Bachelor at Her Bidding (Bachelor Auction Book 2)(37)

Did she really think he didn’t know that? He wasn’t stupid. “I’m perfectly prepared to do that,” he said, his voice clipped.

“That includes personal care, Ry,” she said softly. “Washing her. Helping her in the bathroom.”

He lifted his chin. “Which I can do.”

“I know, but, Ry, think about it from her point of view.”

“I am. It means that she’ll be cared for by someone who loves her, not a stranger.”

“The people who care for her won’t necessarily be strangers. There’s a good chance she’ll know the staff in the residential home already – she’ll have taught them, or maybe their parents. And your grandmother’s lovely. She makes friends easily and the staff will adore her.”

He knew that was true, but what he couldn’t get past was what Rachel was saying. And right at that moment he couldn’t see the woman who’d supported him since Phyllis had been taken to hospital, who’d visited Phyllis every day.

What he saw was Lucille.

The contempt in her eyes. “How can you throw away everything I’ve worked for, just because the old woman wants a bit of company?”

He’d had to take a deep breath before replying. His grandmother wasn’t just some “old woman”. She was his only remaining family. Couldn’t Lucille see that? “Gram needs more than just company. She’s getting frail. She needs someone to keep an eye on her.”

“So put her in a home That’s what they’re there for.”

“I’m not putting her in a home.”

A scornful toss of the head from Lucille. “You can’t look after someone and run a restaurant.”

“Not if the restaurant’s in Bozeman, no. But we could open a place in Marietta instead.”

“Soft as butter and soft in the head. That’s what you are. I’m not working in some backwater. I want restaurants in LA and New York. Just put her in a home and have done with it.”

He’d refused.

Just as he was refusing now.

He’d walked away from one woman who’d wanted him to desert his only family. And it looked as if he’d have to do the same again. “I’m not deserting my grandmother.” He stood up. “And for you to even suggest that – that shows you don’t know me at all.”

“Ry –”

To his shock, Rachel was using exactly the same wheedling, cajoling tone that Lucille had used when she’d found out that demanding didn’t work.

And it felt like nails scratching down a blackboard.

Then he realized that he’d been deluding himself all the way. He’d let himself be seduced into the idea of having company. Of being loved.

And he’d made the same mistake all over again. He’d let himself fall for someone who didn’t want the same things that he did. “Forget it,” he said. “And we’re through. I can’t be with someone who expects me to desert my closest family.”

And he walked out.

*

Rachel watched him go, too shocked to stop him.

How could Ryan possibly think she was telling him to desert Phyllis?

She’d been trying to tell him that Phyllis needed more care, that having your grandchild perform all your personal care could feel just a tad embarrassing, and that he needed to let go now and let Phyllis keep her dignity. He needed to let his grandmother enjoy her time with him as precious family time, not feel that she was a burden to him.

*

OK. Of course he was upset. She’d just suggested a huge change – one that she’d known he’d find hard to handle. Maybe if she gave him some space, he’d think about it and realize how unreasonable he was being.

Though part of her worried that he wouldn’t. That, just like Nick, he had tunnel vision. Ryan certainly wasn’t selfish like Nick, but he’d got her as wrong as Nick had. Twisted what she was saying.

All she could do was to give him time. And hope that Ryan would see the situation as it really was.

But he didn’t ring her or text her, later than night.

Or the next morning.

And Rachel had to face it: she’d once called him stubborn as a mule, and she’d never said a truer word. He clearly wasn’t in a hurry to make up after their fight. And, after the way Nick had hurt her, she wasn’t going to back down and pretend that her feelings didn’t matter and it was OK. Because it wasn’t OK.

It was over.





Chapter Nine




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Later that day, Ryan was sitting in the day care center manager’s office, discussing the way forward. “The hospital’s really pleased with the way Gram’s responding to the physical therapy and the speech therapy. They said today she’ll be back with me as normal in a week, so can I assume it’s fine to bring her back here?”

Jolene blew out a breath. “Ry, that’s a hard one. Yes, we can do that – but it’s not going to be possible for very long. You need to start considering the next stage.”

“So I need to hand in my notice at Grey’s and then I’ll look after Gram myself full time.” He shrugged. “Well, I always knew we’d get to that stage. OK. If I do that today, can our arrangement stay as it is until I work out my notice period?”