Page 55 of Winter Vows

“Yes. Dinner and a movie.”

“How did that go?”

“We had a lovely time. He’s a very nice man.”

“Poppycock!” Harlan declared. “The man’s a rogue. Needs to settle down. You need a daddy for that little girl of yours and a man to look after you. Seems like a perfect match to me.”

Trish’s hackles rose. “I do not need a man to look after me,” she said fiercely, then added, “sir.”

He chuckled. “Guess that respect for your elders just about flew out the window for a second there, didn’t it?”

“Well, with all due respect, I think you have it all wrong. Hardy and I are just friends.”

“If that’s the truth, then it’s a pity,” he said, studying her. “Can you swear to me it’s the truth?”

“I don’t see why I should have to.”

He slapped his knee at that. “Whooee! That’s just what I was hoping to hear. Means you can’t say it with a straight face.”

The last vestiges of Trish’s determination to treat Harlan Adams with total respect flew out the window. Her gaze narrowed. “It’s true what they say about you, Grandpa Harlan. You’re a meddler.”

“I am indeed. And proud of it. You look around Los Piños and you won’t have a bit of trouble spotting some of my success stories. Haven’t had a failure yet.” He peered at her intently. “You smart enough to understand the implications of that?”

She chuckled, despite herself. “In other words, I should listen closely to what you say and take your advice, because you are very seldom wrong.”

“Good girl. But you’ve got it just a little wrong. I amneverwrong.” He stood up. “Best be going now. I don’t want to wear out my welcome.”

Impulsively Trish crossed the room and gave him a peck on the cheek. “Thank you for caring, even if I have no intention of listening to a word you say.”

He gave her a look of pure regret. “You’ll learn. You’re not the first to tell me to bug off, and undoubtedly, you won’t be the last.” He winked at her. “But in the end, I’m always right.”

Trish was suddenly struck by the terrifying sensation that he very well might be right about her and Hardy, too. A part of her even wanted him to be.

But another part had lived through the disaster with Jack Grainger and couldn’t help making the very comparisons that she’d denied so vehemently to Hardy just the other night. What if she was wrong? What if Hardy turned out to be exactly like the man who had betrayed her? Could she take that kind of a risk with her heart again?

Hardy tossed the fancy invitation down on his bunk without even opening it. He knew what it was for. Trish had invited him to the grand opening of her store, and he was pretty much duty bound to accept. Too many people would jump to all sorts of ridiculous conclusions if he failed to show up.

He supposed he could take a date and put all the matchmaking nonsense to rest once and for all. But he knew he couldn’t do it. Not only wasn’t there a single woman he even wanted to spend the afternoon with, but he knew it would hurt Trish if he showed up with a woman on his arm. It would be tantamount to admitting that her first impression of him had been the right one.

That was why when Sunday afternoon rolled around, he took a shower, dressed with extra care and drove into town for this shindig Trish and Sharon Lynn had planned. After all, how much trouble could he possibly get into at a bookstore opening? He doubted he’d have a single minute alone with the hostess, not so much as a second for stealing a kiss that might push him over the edge and shatter his New Year’s resolution.

Hardy thought back to that night just a couple of months back when he’d been so confident that he could make it through another year as a bachelor. After all, he’d gone through most of the last thirty years on his own. He’d never once been tempted to change that.

Of course, he hadn’t counted on delivering a baby, either. Who could have guessed that that simple act of rescuing a lady in distress would tumble his whole view of the world into disarray?

Before he could analyze the meaning of all that, he arrived at the store, only to realize that he’d instinctively arrived early. Maybe subconsciously he’d wanted that stolen moment alone with Trish, after all.

As long as he was the first one parked on the block, he couldn’t very well hide out in the truck until the other guests started showing up. He might as well go inside and see what he could do to help.

He opened the door to chaos. Sharon Lynn and Trish were running around like crazy trying to get all the food arranged on folding tables they’d set up across the back of the store. Laura was in her carrier screaming at the top of her lungs, furious at being ignored. Trish took one look at him and latched on to his arm as if it were a lifeline.

She cast a look from him to her daughter and pleaded, “Do something. I thought she’d sleep through this, but she hasn’t stopped crying. I don’t have a second to pace the floor with her, not if everything’s going to be ready when people get here.”

“Leave her to me,” he soothed. “Looks to me like you and Sharon Lynn have everything just about ready. Laura and I will take a little walk around the place, so she can get acquainted with the business.”

“Bless you,” she said fervently.

“No problem.” He scooped his favorite miniature person out of her carrier and settled her against his chest. “Hey, sweet thing, let’s you and me go check out the children’s books. Maybe we can find you a bedtime story. How does that sound?”

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