Bachelor at Her Bidding (Bachelor Auction Book 2)(31)

And that gave her hope for the future.

*

Within the first five minutes, Ryan could see that his grandmother was more animated than she had been for a while. Maybe Rachel had been talking as a doctor after all when she’d said that it would be good for Phyllis to have some different company. He had to admit that she was right.

And it was a relief to feel comfortable enough with a visitor that he could go into the kitchen and relax into making dinner instead of keeping half an ear out in case Phyllis needed him or got muddled and worried about something. He made chicken and lemon risotto with baby carrots and green veg, followed by French apple tart with thick cream, and then petits fours to have with coffee.

Rachel was driving so she refused his offer of a glass of wine, but she accepted a glass of sparkling water, which he garnished with a slice of lime. She smiled, “Trust you to be a little different.”

“Mais bien s?r,” he said with a grin.

And he loved the way she helped serve his grandmother without making a big deal of things, chatted and generally joined in with everything. And she insisted on helping with the washing up. “My mom would be horrified if I just sat there and let you wait on me. That’s not how we do things.”

Phyllis beamed her approval, making Ryan feel even warmer inside.

When he walked Rachel out to her car at the end of the evening, he said, “Thank you for coming. And I guess I should tell you that you were right and I was wrong.”

She stroked his face. “Yeah, you’re stubborn as a mule.” She paused. “So am I allowed to visit your grandmother again?”

“Yes, of course.”

“And what about my sister?”

He sighed. “I’ll think about it, OK?” He kissed her lightly. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”

The fact that his grandmother had seemed so bright with company gave him another idea. “Gram, Jason Grey asked me to make some baked goods for the team renovating Molly and Josh’s house,” he said when he went back into the house. “Why don’t you come with me tomorrow morning to drop them in and you can see what they’re doing to the house?”

To his pleasure she agreed. Once they were at the Dekkers’ house, they discovered that Phyllis had taught some of the construction crew, and she enjoyed chatting to them as much as they enjoyed eating the cookies he’d taken over.

Even to his eyes, the wheelchair ramp leading up to the house looked a little wonky. “Is someone planning to change that soon?” he asked one of the carpenters.

The carpenter shook his head. “It was there before we started and Molly won’t let anyone touch it.” He shrugged. “Don’t ask me why – she just won’t. Women, eh?”

“Women,” Ryan agreed with a wry smile.

Later that afternoon, he texted Rachel. I took Gram out with me today to Molly and Josh’s house. It’s because of you she has more confidence.

Her reply was almost immediate. More like because of you.

Ah, maybe. But it made him think. And on Monday, he said to her. “If Susie wants to come and sit with Gram some time at the weekend, that’s fine by me. And we could, um, do something.”

Rachel looked at him in surprise. “You mean, we could go out somewhere?”

“Maybe for a walk by the river,” he suggested, not wanting to make a huge deal out of it.

“I’d like that. I’ll call her tonight and arrange it with her.”

*

On Sunday afternoon, Rachel drove her sister over to Phyllis’s house.

Susie said softly to Ryan, “I know you’re worried but she’s in safe hands with me. I promise I’ll call you immediately if I’m even the slightest bit concerned. Now go and have some fun and don’t hurry back, OK?”

“OK. And thank you,” he said.

He drove them to the park for a walk along the prettier bit of the river. It was still cold enough that only the most hardened runners and a few parents with small children who were clearly fed up at being cooped up inside and needed to let off steam were in the park, and nobody gave them a second glance.

“I used to come here with my grandfather,” Ryan said as they strolled along hand in hand. “Sometimes we went fishing, and although I didn’t enjoy sitting there with a rod it was nice just to keep him company.”

“You must miss him,” Rachel said.

“I do. But he’s still here.” He placed his hand over his heart. “And I was so lucky that he and Gram were there for me. They always encouraged me to follow my dreams.”

“Hence Paris?”

“Hence Paris,” he agreed. “It’s the most beautiful city in the world.”

“Would you go back to live there again?” she asked, sounding curious.

He shook his head. “Just to visit, but not permanently. I’d miss Marietta too much.” He looked at her. “What about you – would you go back to working in the city?”

“Maybe some time,” she said, “but right now I’m happy in Marietta. It’s nice to be close to my family and my friends, and it’s felt good to reconnect with people I’d lost touch with, too.”

Yeah. He got that. He thought, I could almost dare let myself love this woman.

When they got back home, he was pleased to discover that Phyllis and Susie had had a good visit.