly realized his grandmother wasn’t the only one trying to set Hope up. “Well, what’s special about them?”
“Other than I make them from scratch? I guess not much, but you won’t find better chocolate chip cookies in all of Blessings.”
“If you do say so yourself.” Greyson shook his head with a laugh. “Sure, two cookies. I’m sure taking care of a large horse is hungry work.” He pulled out his wallet as Katie rang the order up. After paying, he sat at a little booth while Katie called back to the cook for the soup and sandwich. He glanced around. The cafe sported comfortable booths, a glass display case with various home-baked items inside, and cheerful decor. Colorful turkeys boasted the autumn season from their places on the walls and door.
“Here you are,” Katie said, bringing a paper bag to him.
“Thanks, have a great day,” Greyson replied.
“You too.”
Greyson walked out to his car and drove down the main street to the edge of town where the vet clinic was. Signs in shop windows reminded citizens of the upcoming Harvest Festival. It had been a long time since he’d had Thanksgiving with his grandmother and he couldn’t remember what all the festival involved. He’d have to ask her when he got home, assuming she was up from her nap. While he told himself it was natural that a woman of her age should want, and need, a nap now and again, he couldn’t help worry every time. He sighed. “If only I could get her to come to Kansas City with me.”
He pushed his thoughts away as he reached the veterinary clinic on the edge of town. It appeared to be a converted barn, painted bright red with white trim. A large sign hung from the front reading Blessings Veterinary. As he walked inside, Greyson looked around approvingly. Comfortable chairs lined one wall with a coffee table spread with magazines in front of them. The reception desk was a dark wood, while the walls of the room were whitewashed, still showing the wood underneath. Pictures of pets and their families hung on the walls. Behind the reception desk, he could see walls with kennels and small cages waiting for patients.
“Good afternoon,” the receptionist said with a smile. “Can I help you?”
“Hi, is Hope Fields here, uh,” he glanced at the woman’s name, “Dizzy?” Greyson asked.
Dizzy chuckled. “It doesn’t make sense for about five seconds,” she said with a grin. “Hope is in back with a patient. Can I leave a message for her?”
“I just thought I’d bring her some lunch,” Greyson said, showing Dizzy the bag from Home Again.
“That’s what smells so good. Any way you’d give that lunch to me?” she asked, batting her eyelashes. “She’d never know.”
“Uh,” Greyson hesitated, unsure how to respond.
“No? Ah well, some girls get all the luck,” Dizzy said as she stood up. “Wait right here, handsome, and I’ll go see if she can come out for a bit.”
Greyson felt his face warm as Dizzy walked through a door to the side of the kennels. “Good grief,” he muttered under his breath. Would the matchmaking never stop? He glanced up as Dizzy came back in with Hope at her heels. Hope’s smile made his heart flutter.
“I’m surprised to see you,” Hope said as Dizzy loudly announced she would be in the break room.
“Well, I just thought if you’re anything like me, you’d forget to feed yourself if you were really into a project.”
Hope laughed. “That’s one way to describe Beauregard, I guess. But thanks, I appreciate it. Truth is I brought some of the leftovers with me, but I can always save those for supper tonight.”
“Oh,” Greyson said. “Maybe I should have texted you first.”
“You could have, except you don’t have my number,” Hope reminded him with a grin. “Seriously, I really do appreciate you stopping by. I might have brought the lunch with me, but that doesn’t mean I would have stopped to eat it.” She winked, causing his heart to race. “Come on back to the break room with me. Maybe we can share.”
“I’d like to, but I left Gram taking a nap. She’ll worry if I’m not back before she wakes up.”
Hope nodded. “Or she’ll get herself into more trouble.”
“Something like that,” Greyson admitted with a chuckle.
“Thanks again for bringing lunch to me, that was very thoughtful,” Hope said. “It’s almost small town of you.”
Greyson feigned a gasp. “Not small town.” After they laughed together he said, “I really don’t think small towns are terrible. Just not the place for me.”
“Your grandmother might have other ideas for you.”
He shook his head. “Don’t I know it?”
She giggled. “Have a great day, Greyson.” Hope turned and walked to the door leading to the back area. The door appeared to jam and she glanced around it. “Get a good earful, Dizzy?”
“Me?” the receptionist said as she walked through the door. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Hope laughed. “Sure you don’t.” She turned again to Greyson. “I’ll see you later.”
“How about tomorrow at dinner?”
A blush stole over her cheeks. “Oh, sure. Just ask Miss Georgie for my number. She’s got it. Text me the time and what the plan is. For now, I really should get back to check on Beauregard.”
“Okay, sounds good. How is he, by the way? I’m sure Gram will want to know.”
Hope smiled. “Looks like he’ll be just fine. Surgery went well, and he’s been awake for about twenty minutes. At this point, we’re just monitoring him to see how he’s doing.”
Without anything left to stall him, and aware of Dizzy’s watchful gaze, Greyson waved and walked out of the clinic. He drove through town, watching for anything that might help him decide what type of restaurant he could take Hope to. Though part of him was still kicking hims
elf. There he was, playing right into Gram’s hands. And she hadn’t even been there to instigate it! “I’m getting soft,” Greyson muttered. When nothing struck his fancy, he decided maybe a night out on the town in Kansas City might be the perfect solution. He was sure there had to be someone around to keep an eye on his grandmother. The hard part would be explaining where he was going, without actually divulging any details. He parked out on the street, once again greeted by the sight of tall grass and weeds. Greyson sighed. “Better take care of that first.”
He walked inside and peeked into his grandmother’s room, where she still peacefully slept, then went to his own room to change clothes. If he was going to mow the lawn, he was going to do it in more appropriate clothes. His dove-gray slacks and dark green polo did not belong anywhere near a lawn mower. He went through the dresser in the guest room he was staying in. Hadn’t he brought jeans with him? Then again, did he even own a pair of jeans anymore? The more he thought about it, the less sure he was. He finally settled on a gray jogging set. The sweats would keep him warm in the chill. Once dressed, Greyson went into the garage and found Georgie’s lawn mower and fiddled around with it until he finally got it started. It seemed he’d just gotten it out to the yard than his grandmother’s voice started shrieking from the window. “Greyson! No! What are you doing?”
“What’s it look like I’m doing?” Greyson asked, not bothering to keep the frustrated clip from his tone. “Your lawn is a disaster.”
“It will be if you mow in that direction,” Georgie retorted firmly. “I distinctly remember doing horizontal last time. It needs to be done on a diagonal.”
Greyson sighed. “Gram, it’s been over three weeks since this lawn was mowed. It doesn’t matter which direction I go. I’m probably going to have to do it twice anyway.”
“I have a system.” Georgie enunciated each word with a sharp wag of her finger. “And my system says, it’s time to go diagonal.”
“Well I’m the one with the mower and right now I don’t care,” Greyson shouted.
Georgie gasped and her gaze narrowed. She slammed the window closed and disappeared.
Great job, idiot, he chided himself as he continued to force the mower through the tall grass. The front door slamming drew his attention. “Gram, what do you think you’re doing?”
“Move out of my way,” Georgie said firmly. “I’m mowing the lawn.”
“You haven’t even been out of the hospital three full days!” Greyson replied. “Do you honestly think I’m dumb enough to let you mow the lawn in your condition?”
“There’s nothing wrong with my condition,” she sniffed.
“The doctor disagrees,” he retorted.
“I don’t care what the doctor thinks. I do care about my lawn and you will move immediately so I can take care of it.”
“Not happening.”
“Greyson Francis Able, you move right now...”
“Is there a problem here, ma’am?” a deep voice called.
The pair looked over to see a man walking towards them from the sidewalk.
“I’m sorry, who are you?” Georgie asked.
“Just a friendly neighbor,” the man replied with a shrug. “Are you okay?
“Yes, we’re fine. We don’t have a problem,” Greyson said, turning off the lawn mower.
“Nothing I can’t handle, anyway,” Georgie added with a deep scowl at Greyson. “My grandson’s just being unusually stubborn.”
“Grandson?” Greyson cringed at the way the man looked at him. He knew what was going through his head. Georgie was fair as a porcelain doll where Greyson’s tone resembled better the well-polished walnut table in Gram’s living room. They didn’t look like they could possibly be related.
Greyson worked to unclench his jaw. “One of them, yes.”
“I don’t recognize you, sir,” Georgie said, a cool undercurrent to her cordial tone. “You must be fairly new to town.”
“Yes, ma’am. Just arrived a couple of months ago,” he replied, puffing his chest out. “I work at the shipping company south of here.”
“Well, we won’t take up any more of your time. My grandson and I were just discussing the proper way to mow a lawn.”
The man grinned. “Well, normally you want to do it before it gets this tall. I’m surprised the city hasn’t gotten after you for it. Mine wasn’t looking even this bad before I was getting nasty letters in the mail.”
Greyson wanted to smack the smug look off his face, but Georgie got him better. “I know several of the city board members,” she stated. “And since they all knew that I was hospitalized for a stroke, they were willing to be lenient. Generous of them, wasn’t it?”
His face reddened. “Oh, I didn’t, um, sorry.”
Georgie made a show of glancing at her watch. “My goodness, is it past lunch already? Greyson, dear, I’m absolutely famished. Why don’t we go in and eat? Good day, sir.” She steered Greyson to the house. “Uncultured riffraff,” she muttered under her breath.
“Is this really the kind of place you want to stay in, Gram?” Greyson asked once the door was firmly shut behind him. “Where people look at us that way?”
She quirked an eyebrow. “You really think we wouldn’t get looks like that in Kansas City? You should talk to your dad again about that,” Georgie said, her tone serious. “There are bad apples in every town, Greyson, much as it pains me to say it. You don’t leave a place because of one bad apple. You nurture the good ones so the bad ones can’t take root. Now, come on, let’s have some lunch. Then I suppose I could allow you to finish decimating my lawn.”
“Mowing, Gram, I’m not decimating anything.”
“That is a matter of opinion.”
Chapter Six
Hope fumbled with her keys when she finally arrived home for the day. Once she managed to get the door unlocked, she pushed her way inside. Her arms and back ached as she set down her things. She sat on the nearby bench and pulled off her shoes. “Ah, freedom,” she sighed. As Rascal barked loudly, she called, “Just a minute, sweetie, I’m coming.” Hope walked into the kitchen and opened the gate to Rascal’s fenced area. “Come outside with me, girl,” Hope said, hurrying to the back door. “Come on!”
Rascal ran out into the yard while Hope stood on the porch. Streaks of color blazed across the sky as the sun sank below the horizon. A cool breeze fluffed her hair. Hope shivered slightly, having already taken off her jacket. She watched Rascal for a few minutes before turning to go back inside. The dog zipped past her feet and into the house ahead of her. She shook her head with a smile. “Let’s get you some dinner, huh?” She poured a bowl of dog food and held it just above the doggy fence. “Come, Rascal.” The puppy flew through the open gate and into her space, tail wagging wildly. “Good girl. Now, sit.” Rascal sat. Hope counted mentally to ten before putting the bowl down and petting Rascal’s head. “Good girl, enjoy.” She stretched before going to her menu plan. “I’m just not in the mood to cook anything tonight. Frozen pizza it is.” She pulled a pizza from her freezer and preheated the oven. Once the pizza was baking, she walked into the living room, leaving the kitchen door open so Rascal could come and go as she wanted.
She stopped by the hook where she’d hung her purse. In the time since Greyson stopped by the clinic, she hadn’t had a chance to check her phone. A quick swipe across the screen revealed several new messages. Hope glanced through them, looking for anything from Greyson. His invitation to have dinner with him had caught her off guard. She didn’t think he particularly liked her. Finding a message from him, Hope opened it.
Have you ever had a real night on the town? I’m guessing not, so I thought we’d go in to Kansas City tomorrow. I’ll take you to one of my favorite places. Not a jeans and tee-shirt kind of place, so dress nice. See you tomorrow night at 5. G
Despite the jabs in the text, Hope couldn’t help but laugh. Her trips to see her parents had taken her way out of her comfort zone more than once. And now that they lived closer to th
e big cities, they liked to take advantage of the fine dining available to them, especially when their only daughter was there to spoil. But, the fact that Greyson wanted to do something nice for her made her feel special in a way no one had ever done before. Sounds great. I’ll leave the jeans at home. Should I leave my straw hat and boots too?
Her phone buzzed a few moments later. That was a joke, right?
Hope laughed again, her mischievous streak getting the better of her. Was it?
Between you and Gram, I’m going to die of apoplexy.
“Oh my gosh, Greyson,” Hope chortled. “Who even says that anymore?” Yes I was joking. I promise I’m not going to embarrass you on our dinner date.
I didn’t say you were going to embarrass me. I just wanted to make sure you knew what kind of place we were going to.
Hope shook her head as she typed, You know that old saying, “Quit while you’re behind?” You might want to do that. I’ll see you tomorrow.
The oven beeping stole her attention and she set her phone down on the sofa before going into the kitchen to get her dinner out. During her meal, Hope’s weary muscles cried out to her. “I think a bubble bath is in order.” She took Rascal outside for another potty break before going into the large, master bathroom and turning the faucet on the tub. Hot water poured into the tub while steam built around it. She grabbed a bath bomb from the local beauty parlor and tossed it into the water, enjoying the fizzing sounds as it dissolved. The air soon smelled of lavender and vanilla while the bathwater had turned a milky lilac color. She stripped and stepped into the steaming water. “Perfect,” she sighed.
THE NEXT EVENING, HOPE took a quick shower after getting home from work. She scanned her closet and decided on the dress she’d worn to a homecoming dance her sophomore year of college. Her lips curved into a grin. “You only thought I was dressed up the other night, Greyson. You ain’t seen nothin’ yet.” She changed into the wine-colored, velvet cocktail dress. Fluttery sleeves tickled her arms as she sat down at her vanity. She opened her jewelry box and picked out a pearl necklace and red, dangle earrings. Chocolate-brown fashion boots completed the ensemble. She leaned closer to the mirror as she applied her make-up. Once satisfied, she used her curling iron to put soft waves in her normally straight hair. She pulled half of it back and clasped it in a gold hair pin with red beads and pearls dangling from it which her mother had gotten her. Hope heard the doorbell ring and Rascal’s excited yipping. “Well, for a country girl, you clean up nice, Hope Fields,” she told her reflection. She grabbed her white satin clutch and headed toward the door. “Rascal, back off, you silly thing,” she said before opening the door. She tried to keep her amusement to herself as Greyson’s eyes widened. “Do I meet with your approval?” she asked, smirking at him.
Bless His Heart Page 4