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His gaze flicked from her to the delivery van and back again. “I was just heading in to see Everett myself. Mind if I join you?”
“I’d appreciate you being there,” she admitted, ready to shovel down mouthfuls of humble pie for the sake of her sunflowers. “As much as I’d hoped to settle things with your grandfather on my own, I might need your help to convince him. You were right about that.”
Nate shook off the acknowledgment as he headed toward the front door with her. “I’m glad to help. And for what it’s worth, I’m sure he’ll be reasonable.”
“Are you?” Keely had only met Everett Ramsey a few times, but he wasn’t known as the most easygoing guy. He had a reputation for being cantankerous and headstrong. “I’ve heard he can be a…formidable adversary.”
Nate laughed. “Agreed.” He walked up the low stone steps into the shade of the small front porch. “But my mother has given me reason to believe that part of Everett’s motive in having me talk to you in the first place about the land was some kind of misguided matchmaking effort.”
Whatever she’d been expecting him to say, it hadn’t been anything remotely close to that.
“Everett Ramsey? Matchmaking?” She’d heard the older man give her father a setdown or two when her dad had been too drunk to get home on his own accord, and she remembered how forceful he could be.
Not that she hadn’t appreciated someone else trying to talk sense into her dad.
“Believe me, it hadn’t crossed my mind either. But I figured I owed you fair warning before we face him down, since I know that you have zero intention of revisiting our old relationship.” The wry tone in Nate’s voice made it clear that he’d heard her when she said that she’d moved on.
Which was good, right? That’s what she wanted.
Or, more accurately, that’s what sheneeded.
“Okay.” She nodded, trying not to notice the sense of letdown. It was wrong to give him mixed signals. “I’m ready if you are.”
Nate knocked on the tall front door with his uninjured hand. “Gramp? It’s Nate.”
He leaned forward, ear close to the door as if listening. To her, he said, “I hear he isn’t as stable on his feet since the accident. I worry about him falling.”
“You haven’t seen him since you’ve been home?”
He shook his head. “I tried to visit him yesterday, but he was out all day. My mom said he had a doctor appointment.”
The front door opened then, and Everett Ramsey stood before them, his wispy white hair standing up in a few directions. He wore a lightweight cotton robe belted over a pair of jogging pants and a white T-shirt. The outfit seemed warm for a July Texas day, but the air from the house was cool as it wafted out around him.
“Well slap me silly, it’s another grandson.” He lifted one arm to embrace Nate while using the other to hold himself steady on the doorknob.
Keely fought the urge to reach up and steady the man, but Nate seemed ready to catch him if he stumbled.
“How are you doing, Gramp?” he asked, offering his grandfather his arm while they all entered the house.
Keely took care of closing the door behind them while Nate walked with Everett to get him settled in a living room recliner. The home was dim with the stone walls and narrow windows offering some natural insulation from the Texas heat. With the deep porches and roof overhang, there wasn’t any direct sunlight at this time of day. A ceiling fan hummed slow circles overhead, the planked floor devoid of any rugs. A couple of deep couches upholstered in dark blue looked like they’d hardly ever been used, but Everett’s leather recliner was surrounded by items from slippers to newspapers and end tables on either side.
Once Everett seemed comfortable, he instructed Nate to pour everyone drinks. Keely accepted a water at the older man’s insistence, and the two of them waited in the living room while Nate went to retrieve the glasses.
“I hear your flower business has taken off,” Everett observed, not unkindly. He laced his fingers together, the wrinkly knuckles swollen and his skin tanned even though he couldn’t have been getting outside much since the accident.
“It’s been a slow build the last few years, but I’d hoped to turn a better profit this year,” she told him honestly, her nerves returning.
Nate’s boots sounded on the hardwood as he came back in with a small tray of waters for them and a glass of iced tea for his grandfather. Keely thanked him and set her glass on the side table.
“How are you making money with no storefront?” he asked between sips of his tea.
Nate took a seat on the next couch cushion over from her. Close, but not touching. Just near enough to make her very aware of him. It surprised her to realize how much his presence calmed her as she answered Everett.
“I’m filling some online orders for national distributors, and I set up an electronic store last year.” That had really boosted her business. “But I realize it’s imperative that I turn a profit with my sunflowers this year, and they are planted on the land that my father sold to you.”
“Meaning they’re my sunflowers?” Everett’s gruff tone was intimidating.
“Gramp,” Nate admonished. “We’re here to work something out since Keely had no idea her father sold that property out from under her.”
