Home to Stay (The Long Road Home #2) - Maryann Jordan Page 0,36

hell.

For the drive to Gramps’, he thought of how to convince Lucy that she was better off not going on her trip but came up empty. Parking outside, he smiled as Gramps waved from the porch. Walking toward him, Gramps grinned.

“You look like it went well, boy.”

Nodding, he opened the front door, allowing his grandfather to enter before him. “It did. Turns out I knew one of the men who works for Mace. We’d met in the service.”

Gramps turned a sharp eye to him. “Good. Always helps to have someone on the inside to put in a good word.”

“You hungry, Gramps?” he asked as they walked into the kitchen. “I can rustle up some chops.”

“Wouldn’t turn ‘em down if they came at me.”

Grinning, he moved about the small kitchen, starting to work on dinner.

“So… you gettin’ the job?” Gramps pressed, settling into a kitchen chair.

“Probationary status. Got some forms to fill out, and I’ll make a trip there to check out their headquarters, see what they do, and make sure it’ll be a fit for me.”

“Hmph.”

“Don’t worry. It’ll be a fit.” Placing the chops into the cast iron frying pan, he twisted around to look over his shoulder. “You know, it’s kind of weird, but I met a fellow serviceman at the airport when I was coming here. He talked to me about the security business. I’d just never made a backup plan, so I hadn’t given it any thought. But,” he shrugged and turned back to the stove, “it feels right”

“Sometimes that’s all we can go on, boy. Make a decision based on what our brain tells us makes sense and our gut tells us is right.”

An image of Lucy flashed through his mind. He’d spent eight months thinking she was an older, grandmotherly woman, just getting to know her as a caring person and teacher. Meeting her in person put his admiration squarely in sync with his overwhelming, newfound attraction to her. My gut told me she was right. Why the hell didn’t I listen to it instead of my insecurities?

By the time he climbed into bed, his excitement over his new career path with Lighthouse Security was overshadowed by thoughts of Lucy. He wished he had a do-over of their date a week ago. A chance to tell her he was getting a job. He had a future. How life had changed so quickly, and unlike when he was injured, this time it was for the better.

He tried to read for an hour, but after turning the pages realized he hadn’t actually read the words. Finally, his phone vibrated and he grabbed it off the nightstand. Dropping his chin, he read the message.

Thanks for the heads up. I’ll be fine. Just going for the music. Have a nice weekend.

While her message wasn’t dismissive, it sure as fuck wasn’t encouraging, either.

11

“I can’t believe how she runs the grade-level meetings,” Paula laughed. “I have a better time communicating with my third-graders! I honestly thought about talking to the principal but we’re so close to the end of the year and Bonnie’s term as grade-level chair is up, so I’ll just suck it up and deal.”

“I’m lucky. Cindy is great. In fact, she’s so good, she’s been our leader for three years.” Lucy opened a soda, handing it to Paula before opening another one for herself.

“Oh, I love this song!” Paula turned the radio up, bouncing in her seat in time to the music.

Lucy laughed, loving the lighthearted atmosphere of their drive. They traveled on roads through thick forests once they left Portland heading north. The spring morning was cool, the trees were green, and the sky peeking through the forest overhead was bright blue. As always, she was reminded how much she loved Maine. Other people talked about the sun and fun of the east coast beaches, the great canyons of the west, and the charm of the south, but being born and raised in Maine, she didn’t mind visiting other places but loved her gorgeous northern state.

The trip reminded her of others she and Paula had taken in the last couple of years. Their conversation was easy, sprinkled with laughter, gossip, and listening to music.

“I can’t believe I snagged tickets for this music festival. There are two headliner bands, about six or seven smaller ones, and I’ve already checked out the venue in the park. Once we get our hands stamped going through the gates, we can move about freely. Food trucks, shop vendors, everything. And we have