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“He’s been watching too much TV.”
“Agreed. But he’s now taking action. He’s arriving this weekend. He’s determined to get me to move—”
“But he can’t force you!”
“No. He can’t. But I don’t want to alienate him, either. I appreciate that he’s concerned about me. He’s the only family I have left, but I don’t want to live in San Jose or Saratoga or wherever he’s calling home now.” She poked her salad with her fork but didn’t even try to eat. “Marietta is my home. It’s always been my home. It’s where I raised my family and all my friends live—” She broke off and blinked back tears. “I wish I could make him understand, but he truly believes I will be better off with him in California than Montana.”
Amanda frowned. Bette was one of the sunniest, most cheerful women she knew, and it was hard to see her like this. “It’s going to be okay,” she said, covering Bette’s hand with hers. “He isn’t even here yet, and when he does arrive, you’ll just have to show him why you love Marietta so much so that he understands why you’re happy here.”
“I am torn, though. I would love to be closer to my grandson. He reminds me so much of my son. And I suppose that’s both good and bad, because Tyler’s father, Patrick, was really my heart. I had such difficulty conceiving, and had five miscarriages. Patrick was really my miracle baby. We’d given up thinking I could have a child, and then I was pregnant and he somehow made it all the way through, and so of course I was protective of him. Don, my husband, thought I spoiled him, but how could I not? Patrick was a joy… smart, busy, gregarious. He had the most delightful sense of humor and loved to make people laugh. Unfortunately, Don didn’t have a sense of humor and, from the beginning, he and Patrick butted heads. It didn’t help that Patrick was extremely independent, and he wanted to do things his way.”
“But isn’t that normal? Kids rebel. It’s part of growing up.”
“They do, yes, absolutely, but my late husband was a former military man, and he expected his son to follow orders. Only Patrick didn’t follow anyone’s orders, not unless they made sense to him, and the more Donald tried to discipline Patrick, the more Patrick resented his father. And then they had a huge fight over a girl Patrick was dating. Donald didn’t approve of her, and Patrick was told that we wouldn’t help him with college if he didn’t stop seeing her. Patrick didn’t, and Donald threw him out, a month before his high school graduation.”
“What happened then?”
“Patrick graduated, and left for the West Coast, where he went to school on an ROTC scholarship, and he came home only one more time, and then never again.”
Bette sighed. “It was a mess, and heartbreaking.”
“Especially if he was your only child.”
“I was constantly in the middle of those two, and so it was something of a relief when Patrick went away to school, but in some ways it was even worse when he never returned after that first visit.”
“Did you not see him then?”
“I’d go see him in California, but Don wouldn’t go with me.”
“So you were always in the middle.”
Bette’s eyes filled with tears. “Patrick died a year after Don in a skiing accident. It was just one of those freaks accidents.”
“I remember that.”
Bette nodded. “And now I have this chance with my grandson, and while I don’t want to leave Marietta, I don’t want to risk losing out on this chance to know him better, and have him in my life.”
“I completely understand that.”
“He doesn’t understand Montana, though. He thinks our winters are too long and harsh. He worries about me being here all alone.”
“You can’t blame him, not if he’s a Californian. But you’re also far from alone.”
“I know, and that’s why I want you to help me when he comes to visit this weekend. I want you to show him around Marietta. Give him a tour of the area… let him see the Marietta we know and love.”
“Me?”
“You’re young and pretty—”
“This is a very bad idea.”
“He’ll love you.”
“I don’t want him to love me. I want him to love you. And I want him to support your desire to remain in Marietta for as long as you wish to be here.” Amanda’s gaze met Bette’s. “You do want to still be here, don’t you? Or, are you maybe ready for a move to Northern California?”
“Marietta is home,” Bette answered firmly. “This is where I want to be.”
“You could always come back here for visits—”
“And leave all my friends? Leave my bridge group? And my birthday group? The girls and I have been together for over fifty years!”
Amanda smiled, because she knew Bette’s bridge club and birthday club and the ‘girls’ were all in their eighties as well. “You do have great friends here.”
“Exactly! I just need a little help convincing him that Marietta, Montana is where I belong.”
Mandy gave Bette a long look. “Just know that I won’t be part of your matchmaker schemes.”
“I wouldn’t!”
“You have. Several times.”
“Well, I promised you I wouldn’t interfere, and I haven’t again, have I?”
“No. And that’s good, because I’ve never been happier, nor have I ever worked harder. The last thing I want, or need, is a man. He’d only complicate everything—” She broke off, her brow creasing. “What did you say his name was?”
“Tyler Justice.”
So not Ty James, Mandy thought. But just to be on the safe side, she had to ask. “Does he ever go by Ty? Or Ty James?”
“Well, his middle name is James, and I suppose people might call him Ty. His parents called him Tyler, and I’ve only ever called him Tyler.” Bette paused. “Why do you ask?”
“Do you have a picture of him?”
“I do somewhere. Not here.”
“Not on your iPhone?”
“I still don’t know how to do that, Amanda.”
Mandy hid her smile. “What does he look like?”
“Why all these questions?”
“I’ll tell you in a minute. Just humor me. Is he tall or short? Does he have dark hair or is he blond? Does he even have hair?”
“Of course he has hair! He has thick brown hair and green eyes, and he’s a little over six feet tall. Maybe six feet one. And he’s handsome. He has a lovely face—he inherited his dad’s good looks. I know I’m his grandmother but Tyler is swoon worthy.”
“Huh.”
“Why?”
She pictured the tall, broad shouldered man in her chair earlier, and the high hard cheekbones, as well as the firm chin and strong brow. “I was just curious. Just in case I… bump… into him here in town.”
“He’s not arriving until Friday night.”
“And then he’ll be staying at the Graff?”
“No! With me, of course.” Bette looked indignant. “I’d never let family say at a hotel. That’s dreadful.”
“Right.”
Chapter Two
Her three o’clock appointment was a no-show due to car troubles, and Amanda was almost glad because her brain was spinning and her stomach was churning. After glancing at her watch, and then out the window, she grabbed her coat and told Emily she’d be back in time for her four o’clock client, and then buttoning her coat, Amanda headed down Second Avenue, toward Main Street and then on to Front before turning to the Graff.
It was a cloudless day, just cold and windy, not surprising as it was late February and Marietta was always windy. Amanda walked briskly, the odd leaf and twig swirling past, taking deep breaths, trying to check her temper, but it wasn’t easy because she was seriously angry. She’d been played by Bette’s grandson, no less.
Amanda asked the front desk if there was a housephone she could use to call Tyler James’s room. The rather dour front-desk clerk pointed to the phone against the lobby wall, but then added, “But he’s not in his room at the
moment. He was just here asking about a place to get food and I directed him to the bar.”
Amanda nodded her thanks and headed to the back where the old-fashioned bar had a cozy pub feel with its green leather booths, big antique counter, and glowing copper ceiling. After being refurbished for much of the last year, the handsome, antique bar was back in place, in its position of glory, and Amanda’s friend, bartender Shane Knight was behind the counter.
Amanda nodded at Shane and then scanned the room, spotting Tyler at a booth on the opposite wall.
Her temper spiked again. “Tyler James Justice,” she said, reaching his side.
He’d been reading a message on his phone and his head lifted abruptly. As his gaze met hers, his expression went from pleased to surprised and then wary.
“Your grandmother thinks you’re arriving Friday night,” she added tersely. “Won’t she be surprised when she discovers you actually arrived on Tuesday and have been staying at the Graff.”
“Care to sit?” he replied, gesturing to the leather booth across from him.
She looked at him for a long moment before sliding into the booth.
“When did you figure out I was her grandson?” he asked.
“When she came by at lunch and told me her grandson, Tyler Justice, was coming to town and she hoped I’d be nice to you and show you around.” Amanda smiled grimly. “It wasn’t difficult to put Ty James and Tyler Justice together.”
