Page 93 of A Summer Mismatch
“Did you put on sunscreen?” she asked.
He shook his head. “I go golfing every day and all I need is a hat.” Which he was conspicuously missing. At least he’d brought a water bottle, which he offered to her.
She took a sip of the cold water, her stomach growling, then handed it back to him. She hadn’t had the chance to eat this morning in her rush to save him.
“Julia. Things aren’t turning out the way we’d planned, but I’m not sorry to have you to myself for a few minutes.”
“To get me away from Logan?” she asked sharply, then wished she could take back the words. This wasn’t her, and her grandpa wasn’t a bad person. “I’m sorry, Grandpa. That was unkind.”
“No, I deserved that.” He looked down at his age-spotted hands.
She took a deep breath. She needed to start standing up for what she wanted, and right now, what she wanted was to have Logan Kent in her life.
“I know you don’t like Logan, and I know you don’t trust his grandpa, but he’s a good man, and if you just got to know him, I promise you’d see that.” She lifted her chin. “But even if you can’t,I’mgoing to keep seeing him.”
Grandpa stared at her, his eyes shining. “I’m the one who should be apologizing to you. I let my pride get in the way of what is best for my granddaughter. I thought I was saving you from pain and heartache, but instead I was causing it, and I couldn’t see it.”
She wanted to jump in and accept his apology, to keep him from looking so uncomfortable, but she forced herself to bite her cheeks and stay quiet. Maybe he needed to say this just as much as she needed to hear it, even if it was uncomfortable.
“When I saw you with Logan, all I could think about was how Smitty and I were best friends once, and that meant he was able to hurt me more than if we’d only been business partners. We were both terrible to each other, and I didn’t want you to get drawn into that.” He chuckled humorlessly. “The irony is that I guess I’m the one who ended up dragging you into it after all.
“I don’t know Logan real well, so I don’t know if I’m going to like him or not. But my opinion doesn’t matter. What matters is that you like him, and you really seem to.”
She couldn’t hold back her words anymore. “But your opiniondoesmatter to me, Grandpa. That’s why this has been so hard.”
He took her hand in his. “I know. And here’s my opinion. That boy makes you happy. I never saw you smile this much with Timothy. And since the Watermelon Gala, you seem to be missing that glow, and I miss seeing that glow in you. That I had anything to do with stifling it makes me want to take myself out back and show me a lesson.”
Her eyes stung with tears, but she laughed when he held out a fist.
“I’m sorry I got in the mix of your business and didn’t give Logan a chance, or trust you enough to make your own decisions. I’m so proud of you, and the woman you’ve become. If the rest of us could just have a tenth of your compassion and drive to serve, the world would be a much better place.”
He cleared his throat, his eyes filling with emotion. “Do you think you can forgive an old man who promises to try harder and do better?”
“Yes, of course. And can you forgive me for falling in love with the grandson of your enemy?”
He patted her on the head, and Julia was filled with joy at the familiar sign of his affection. “Falling in love, eh?”
She nodded firmly.
“There’s nothing to forgive,” he told her. “Maybe it was written in the stars. Smitty and I always wanted one of our kids to get married, but none of them gave each other a second glance. I guess we just needed to wait a generation.”
She laughed and cringed at the same time. “Don’t mention marriage to anyone yet, please. Things have been awkward enough.”
“What? Kids these days don’t want to get married anymore?”
“Grandpa,” she moaned. “Like two minutes ago, you hated him, and now you’re talking marriage. I have whiplash.”
“I’ve never been one to relax once a decision has been made. I’ve decided to accept your judgment without reservation, including your relationship with Logan, and so it’s time to move to the next step.”
“The next step is for you to get to know Logan better. And I want to date him out in the open for a while.”
He nodded decisively. “Okay, I like that plan. Just don’t wait too long.”
She lunged forward to give him a hug, grateful that this canoe was more stable.
“I love you, Grandpa.” She inhaled his familiar, cedar smell and it felt like coming home again.
“I love you, too.”
