His hand settles briefly on Sprinkles’s vest, grounding her. “And none of this is your fault. “And Mr. Leif isn’t in trouble, princess. He and Dean Whitaker are old friends from school.” Blake holds a finger to his lips. “But it’s best not to mention it to your classmates, okay?”
Quinn’s forehead creases, doubt clear in her amber eyes. “Why?”
Blake boops her on the nose. “Because it’s bad to gossip.”
Quinn considers the explanation. After several seconds, she gives a small, reluctant dip of her chin, unsatisfied but unwilling to challenge her uncle further.
“Okay.” She turns to Sprinkles, burying her fingers in his thick ruff. “Can we bring back almond cookies?”
As they begin negotiations about how many cookies they can sneak in under Holden’s careful eye, the memory of Leif’s reaction at the hotel party floods back to me, the way he paled at the sight of Carson Whitaker.
I saw him slip through the side door without a word to anyone, vanishing into the night air. His fear was palpable, nothing close to the friendly connection Blake described to Quinn.
Another piece of a puzzle I can’t quite fit together.
“Grady!” a familiar voice cuts through the market chatter. “Blake!”
I turn to find Emily and Jared weaving through the crowd. Emily wears her hair clipped up on one side in a more feminine style than usual, and the tank top she wears under her openflannel sways in a way it never does while she’s at work. Beside her, Jared sports a grin that transforms him from handsome to radiant.
There’s no denying what a stunning couple the pair make.
Chloe nudges me in the side. “Wipe the drool off your chin before they reach us.”
I snap my mouth closed. “Shut up.”
“Ms. Emily! Mr. Jared!” Quinn bounces on her toes, tugging Sprinkles forward with an enthusiasm that has the massive dog trotting to keep pace.
Jared reaches us first. Without comment, he lifts the canvas tote from my shoulder, the one growing increasingly heavy with market purchases. The relief is immediate, and my pride stings only for a second before gratitude washes it away.
“Thanks,” I murmur, adjusting my stance now that my arm is free.
Jared winks. “I need the workout.”
Emily hugs Quinn to her side before she steps closer to me, her palm touching my forearm in greeting. “I hope you’re not filling up on market treats. We’ve got lunch planned.”
“Lunch?” Blake shifts his gaze between Emily and Jared, curiosity evident in the tilt of his head. “What are you two scheming?”
“We invited Grady to come for lunch,” Jared reveals.
Chloe gasps and swats at me. “Secrets, Grady? How could you?”
I bat her hand away. “I planned to tell you when we were done with the market, so you wouldn’t pester me the entire time we were here."
Her hands fly to her hips. “I do not pester!”
“It’s okay, mate.” Blake draws her to his side. “Your pestering is adorable.”
Jared swings my bag over his shoulder with casual strength. “We’d like to invite you all over, actually, so not a secret. I got the barbecue cleaned, and there are burgers and hot dogs.”
“And a fire extinguisher,” Emily mutters.
Jared reaches past me to nudge her. “Be nice. I’m a grilling genius.”
“So you keep saying.”
“Em spent all morning baking up buns,” Jared tells the rest of us. “So you’re all officially expected to show up hungry.”
Quinn, who has been listening with growing excitement, tugs at Blake’s sleeve. “Can we go now? Can Sprinkles come, too?”