Page 44 of The Fear
He wouldn’t ever want it to, either.
37
Hala stoodthere while he loaded her down with two of the totes of goodies—and he grabbed four. She’d told him she could take a third, but he gave her a look that told her not to even say it. He was a bit of a chauvinist, this man. But…an adorable one.
She was seriously in trouble here.
That was just doubly reinforced when his mother came up and the first thing he did was put his totes on the ground, lift his mother out of his father’s truck and hug her close. The man loved his family, and wasn’t shy about showing that.
It made Hala want to cuddle close, that was for sure.
He really was a good man—so why had he irritated her so much for years? Hala was going to have to figure that out fast.
Because she was seriously in trouble here.
And she was starting to get an answer that sheneverwould have expected before.
“There you are, sweetie,” Gayle said, turning toward Hala next. “Let me have a hug.”
Hala didn’t hesitate. Gayle smelled the way she always did, like a mix of subtle floral perfume and almost sunshine. Hala resisted the urge to cling. Gayle had been there for her, for theworst moments of Hala’s life. She would never forget waking in the hospital after the wreck that killed her family to find Greer’s mother right there next to the bed, holding her hand, tears in her own eyes.
Gayle hadn’t left her that entire night, while Hudson had been dealing with…everything. Gayle had held her while she cried.
Gayle Hiller had completely held Hala together.
Hala still hurt for the burden she’d put on her brother then. She had been six weeks shy of eighteen. Still a child in so many ways. She hadn’t even graduated high school yet, and Hudson had been stuck with her. He hadn’t even been thirty at the time.
She’d tried to spend as much time with Greer’s family as she could back then—to give Hudson a break from dealing with her. Not that her brother had ever made her feel unloved or unwelcomed. The exact opposite. He’d given up his own condo to move into the house she’d grown up in. Until she was ready to leave it, too.
Now, they rented it out to a family with three kids and split the money every month. Someday…one of Hudson’s children would get that house. Or hers. They would figure that out when the time came. Someday.
Gayle stepped back, and almost nudged Hala toward…Grady.
Like sheknewthings had been happening between them.
“Let’s get this across town. People will show up early, just watch. They’ll want all the good gossip,” Gayle said. “My phone has been lighting up lately. With…everything that has happened to you kids. I’m not sure my heart can take it.”
“It’s over now, Mom. Everyone is going to be okay.” Grady hugged his mother quickly. “Gia and Hudson will be coming by the library after her follow-up appointment. She’s going to be okay.”
“I know. But…a mother willalwaysworry. Always. Don’t think I don’t spend my fair share of time worrying about you, too, Grady Hiller. It’s time you found a good girl, got married, and gave me beautiful, sweet-souled grandbabies. Hala, he was just the sweetest of my babies, hands down. Always wanting a hug or cuddles; so loveable. If he wasn’t such a booger to you all the time, you should probably consider him. He has real potential. The two of you would make the sweetest, most beautiful children. Just like I am sure Hudson and Gia will. I can’t wait until they marry, and Ryan is my grandbaby officially. Although, I am not going to wait on that, thank you very much. He’s perfect and just wonderful. Hala, did you try the sunflower butter and chocolate chip? Absolutely amazing.”
Hala just nodded. And let Gayle chatter away as they carried everything to the trucks. Grady’s mother was definitely in a bubbly mood today—she was focused on the positive, on the good that had come from what had happened to her family lately. Namely, all but Grady and Greer were married or engaged or seriously talking about it forever now. They were all focusing on the future.Gaylewas focusing on more grandbabies—starting with the surprise Greer was carrying now, and one Mr. Ryan Micah Hanan—who was already calling them Grandma Gayle and Grampy Max.
Ryan had grandparents to do things with him. Hala suspected her own mama was watching down from heaven now. She and Gayle had been the closest of friends.
Six of Gayle’s children down, two to go. Hala had no doubt that diabolical woman was counting down. She was sneaky that way.
Hala strongly suspected she was at the top of Gayle’s list now for one Grady Treyton Hiller. There was apparently a high likelihood Grady had beenrightthat night he said his motherwas plotting. Hala wasn’t certain how she had missed it, but now…?
The idea of Grady-babies weren’t quite as terrifying as she thought they should be. Which…terrified her completely, actually.
38
He’d filledin for his brother with church activities a few times before, mostly when Gunn had been called away to be with a congregant in an emergency last minute, or the time Gunn had had food poisoning.
Grady didn’t mind doing the whole crowd thing, it just wasn’teasyfor him. He’d discovered years ago that a lot of people expected him and Gunn to act identically because they were identical physically. It had taken Grady a while to understand that it was perfectlyfinethat he didn’t act like Gunn all that much. Gunn was easy with people and crowds. Grady wasn’t.
He still felt like people expected him to be. And found him lacking compared to his brother.
