Return To Snowy Creek Read Free Page B

asked.
    “I need help building a TV unit for a
client. I’ve been known to build a few things, but carpentry is not
my specialty. You come highly recommended. Think you can spare a
day to help?” Jackie hoped he would agree. She could finish the job
early and the client would be able to move into their new house as
soon as they arrived in town.
    “Sure,” Grand said. “I’d love to help.”
    “Really?” Jackie was actually surprised he
agreed.
    “Of course. It’s been a long time since I
actually got to build something on my own.” He took a sip from his
coffee cup.
    “I thought you built everything on your
show?”
    “Oh no,” Grant shook his head
back-and-forth. “I have so many helpers on the show that I rarely
get to put my hands on the projects. I haven’t had a chance to be
creative in a long time.”
    “Well, this might be right up your alley.
The owners just have a few specifics they are requesting, but the
rest would be up to you,” Jackie said.
    Grant seemed to perk up a bit at the idea.
“That actually sounds great.”
    “Do you have some paper I can write the
address down on?” Jackie asked.
    Grant patted down his shirt pocket and
pulled out a small scrap of paper and handed it to Jackie.
    She pulled the pencil out of her hair,
letting her strawberry blonde locks fall across her shoulders.
Jackie scratched the address down on the paper and handed it back
to Grant. “I’m looking forward to seeing what you can create.”
    “Thanks,” Grant said. “I’m really excited to
get my hands on the project.”
    Jackie spun her hair back up and slipped the
pencil in behind the bun. She waved goodbye to Grant and headed for
the house.
    ***
    Grant marveled at her positive attitude.
He’d dated women, including Jennifer that would allow their entire
day to be ruined by one small stain. But not Jackie. She seemed to
take things in stride. He liked that.
    Grant turned around and watched Jackie walk
away. She didn’t have a stitch of makeup on her face, yet she was
plainly beautiful. He enjoyed talking to her. She was calm-natured
and had a good sense of humor. Besides, he wasn’t even sure he
would’ve been so polite about being covered with paint and then
mustard, all in the span of a couple of days. She was something
special. Grant had tried and tried to remember where he knew her
from, but it still hadn’t come to him. He knew it would eventually.
Especially since he couldn’t keep her off of his mind.
    ***
     
    “I’ve found the perfect girl for you,”
Maryann said. She carried a load of laundry through the living room
and set it on the floor next to the coffee table. She lifted some
jeans out of the basket and started to fold them.
    Grant leaned his back into the couch and
looked at his mother. “Mom, I hate to put a damper on your
matchmaking, but I’m not too interested in settling down with a
woman right now.”
    Maryann put the jeans on the coffee table.
She lifted out another piece of clothing from the basket and said,
“Ya know, before I met your dad, I was engaged to someone
else.”
    Grant straightened up in his seat. “I never
knew that.”
    “It’s not something I’ve shared with too
many people.” Maryann continued folding clothes as she talked. “He
broke up with me and I was heartbroken. I don’t know if I’ve ever
been so hurt. I was devastated without him. I didn’t see how anyone
could take his place.”
    “So what did you do?” Grant saw another side
to his mother that he never knew existed. He felt more of a
connection to her. Maybe she understood how he felt about losing
Jennifer.
    “I decided I wasn’t going to wallow in that
misery,” Maryann folded up a shirt and set it on top of the pile of
folded clothes. “I refused to set my sights on him coming back and
I moved on. And you know what’s funny?”
    “What?” Grant’s interest piqued.
    “He did come back.” Maryann smiled a
wide-toothed grin.
    “So what did you do?” Grant sat up and
leaned