When You're Back (Rosemary Beach #12)(36)

Harlow laughed again, and I felt much better about her. I could leave her and deal with Kiro now, knowing she was better and her mind was at ease.

The door opened, and Grant stuck his head out. “Did I hear her laugh?” he asked in a hopeful tone.

“Yes, you did. I bring the magic, man. You could take lessons from me,” I said, standing up. I walked over and pressed a kiss on top of Harlow’s head. “Love you.”

She squeezed my arm. “Love you, too.”

Grant walked over to her, and she stood up to cuddle against his chest. He began caressing her back and tucked her head under his chin. “Thank you,” he said, looking at me like I’d just solved all the world’s problems.

“Call me no matter what she says next time. No reason for her to worry. She’s stubborn, but you can be more stubborn. I’ve seen it. I was there when you stood at a hospital door, refusing to move until your wife came out of that room alive.”

A moment of fear and then relief flashed through his eyes at the memory. “Noted,” he replied.

Harlow grinned at me. “You’re teaching him to gang up on me.”

I shrugged. “When it’s about your health and happiness, little sis, I’ll do whatever the hell I have to do. And so will he.”

Harlow pressed a kiss to Grant’s chin. He turned his attention back to her, and I was suddenly invisible. I had started to tell her I was leaving for Los Angeles when she turned to look at me. “You aren’t leaving tonight. You’re staying the night and seeing your niece in the morning. Then you’re eating breakfast with us. I want some time with you before you take off to deal with Daddy.”

I wanted to get back to Reese, but I was also exhausted, and she was right—I should see Lila Kate first. I nodded, and Grant chuckled. “What?” I asked him.

He smirked. “It’s fun to see that she has you wrapped around her little finger, too.”

I would deny that, but I loved Harlow, and it was hard to tell her no.

Besides, if I saw Kiro while I was exhausted, I wasn’t going to do any good. I could make Harlow happy and be productive when I finally dealt with him.

Reese

Last night, the bed was lonely without Mase. I’d finally managed to get some sleep, but it wasn’t enough. I’d woken up yawning. Before Maryann got there to pick me up, I fixed a large pot of coffee and put it in the thermos that Mase usually used.

I heard Maryann’s truck pull up and quickly grabbed my lunch and the thermos. Running out to the truck, I realized it wasn’t Mase’s mom driving but Major. I opened the passenger-side door and stuck my head in. “Are you my ride?” I asked, making sure he hadn’t just shown up looking for Mase.

His grin always looked like he was keeping a big secret. “Yep. Maryann had to help with some complications with a calf. She told me to give you a ride.”

I climbed in and put my things down on the seat beside me before buckling up. “Thank you,” I told him.

“You’re welcome. But I’ll be completely honest here. She promised me biscuits and gravy, so . . .”

I laughed. Mase was always complaining because Major ate all of his momma’s food. From what I’d heard, Major didn’t have much of a mom, so I kind of felt sorry for him. But then again, he had slept with his last stepmother. Maybe he didn’t deserve my sympathy.

“Talked to Mase?”

“Yes. He called last night when he landed in Florida to let me know he was going to see Harlow.”

Major let out a long sigh. “That family is wack.”

Mase was a celebrity’s kid. Life wasn’t supposed to be normal. But apparently, it was worse than I had realized. “He seems worried,” I said simply.

Major glanced over at me before he pulled out onto the main road. “He is worried. But he’s only worried about Harlow. If it wasn’t for Harlow, he wouldn’t give a shit about Kiro. That man may have given him life, but he’s not Mase’s dad.”

I had to agree, though it made me sad to think that he didn’t have a relationship with his real father the way Harlow did. Kiro had missed out on knowing this wonderful man he’d helped create.

“So how’s the job going? Liking it? Ready to quit?”

I opened my thermos and yawned. “I like it. Piper’s really great to work for.”

He nodded. “That’s good. Sucks you couldn’t go with Mase, though.”

Yes, it did suck.

“You reckon he’s gonna pop the question soon?”

Pop the question? Huh? I frowned and put my thermos down. “What question?” I asked.

Major looked at me like I was joking. Then he laughed and held up his left hand. “ ‘Will you marry me?’ That kinda question.”

Oh . . . Oh! I hadn’t thought of that yet. Sure, I was planning on my future with Mase, but this wasn’t something I was expecting anytime soon. We had just started living together.

My silence made Major chuckle. “Guess not,” he replied.

I looked over at him, wondering what he expected me to say. Luckily, he was pulling up to the Stouts’ ranch, and I could end this conversation soon. Once he drove up to the stables, I’d be free. I had no answer for him other than that I doubted it.

When his truck came to a stop, he turned to me. “Just out of curiosity, is that silence because you don’t want him to ask you that question or because you think he doesn’t want to ask?”