He shrugged. “The navy. My deployment schedule is hectic, and when I’m not overseas, I’m training. It’s not easy to get away, and visiting home brings back a lot of memories of my dad. And Jared.”
She nodded. Grant realized it was nice to talk with someone and not have to explain every detail. Sara knew he’d been close to his father and Jared and understood how deeply their deaths would cut.
“How long are you staying?” she asked.
“Not long. A few weeks max, and most of that will be spent with my aunt and mom.”
Her brow furrowed. “I haven’t seen your mom around lately. Is everything okay with her?”
This was the part he hated. Lying ate at him, but the weight of the promises he’d made to his father stopped him from telling the truth. It mingled with the long-buried fear and shame in his gut. As kind as Sara was, would she really understand his mother’s hoarding? It disgusted Grant. Walking into the house, seeing the old food, and smelling—
No. Pop had been right. It was better to keep it a secret. For his mother’s sake. And selfishly, for his own. Learning the truth would change the way Sara—and the rest of the town—saw him and his family.
“Mom’s fine.” Grant tucked his hands in his pockets. “She’s been busy organizing and redecorating the house.”
“Ugh.” Sara wrinkled her nose. “There’s nothing worse. It starts out as a simple project. Paint a room and organize the closet. Next thing you know it’s three weeks in, and you have half the room painted and things are multiplying in the closet. Utter nightmare.”
“Yeah. Something like that.”
Grant shuddered to think of how much effort it would take to turn his mother’s house back into something livable. He was willing to do the work, but all of it would be for nothing if she didn’t get treatment.
Helping Hands was the best place in the country for individuals suffering from depression and hoarding. Grant knew. He’d spent hours researching, and several more talking to different treatment centers. Maybe he should’ve intervened a long time ago, but Mom always refused help. Like she was now. But this time, things had spiraled so far out of control it wasn’t possible to accept her answer at face value. Grant needed to push her. All he wanted—all he’d ever wanted—was for his mom to get better and be happy.
They’d reached the bakery, and Grant pulled the door open for Sara. Bells jingled overhead. Lucinda wasn’t behind the register. Instead, it was a younger woman he’d never seen before. A pretty red-head with a friendly smile.
“Back again so soon, Sara?” The woman’s gaze shot to Grant. “And who is this with you?”
“We had a bit of a mishap with the cupcakes, Millie.” Sara waved a hand in Grant’s direction. “Allow me to introduce Grant Edwards. We went to high school together. He’s April Edwards’ son.”
Recognition lit in Millie’s eyes. “Ah, the military man. Marines?”
“Navy SEAL,” Grant corrected. He held out his hand for her to shake. “Pleasure to meet you, Millie.”
“Likewise.”
Millie wiped her hand on her apron before taking his. Her grip was firm and confident, and she paired it with a bright smile. After dropping his hand, Millie turned her attention to Sara. “Now, what kind of mishap did you have with the cupcakes?”
Sara leaned on the counter. “They ended up on the ground. Can you give me the same order?”
Grant’s eye snagged on the line of Sara’s leg as she lifted it slightly behind her. His gaze lingered a bit too long, but land’s sake, that skirt should’ve been illegal. It hugged her curves in all the right places. And those high heels only did her long legs a favor.
Millie’s brows arched slightly, and Grant’s gaze skittered away as he realized the woman had caught him gawking like a teenager. He scrubbed a hand over his face, silently berating himself. Jared might not be alive, but that didn’t give Grant license to check out his wife.
He used to be better at this. Time had weakened his shields and diminished his ability to keep his attraction buttoned up.
Millie bustled off to the display case near the window, and within a few minutes, a new box of cupcakes was paid for. Along with some bagels and fresh bread Grant decided would be perfect for Aunt Suzie.
They stepped out into the lingering sunshine. Grant was careful to keep the bakery box even. He didn’t want the cupcakes to end up on the ground a second time. “Millie seems nice. Did Lucinda retire?”
“She did. Millie is her grand-niece and moved to town to take over the bakery. She and Luke St. Clair are engaged. You know he’s the sheriff now, right? And his wife died several years ago?”
“Aunt Suzie fills me in on town news from time to time, but there are long gaps when we can’t speak because of my deployments. I didn’t know Luke had lost his wife.”
Sara tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “It was terrible for him. Luke turned into a different person, a real grump. But he met Millie, and everything changed. It’s wonderful to see him happy again.”
Her voice held a wistful note. Grant’s heart skipped a beat. “Do you think about getting married again?”
As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he wished to snap them back. First of all, it was none of his business. Not really. And second…well, Grant wasn’t sure how he would feel about any answer Sara gave. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.”
“No, it’s okay.” Sara was quiet for a long moment, her gaze drifting across the shops. “In theory, I think about it from time to time. But in actuality…” She shrugged. “It seems impossible. I loved Jared very much.”
“I know you did.”
They both had. Grant and Jared had been best friends since grade school. There wasn’t a place in town that didn’t hold memories
