Grammy didn’t flinch.
“I’ll get the pastor,” she muttered under her breath. “And the good cake pans. We’re having a wedding.”
She didn’t need to add before the baby comes. I knew she wasn’t judging—she was protecting.
“I need some help with her ring,” I murmured.
“You can have mine resized,” she said, patting my hand.
“But you love that ring,” I said, frowning.
“It’s a Mercer heirloom. I helped your brother buy his house—this one’s yours.”
“I could see Juliette loving the history behind it.”
“She’ll love the diamonds even more,” she chuckled. “May your love continue to bloom. It’s done these old eyes some good, seeing you come back to the living.”
“Grammy,” I murmured, kissing her cheek.
“Another baby, eh? You made quick work of that.”
“Yup. Grace’ll have a cousin soon. But don’t tell anyone yet.”
“My lips are sealed—for two weeks. After that, I’m blabbing to anyone who’ll listen.”
Two weeks to get Juliette onboard.
I smiled.
I managed to get her pregnant the first day I met her.
Operation Secure The Wife was officially underway.
Chapter 20
Juliette
They were definitely up to something. The sly looks. The lingering glances. And Grammy—well, she was being particularly sweet. Suspiciously so.
She must’ve rushed out this morning; her silver-streaked hair was scraped into a no-nonsense bun instead of its usual soft curls. The dark grey twisted at the back only made the white wisps framing her face stand out more.
Not that it stopped her from wearing her signature deep red lipstick. Grammy didn’t believe in being caught off guard without war paint.
I was still mulling it all over when she suddenly stood up.
“Always lovely to visit you both, but my ride has arrived,” she said breezily, just as Kade rose to his feet beside her.
“I’ll see you downstairs,” he added, and I couldn’t tell if he was being a gentleman—or if they were about to hatch some secret plot in the hallway. Honestly, it was 50/50.
I narrowed my eyes. “How did you know Kade was over at mine?”
“Your ground floor neighbour told me his cruiser was here,” she said, as if that were perfectly normal and not deeply concerning.
How did she get here so fast?
She leaned in to kiss my cheek, then turned for the door before I could ask another thing.
Was it any wonder Kade ended up as the town’s sheriff?
