She sighed as tears sprang to her eyes. “I wonder what she’d be saying to me now.”
“She would tell you to see it through. Don’t run away from what’s hurting you. When it’s love, you know it’s love and if it’s worth fighting for, then do it.”
She wiped a tear that had slowly rolled down her cheek.
“Grandma, you’re a true romantic. But I hardly know Nash Webber. We were forced together in that cabin. It wasn’t a choice. And…”
“What?”
“He doesn’t want to see me.”
She nodded. “He said that.”
“Yes.”
“And yet, he still accepted your invitation for dinner?”
“It was a thank you. Well, it was supposed to be. That’s all it was.”
Her grandmother nodded in that way Harper remembered her doing when she didn’t believe a word of what Harper was saying.
“Sounds like both of you are running.”
“Do you want a bagel?” she asked, pulling her bagel out of the toaster oven after the bell dinged. She wasn’t hungry.
Her grandmother shook her head and smiled. “Have a good day at work, sweetie. I have to get dressed.”
Her grandmother walked away toward the hallway.
“Where are you going?” she asked as she spread some strawberry cream cheese on her bagel.
Pausing at the hallway, her grandmother turned and smiled. “Lucy is coming by to pick me up for lunch and to go shopping. I need a new dress for my date.”
Harper dropped the knife on the counter, making a mess. “You have a date?”
“Don’t be so shocked! Joel Stephens asked if he could escort me to the Fire and Police Department’s potluck next week. I said yes.”
Her mouth dropped open. “Mr. Stephens? You mean the principal of my high school?”
“Yes. Lord knows I’ve known the man long enough since he was not only your and your sister’s principal, but he was your mother’s high school English teacher as well. His wife, May, passed away last year. I think it’s time.”
She blinked. Was her grandmother serious? “I guess it is. Grandpa has been gone a long time.”
Her grandmother smiled with sadness. “I’m not sure he would have waited as long as I did, but it doesn’t matter. I had you girls to keep me company all these years. Now it’s time for me to stretch my wings as the saying goes.”
Harper giggled. “Grandma!”
“You aren’t the only young one, my dear. Besides, I’ll be seeing Joel at the potluck anyway. I may as well give everyone in town something spicy to talk about.”
Her grandmother winked as she turned away and slowly made her way down the hall holding on to the wall.
“Take your walker with you,” Harper called out. “I don’t want to get a call on my dispatch line that you’ve fallen down. And you don’t want to miss your date.”
She heard her grandmother chuckle. She wasn’t jealous of her grandmother because she had a date. But she did feel…funny. She’d only seen her grandmother with her grandfather, and she’d been very young when her grandfather had passed away of a heart attack a few years before her parents had passed.
She wrapped up the bagel in wax paper and shoved it in a paper bag. She wasn’t hungry now. She would be later when she was at work and the phone started ringing. She’d eat then. She wondered if it was a bad thing to hope the phones were busy today. At least it would keep her mind off Nash and his abrupt departure last night.
Sweet Montana Rescue: Chapter Ten
He was wasting time and he knew it. The smartest thing to do was to just avoid the potluck dinner completely. But Harper had practically dared him to come, and it was something he couldn’t ignore. Especially after all the help the police department and the plowing crew had given him and Harper after the storm. It seemed ungrateful not to show up and at least thank Zeb and Jamison face-to-face before quickly slipping out again.
He’d never been to a potluck before. Word had it there’d also be a bake sale. So he figured bringing something to sell to raise money for both the fire and police department seemed a good idea. And since he couldn’t bake, the easiest thing to do would be to stop by a bakery or local shop to get the goodies.
Deciding everyone who didn’t bake would be cleaning out the grocery store, Nash decided to head over to the local novelty shop and bakery he’d seen the other day when he’d been in town. He'd heard from one of the drivers who’d plowed him out that Tara Mitchell’s shop sold gifts to tourists, but that it also had the best baked goods around. Surely, there would be something there worth selling at the baked sale.
Most of the shops in town had already closed, but he remembered Tara’s shop was near the center. He drove down the main street and then found a parking spot, climbed out of the truck and looked around. Yes, he had seen the shop when he’d stopped in at the hardware store the other day. It was located across the street.
Since so many shops were already closed, Nash sprinted across the street and was relieved when he saw the open sign was still hanging in the window. Tara’s Sweet Sensations sounded fitting if he was able to find something to bring to the potluck.
He pulled on the door, half expecting it to be locked. He was pleased when it swung right open. He stepped inside and instantly his nose was filled with the scent of sugar and spice. A woman came from a room behind the bakery counter and was startled at seeing him standing there.
“Oh, I heard the bell, but…”
“You didn't expect anyone to be here?”
She waved him off. “No, that's not it. Can I help you with something?”
“I was glad you were open because I need to get something for that potluck they’re having over at the fire station.”
She chuckled. “You
