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“When I was shopping, it felt like someone was following me,” she confessed with a heavy sigh. “I know that’s crazy because I would turn around and no one was there. I think I just got spooked a bit. I was fine later. Just a moment of madness.”
“Have you been feeling like that a lot?” Lane asked, her brows pinched together in concern.
“No, so it was a surprise when I felt it on Saturday. It was almost as if someone was watching me from afar, but I couldn’t see them. It was weird. I’ve put it down to just thinking about the past more since Grant knew me before I started my life over. I didn’t feel it again, so I don’t think it’s a big deal.”
“You need to keep a look over your shoulder,” Mike said quietly. “There are some crazy people in the world, you know.”
She did know, up close and personal. When Lane had taken Mia in, Mike had also been there for her, supportive and constantly declaring that he wanted to beat Kevin’s ass. At the time, Mia would have let him, although now she didn’t think her ex was worth anyone’s time in the least. He wasn’t even worth an ass kicking.
“I am cautious,” Mia replied. “I don’t think this was anything real. It’s just a momentary back slip into the past. I’m fine now.”
“If this guy is making you think about Kevin…” Lane’s voice trailed off, but the implication was clear.
“No, Grant makes me happy. This isn’t his fault.”
“If you and Grant get serious, would you move up there to be with him?” Lane asked.
“We haven’t talked about that at all since we just started dating, but yes, if we’re together for a while and serious, I would move. He can’t really do his job remotely, but I can. It’s nice up there. A cute little town. Most of the people are friendly, and he has a large family apparently. I’ve only met his oldest brother so far.”
“I miss you already,” Lane replied with a wistful tone. “I love having you right down the street.”
“I like that, too. Let’s not create problems where there aren’t any. I’m not going to move anytime in the near future. That’s a down-the-road thing. I just want to enjoy the present.”
“We want to meet him then,” Lane said. “Right, Mike?”
“Of course, we do,” Mike agreed, patting his wife’s hand. “We have to make sure that he’s good enough for our girl.”
“He is,” Mia assured them. “Trust me on this. He’s fantastic. And I do want you to meet him. I’ll talk to Grant about it. Maybe he and I can make plans for him to spend some time down here with me.”
Mia hadn’t left Grant all that long ago, but she already couldn’t wait to see him again. Was this what love was like? If so, she was all in.
* * *
“Your brother’s here,” Jill yelled across the sheriff’s station. She was sitting at the front desk and Grant was back in his office with the door open. “He wants to talk to you.”
Sighing, Grant inwardly rolled his eyes. He’d talked to her about screaming across a room. Hell, they had an intercom system that was functional but barely used. She was going to get up from her desk anyway and walk with Ace. She always did so she didn’t need to holler.
But here they were. They were going to have to have another chat about professional decorum.
Ace closed the door behind him, a smirk on his face.
“Jill reminds me of our cousin Tina. We certainly never wondered where she was because you could always hear her within a half-mile radius.”
“I’m going to have to have another talk with her,” Grant sighed. “She’s so good at her job, but it’s like she’s determined to test my patience with unprofessional shit. I almost think she’s doing it on purpose just to see what I’ll do.”
“Maybe she’s conducting a psychological experiment, and you’re the subject. You should thank goodness that she’s not doing some bizarre torture ritual on you.”
“It might be preferable. If it was physical, then I could at least fight back.”
“I think she likes you,” Ace said with a playful wink. “She’s trying to get your attention, get you to loosen up and have some fun with her.”
Perish the thought.
“I have fun. But probably not the type of fun a woman in her early twenties wants. From what I’ve seen, Jill is still in her party stage. I like to go to bed early and get eight hours of sleep.”
“Speaking of fun,” Ace said. “Mom told me that you’re going to the cabin this weekend with your new girlfriend.”
There was no such thing as a secret in the Anderson family. If one person knew it, eventually they all would.
