Page 66 of First Bride to Fall
His ears burned hot.
“She had a minor accident on our hike,” he explained. “Slightly rolled her ankle.”
“Oh no.” Mrs. Delaney frowned. “Poor Nell.”
“But she’s going to be okay?” Mr. Delaney asked with a furrowed brow.
Charlotte placed the paper coffee cup on the counter and snapped on the lid, waiting on his reply. Lucas watched him like a hawk, too. So did Misty.
“Yeah, yeah. She’ll be back on her feet in no time.”
“Well, I think it’s very sweet,” Charlotte said. “That you’re taking care of her.”
“Itissweet.” Misty chuckled. “Don’t forget to keep that up in the future!”
Charlotte shot dagger eyes at her, and Misty winced.
What was that all about?
Grant paid Misty for his pastries and the coffee, and she gave him his change. All the while, she sent him subtle looks like she was in on his big secret. Only he didn’t know what that secret was. Unless it was about his interest in Nell, which was blatantly clear to her family by now. And Lucas, he guessed. Which he was glad of. He didn’t need Lucas thinking he was interested in Misty—only one Delaney woman had his eye. The one who’d claimed she did a lot of camping with her sisters, he remembered suddenly, which he suspected was a big farce. Maybe he could prove it.
“Misty,” he said. “What kind of tent do you all use?”
She stared at him blankly. “Huh?”
“He’s talking aboutcamping,” Charlotte told her in a sing-songy way. “You know, our annual trips with Nell?”
“Er.” Misty panicked. “It’s a—triangle one?”
Grant didn’t know whether to laugh or frown. Misty’s camping vocabulary was about as good as Nell’s. So that story clearly wasn’t adding up. Apart from that, Charlotte and Misty were both acting a little strange. Like they knew something that he didn’t. Maybe before Nell’s phone died, she’d texted them about how great things were going with him. She might have even sent them that rainbow selfie.
Mr. Delaney appeared lost. “We’re going camping?”
“Not you, Dad.” Charlotte patted his shoulder. “It’s a sisters’ trip.”
“Good,” Mrs. Delaney said. “I can’t imagine sleeping on the ground. Not at my age.” She stretched out her back. “I need to get back to the roaster, but great seeing you, Grant.” She gave him a sly smile. “Thanks for helping our Nell.”
He sighed. Well, that cat was pretty much out of the bag. That had to be what Charlotte and Misty were giving him funny looks about, too. He should have guessed he’d tip off her family by coming here. Not that he was ashamed of his involvement with Nell. It was just a little awkward being the center of so much scrutiny from her family.
“My pleasure, Mrs. Delaney.”
“Oh Lucas,” Mrs. Delaney said. “If you don’t mind lending a hand?”
“No problem,” he said, walking after her. He took one last look at Grant, then at Misty, and Grant guessed he was slightly protective. Nell had mentioned he was like family. Grant was pretty convinced Lucas thought of Misty as more than family, though, whether or not he was going to let her know it.
Mr. Delaney stopped to peruse Grant on his way to the kitchen. Grant sensed he was summing him up and gauging his “intentions.” “You take good care of my Nelly, now. She’s pretty special to me.” He glanced at Charlotte and Misty. “All of my girls are.”
He swallowed hard. “Yes, sir. I will,” he said, fully intending to. As soon as he got out of here, which would hopefully be soon. The walls seemed to be closing in on him.
The others left, and an attractive woman he now knew was Mei-Lin exited the kitchen. She carried plates loaded with breakfast burritos over to two customers seated by a table in the corner. She returned to the pastry case and grabbed some empty bags.
“Hello there,” she said, grinning at Grant.
“Uh, hey.”
“You’re Nell’s friend, right?”
Awesome. Not. His relationship with Nell had obviously spread through the shop. He could only hope it wasn’t already all over town. That would be embarrassing, since he and Nell hadn’t totally figured it out yet. “Yeah. We… She and I are spending time up at my cabin.”
