“Maybe you can find about five minutes to talk to an old friend?” I said, making the older woman turn around and look my way.
Shay’s grandmother, Maria, smiled from ear to ear as she saw me. “Well, I’ll be... if it isn’t a blast from the past.”
She didn’t hesitate to pull me into a tight embrace, and eventhough I stood almost a foot over her, I melted into her arms, squeezing her back. “It’s good to see you, Maria.”
“You too, Landon.” She pulled back and slapped my chest. “But also, I’m mad at you. Just disappearing all those years ago.”
She went straight in with no pause for a reunion.
“I know. I’m sorry. Those years were really tough for me,” I swore. I meant it, too. But I knew it wouldn’t have been fair to have Maria in my life while cutting off Shay. It felt cruel.
“I understand why you did it, but I still worried. You know you were always like family to me.”
“And you were to me. I wish I had a better excuse for my actions, but I don’t.”
“It’s OK, you’re OK,” she said. A gentle smile fell against her lips as she placed a comforting hand against my cheek. “How’s your heart?”
Three words. Three simple words, and instantly I was that teenage boy who was so lost, standing in front of a woman who’d so often helped me find my way back home.
I slid my hands into my pockets and cleared my throat. “Still beating.”
“Let me make us some tea,” she said, walking to the back room. “You can go wait in the studio. We can sit, and breathe, and catch up.”
I did as she said.
Maria’s yoga studio was a true treat. It was spacious and felt exactly as the name suggested—harmonious. I pulled down two of the yoga mats that were hanging against the wall and laid them down on the wooden floor. When Maria came back, she held two cups of tea in her hands, still wearing that smile of hers. She handed me a cup and then took a seat on one of the mats. I did the same.
It amazed me how youthful Maria still looked after all theyears that had passed. Based on looks alone, she could’ve been the same age that I left her at years before. I assumed yoga had been good to her. Plus, she had a way of living a peaceful life—never letting negativity touch her too much.
“Even though it’s nice to see you, Landon, why do I get the idea that you’re here due to my granddaughter?”
“You’ve always been pretty good at reading me.”
“I’m a well-read woman.”
I smiled a little and took a sip of the tea. The warmth of the cup felt amazing against the palms of my hands. “I need to make a situation right. I mean, obviously there are a lot of things I need to make right when it comes to Shay. I want the chance to rebuild a connection with her and help her break into the industry. She’s so talented.”
“Yes,” Maria agreed, “she is. Well, you know what they say: If at first you don’t succeed...” she murmured, grinning my way.
Try, try again.
Which was exactly what I planned to do.
I placed my cup of tea down on my yoga mat, reached into my back pocket, and pulled out my wallet. “I’m filming in town over the next few months, and one of my costars is in need of a new assistant while hers is on maternity leave. I passed on Shay’s name and thought it could be helpful with getting her a new job. My costar is more than willing to help out. She needs to meet her this week, though, since we start shooting soon. I need your help getting the information to Shay. She won’t accept it if she thinks it came from me.”
“She really is a prideful little thing, that’s for sure.” Maria sipped her tea before setting it down and taking the piece of paper with an email address on it. “You really care about her still, don’t you?”
“I don’t think I ever stopped caring. I don’t think I ever will.”
“Well, I will do my best to get her to go in for an interview. I’ll be honest, though, my granddaughter can be stubborn sometimes.” She smiled wide. “She gets that from me.”
“As long as you try, that will be good enough for me. I can’t imagine not trying to fix this issue. Even though you said it isn’t my fault, I still feel responsible.”
She reached across to me and patted my hand. “I’ll make sure she gives it a go—as long as you make two promises to me.”
“And what would those be?”
“Since you’re here in town for a while, you must come take a few yoga classes with me. Once a week. I know you’re a hotshot actor, but if you can’t make time to slow down and breathe for an hour a week, then you don’t really have time to do anything else. Deal?”