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“You could thank him yourself when he comes to pick me up. Soon.” She looked at her watch-less wrist and grinned. “Soon.”
The little girl was trying to help matchmake her daddy. It was sweet. And low. “As nice as that sounds, this place is packed and I have to get back to work.” And if I could manage to be searching for some obscure hair product when Grant arrived to pick up Mariana, that would perfect.
Just perfect.
I swear the whole dang town was in on the game because Grant’s truck made an appearance about fifteen seconds after the last customer gave a knowing smile and wave as she exited the salon. “You gonna be mad at my dad forever, Brenna?” Nothing cut like the innocently spoken question from a child.
“I’m not mad at him, Mari, not anymore.” I was just done with him, needed to be for my own peace of mind.
“You just don’t want him?”
I looked up just in time to see Grant’s lazy sexy gait strolling up to the shop, a nervous smile on his face. “That question is a little too grown up for you, Mariana.”
“I knew you were gonna say that,” she grumbled adorably just as the chimes sounded over the door. “Dad!”
“Hey baby girl! Did you have a good day?” Mariana gave an exaggerated nod as she wrapped her arms around Grant and I couldn’t help but take in the scene with a heavy heart because, no matter how much I tried to fool myself, to lie to myself, I’d started to see this little family as mine. “That’s good. Really good to hear.” Grant smacked a kiss on both cheeks and the little girl giggled.
“Brenna loved the cupcake and she shared it with me.” Her stage whisper could use some work, but some things were just too exciting for a little girl of seven years to keep it quiet.
“Even better news.” Grant stood and dusted imaginary debris from his pants before turning his gaze to me. “Looking gorgeous, as always, Brenna.”
Yeah, I smiled. I couldn’t help it because the man was charming as all get out. “Thanks, Grant. Charming as ever, I see.”
“Is it working?”
I shrugged. “The cupcake was delicious. The message was…received.”
“Perfect.” He flashed that picture perfect smile, his gaze lingering on my face for a seconds longer than might be considered appropriate, before he dropped down to his knees and ordered Mariana up on his back. “Let’s let Brenna get back to work. See you soon, Brenna.” His words sounded more like a threat than a promise and I worked hard to suppress a shiver.
“Bye, Brenna.”
And that was it. Grant and his matchmaking partner were gone.
Weird.
It was kind of a letdown but I shoved that thought deep down into a box, wrapped it in chains and locks, and promptly forgot about it. This was good. I didn’t Grant trying to seduce me, or woo me or whatever that sweet note had been.
It was a relief, actually.
Yeah, a relief, that’s what it was.
At least, that’s what I told myself as I clipped and dyed and set hair for the rest of the afternoon, determined not to spend the whole day thinking about how things had gone so terribly wrong with Grant Lopez. The truth was things hadn’t gone wrong, per se, I’d just fallen for the wrong guy.
Again.
But the thing about Grant Lopez was, he didn’t feel like the wrong guy and that’s what made him so dangerous. Which I was reminded of once again when I stepped inside my house later that day and found every surface filled with flowers and chocolates and plenty of other things that made me wonder what the heck he was up to. “Hello?” There was no answer. Of course there was no answer because the house was empty. But I grabbed for my bat just to be sure. “I’m armed so if you value the brains in your head, make yourself known. Now.” It was a ridiculous thing to say to someone who had broken into your home to hand out gifts, but it was all I had.
“Well now, that’s not the greeting I was hoping for but it’s so quintessentially Brenna that I’ll take it.”
Grant. “How did you get in here?”
His brows arched in question. “I have a particular set of skills.”
I held my hands up to stop his words with a smile. “Nope. We’re not doing that.”
“Okay fine. I got by with a little help from my friends. Better?”
I nodded, feeling a little swoony that he’d recruited his friends to help him pull this off, whatever this was. That had to mean something. Didn’t it? “Some. What is all this?”
“Look around and see for yourself.”
I accepted his challenge and went around the living room with a hitch in my throat. The first one I came upon was a lemon cheesecake bite and a little paper ribbon that said your smile is the best part of my day. “Grant,” I gasped.
