Claiming The Single Mom's Heart

“It’s Grady, Sunshine. Remember?”

His blue eyes skimmed appreciatively over her as he approached and, to her irritation, her heart beat faster. Oh, yes, he was as engaging as the rumors had suggested. That disarming grin and unexpected cooperative spirit at their last two meetings had caught her off guard. But she was ready for him tonight. Armor in place.

Nevertheless, she offered a smile, finding it difficult to suppress. But she’d make him ask her for the printouts, if only to see what excuse he’d make for coming to collect them. “How may I help you...Grady?”

He nodded toward the north wall of the gallery. “I’m giving you a heads-up that there will be increased activity next door for the next couple of days.”

He couldn’t have phoned the gallery and left a message? “Activity, as in noise?”

“Bingo. I’ve discussed it with Ted and we think we can work things out to meet our deadline with only weekday disturbance.”

“Thank you.” Cooperative and considerate. And although Candy was right—he did have dreamy eyes and a yummy voice—she couldn’t let that distract her.

“So...” He tilted his head. “How did the meeting go tonight?”

Uneasy about that, was he? He didn’t look uneasy, though. In fact, as usual, he appeared as relaxed and self-assured as she’d expect a privileged Hunter to be. But hadn’t there been a fleeting uncertainty in his eyes when he’d turned over the printouts to her yesterday?

“I can’t say there was celebrating in the streets, but the drawings you provided set the minds of the majority at rest. At least for now.”

“Glad to hear it.” But a crease formed on his forehead. “No concerns I need to be made aware of?”

How much should she tell him? Certainly not the details of a sometimes heated discussion. As expected, Gideon had pointed out that they wouldn’t be stuck in this position if she hadn’t negotiated the lease renewal for three years. Also, that by now advising them not to take any action at this point, she was cozying up to the opposition in the upcoming election. But, fortunately, most members saw the reasonableness of her counsel.

She moved away to straighten a sculpture on its pedestal, then glanced at Grady. “There were some concerns, yes. That occasional game processing taking place right next door might be off-putting to the clientele the gallery is attempting to attract. A few members were, shall we say, disturbed. There was...talk of a petition.”

* * *

A petition? “It’s a little late for that, don’t you think? Unless you plan to use this issue to boost your standing at the polls.”

Color tinged her cheeks. “I didn’t say it was my idea.”

“Everything was done aboveboard, out in the open. I don’t know who told you that space was to be a bookstore. Maybe it was someone’s idea of a joke?”

Or the doing of his aunt Charlotte, who owned the gallery space. She and her big-city lawyers not only grabbed custody of her toddler son, but just about cleaned out Uncle Doug. That was what rallied the family to pull together and form Hunter Enterprises as a future protective measure.

“We’ve had this plan for the game supply store in the works,” he continued, “and preliminary approvals acquired long before the Co-op leased the property next door to it.”

“I understand that and I did make that point to everyone at the meeting.”

This kind of thing was exactly what Mom didn’t need—misinformed people starting up a petition that she’d have to address in her campaign. But that was the least of her and Dad’s worries right now. Despite the family’s urging, with Luke’s wedding scheduled for last weekend she’d postponed surgery until today. In fact, he’d just come back from the regional medical center in Show Low.

With effort, he drew his thoughts back to the present. “You said earlier that the Co-op signed a three-year lease, right? If Co-op members are so bent out of shape, why don’t they simply sublet this place, find a new spot and be done with it? There are plenty of available properties.”

In fact, Hunter Enterprises had bought several—like the one where the game supply store would go—to keep longtime friends from going bankrupt. But others were now bank owned or the absentee owners continued to fork over the mortgage payment until an upswing in the economy allowed them to unload the property.

Sunshine brushed back her hair. “Unfortunately, there’s a nonsublease stipulation in the contract.”

That figured. Aunt Char wouldn’t risk a Hunter subletting one of the prizes she’d managed to wrest from them.

“Look,” she continued. “I was quite firm that a petition would cause hard feelings in the community toward us—the ‘aliens.’ You have heard us called that, haven’t you?”

A glint of amusement now lit her eyes.

“Aliens. Outsiders.” His own smile tugged. “Just as I’ve heard those of us who’ve long made this our home labeled ‘old-timers’.”

“So you can see it’s not to our benefit to further antagonize the community. Or at least that’s my standpoint.”

“Spoken with the finesse of a true politician.”

“I’m not a politician. I’m merely someone who feels passionate about the arts and fair play.”

“Fair play? Pushing into a community uninvited and trying to extinguish the core character of a town?” Newcomers needed to accept Hunter Ridge for what it was or move on. Even a newcomer who looked mighty attractive tonight in denim capris, sandals and an off-the-shoulder embroidered tunic.

“Look, Grady—”

“Mommy?” A plaintive voice called from the top of the staircase and a barefooted, pajama-clad Tessa eased down one step at a time. “I think there’s something in my closet.”

Grady caught the distress in Sunshine’s eyes.

“Sweetie, there’s nothing in your closet but your clothes.”

“But there is.” The girl’s eyes widened as she spied him, and then she crouched down on the step.

Sunshine sent a look of apology in his direction. “Give me a few minutes to get her back to bed.”

“Sure. And about those building renderings I gave you...”

“I’ll drop them off tomorrow after I’ve looked at them again, if that’s okay.”

“That won’t be necessary. Shredding them would be fine.”

Sunshine frowned.

“There you are, Tessa.” A feminine voice called from the top of the staircase and a short-haired young blonde appeared, relief tingeing her tone when she spied the little girl. “I’m sorry, Sunshine. I stepped into the bathroom for a minute or two.”

“It’s okay, Tori. Don’t worry about it.”

The other woman took Tessa’s hand, her gaze touching on him curiously. Sunshine caught the look.

“Tori, I’d like you to meet Grady Hunter. Grady, this is my friend Tori Janner. She’s visiting from Jerome.”

“Hunter?” The name was spoken almost cautiously.

“As in our soon-to-be next-door neighbor,” Sunshine supplied. “He stopped by to let us know to expect more activity tomorrow.”

“I’ll get out my earplugs.” She tugged lightly on Tessa’s hand and the two returned upstairs.

Grady shifted. “I’d better let you go trounce whatever is in Tessa’s closet. Monsters?”