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“You picked a perfect weekend to come up here,” Julia said, giving each of them a hug. “The weather is going to be gorgeous! And as a bonus, you’ll have the place to yourself tomorrow evening. My friend Cathy is throwing herself a retirement party. No one wants to drive home after having a few so I’ll spend the night at her place.”
Reese couldn’t imagine Julia having one drink, let alone several.
“Thanks, Mom,” Grady said.
“I want you lovebirds to have some romantic alone time.”
Reese could feel the heat rising in her cheeks. She could see why Grady would let his parents believe the relationship was real. For one, Julia wanted it so badly. But more importantly, if she did know the truth, she’d likely spill the beans. At the same time, she felt sorry for Julia. She did want this so badly, and when the truth came out…well, Grady would have to deal with the disappointment.
“I brought some muffins and coffee,” Reese said.
“Wonderful. Let’s enjoy that now.”
They followed her inside and Julia put on a pot for coffee. She couldn’t stop smiling, and Reese wondered if she’d be boasting about her son’s new relationship to all her friends. Reese was pretty sure that was going to happen.
“We thought we’d do a hike later,” Grady said.
“That sounds lovely. You should do that before the heat starts. Then a swim in the lake to cool you off. After that, I can fix you both some lunch.”
Grady tried not to roll his eyes. “Okay, thanks, Mom.”
“In the meantime, why don’t the two of you settle into your room, and the coffee will be ready by the time you get back.”
Reese followed Grady into the room she would share with him for at least one night.
“You can take the spare room tomorrow night,” Grady said. “And if you want, I can sleep on the floor tonight.”
Reese looked at the queen-size bed. “Not necessary. We’re adults, and we can share a bed.”
“Good, because the prospect of sleeping on the floor didn’t appeal to me,” he said with a grin.
After dropping off the muffins, they changed into their hiking gear. Grady grabbed two bottles of water and they set down the street toward the path.
“I don’t need bear spray, do I?” Reese asked.
“I hope not. I’ve been coming out here since I was a baby, and no one has ever seen a bear roaming around too close. And the rules around here are strict about garbage, so we should be fine.”
The heat of the late morning had set in. Within minutes, Reese could feel her clothes sticking to her, but the trees kept them shielded from the direct sun. It was lovely, and Reese took a few pictures for social media. She had Grady pose for a few pictures and when they came to a clearing along the lake, Grady suggested a break. They sat on a huge rock cliff and took in the beauty of the water.
“This place is gorgeous,” Reese said.
“It’s peaceful,” Grady said, passing a bottle of water to Reese. He twisted off the top of his and took a long drink. “Mom and Dad were thinking of selling, but my sisters and I convinced them to hang on to it. We agreed to bring our own families here when the time comes and keep the place in the family. Who knows if that will work, but we’ll try.”
“That’s a great idea.”
“And you’re welcome to come out here anytime,” he said, glancing over at her.
“Thank you. I may take you up on that.”
They finished the five-kilometer hike and headed back. It was a good workout, but Reese needed some relief from the heat.
“How about a swim?” Grady asked.
“That would be refreshing.”
“And by the time we’ve cooled off, Mom will probably have lunch ready for us.”
“She’s going to spoil me.”
