this woman into the mix.
Fran came out of the garage, a hand raised to block her view from the sun, and her face broke into a pleased smile when she saw my truck. It took a second for her to notice my passenger, but when she did, I saw her clap a hand to her chest in relief.
I'd barely slipped the gear into park when the woman next to me flung the door open, crossed the driveway with just a few strides of her long legs, and wrapped her aunt in a fierce hug.
"Oh, honey, you had me worried sick! I tried to call a couple of times and it wouldn’t go through," Fran exclaimed, pulling back to cup the sides of her niece's face. "What happened?"
As I climbed out of my truck and greeted Fran with a nod, Angry Girl finally softened into a different creature entirely. Hugging her aunt yanked all the fight out of her, and a massive smile stretched over her face.
Damn if she wasn't one of the prettiest things I'd ever seen, and that was saying something, because she was awfully pretty in anger, too. The thought was there, as quick as a flash of lightning, and had the same kind of potential for destruction, but it couldn't be stopped. I shoved it out of my head as fast as it had shown up. That was a storm that had no place in my life.
"My stupid car died," she sighed, hugging her aunt again. "And I had no cell service. I thought I was going to end up a headline in the newspaper. California transplant dies of hunger in the backwoods of Tennessee."
Fran laughed and wrapped an arm around her niece's waist, since Angry Girl was a few inches taller. "Oh, Grace, this would only happen to you, wouldn't it?"
Grace.
Those golden eyes flicked in my direction at the admission of her name, and I grinned.
"Now, Tucker Haywood, what got you involved in my beautiful niece's misfortune?" Fran asked.
I slipped my hands into my pockets and shrugged. "I just picked the right time to go for a drive, I guess. Found her on the side of the road by her car."
Fran shook her head. "Well, I don't know how to thank you, Tuck. Though I'm sure Grace already has."
The woman in question set her jaw and gave me a level, warning look.
DON’T YOU DARE, she warned, in all caps.
My grin spread, and I couldn't believe I felt this tempted to pull the tiger's tail, so to speak, after everything I’d already done.
"Of course she did," I said. "She has the manners of an angel."
She narrowed her eyes at me, color popping on her cheeks.
Fran glanced between us with a smile. "An angel, huh?" She nudged Grace. "Now that's a new one for you, sweetie."
"Do you need some help getting the car over to the Winston’s?" I asked.
"Don't worry about it. We'll give the garage a call after her daddy gets off work. He and Robert will get it settled. Thank you, Tuck."
Ahh, the last puzzle piece. Daughter of Glenn, Robert's brother, whose ex-wife and two kids moved off to California years ago. No wonder I didn't know who she was.
In the pocket of my jeans, my phone started buzzing. Not wanting to be rude, I reached in and silenced it. "Well, I'll leave you two to visit." I held Grace's eyes and nodded. "Grace, it sure was a pleasure to meet you."
She pulled in a deep breath, visibly fortifying herself. "Thank you for helping me," she said, and oh, I saw how much it pained her to pull those words out.
I nodded to both of them as I climbed back in my truck. "Welcome to Green Valley, Miss Buchanan."
Her glare made me laugh, and the two women started into the house as I shifted the truck into reverse. My phone started buzzing again, and I pulled it out of my pocket.
Magnolia.
I let out a slow breath before I answered it. "Hey there."
"So I just got the strangest phone call," her sweet voice said. "Daddy heard from Scotia who said you passed her going through town with a strange woman in your truck. She didn't have the faintest idea who it was."
"You checking up on me?" I was smiling, and she must have known it, because she let out a breathy laugh.
"No. Just curious."
"Just helping out Fran and Robert's niece. Her car broke down outside of town and she needed a ride."
"Poor thing. Well, I'm glad you