Page 131 of Just One Kiss

“He’s thinking about moving back,” Jaden said.

Gus let out a wry laugh. “Is that right?”

Jaden’s face fell. “Yeah. His business is mobile, and he said he wants to be closer to us.”

“Us?” Gus asked.

“Me and Mom.” Jaden set his fork down. “What’s the big deal, Gramps? Dad’s just trying to do what’s right.”

“Is he now? After all these years?” Gus glowered.

“There’s no expiration date on second chances,” Grady said.

Wise words from a man who knew a little something on the subject. Still, Carly wasn’t convinced Josh deserved any such thing.

Gus turned his attention to Carly. “Heard about your little show outside Grady’s training center yesterday.”

“It wasn’t a show,” Carly said.

“Gus, please,” Beverly interjected.

“I heard about it too,” Judge quipped. “Always knew you were a feisty one, Carly Rae.” His laugh boomed, and Grady smiled, but the air hung like a tense cloud above them.

Once upon a time, the relationship between the two men had been tense at best. Judge had been the reason for Grady’s long stay in Harbor Pointe.

One might argue that Judge could be to blame for all of Grady’s happiness—Judge certainly thought so.

“It was a misunderstanding,” Carly said.

“Oh, we know,” Gus said. “Ruth Nelson told us all about it. She’s very concerned that history might be repeating itself.”

Carly dropped her fork with a clang. “Why is it any of her business?”

“It’s not,” Quinn said. “I was there. It wasn’t that big of a deal.”

“My question, Carly, is why are you getting so worked up over Josh?” Gus eyed Carly with his familiar disapproval.

“I’m not,” she said.

“You sure?” he asked. “Seems like you are.”

“Oh, Gus, leave the girl alone,” Judge said from his end of the table. “You know there’s history there. Some of it is bound to come back up.”

“Nothing is coming up,” Carly said. “Josh and I are fine. And there’s nothing going on.”

“So long as you’re sure,” her dad said pointedly. “Remember, people don’t change.”

“I did,” Grady said quietly.

Carly glanced up and met her future brother-in-law’s eyes. Quinn reached over and took his hand.

Grady turned toward Gus. “Because of you.”

Gus swallowed and took a drink. “That was different.”

“Why? Because Quinn and I didn’t have history?” Grady glanced at Jaden.

“This kid loves his dad, and far as I can tell, Josh is doing a good job with him. Maybe we should give him a second chance. Don’t we all deserve that?”

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