“It’s her favorite game,” confirmed Cheyenne.

I laughed, still wondering what the number one rule was that Griffin had broken for me. “I’ll remember that.”

Cheyenne led the way through the living room and dining room toward a small den that looked like it had been added on to the back of the house at some point. A woman with a messy cap of silvery hair was resting on the sofa watching television, but she immediately got up when she saw us. Her face, gently lined with age, lit up with excitement. Right away, I saw where Griffin’s blue eyes had come from.

“Well, hello,” she said with enthusiasm, ignoring Griffin to take both my hands in hers. “What a lovely, lovely surprise!”

“Mom, this is Blair,” he said.

“It’s so nice to meet you, Blair. I’m Darlene Dempsey.”

I smiled. “Nice to meet you as well, Mrs. Dempsey.”

“Please, call me Darlene.” She squeezed my hands. “Aren’t you adorable! Look how adorable she is, Griffin. Isn’t she adorable?”

“Where’s the cat, Cheyenne?” Griffin asked.

Darlene glared at her son. “I asked you a question.”

Griffin rolled his eyes. “She’s adorable,” he grumped.

“Can I get you something, Blair? Tea? A snack? Some cookies? I made chicken salad for dinner. Do you like chicken salad?”

“We’re not staying, Mom.” Griffin’s tone was firm.

His mother shot him a dirty look. “You have somewhere so much better to be?”

“We’re just picking up the kitten.”

“You have to eat dinner, don’t you?”

“We’re going out.”

Darlene sniffed. “Well, I think you can spare a few minutes for your mother. You haven’t been to see me in days.”

“I was here Monday to mow the lawn, Mom. It’s only Wednesday.”

“That’s what I said. Days.” She looked at me again and smiled sweetly. “Come sit for just a moment. I don’t have company too often, and it does get lonely. I thought I’d have grandchildren to spoil by now, but . . .” Her expression turned mournful. “Alas. I remain bereft.”

Behind me, Cheyenne sighed heavily. “Griff, why don’t you come sign the paperwork? Then we can get your new best friend all loaded up.”

“That’s fine,” Darlene said, taking a seat on the sofa again and patting the cushion beside her. “Blair and I will just take a moment to get better acquainted.”

I glanced at Griffin, who looked reluctant to leave me alone with his mother. Sorry, he mouthed, but he followed Cheyenne out of the den, and I lowered myself onto the sofa, knees pressed together, hands clasped around them.

“So,” Darlene said brightly, patting my leg. “Tell me how you and Griffin met. Have you known each other long?”

“We met just last night, actually. I was driving down Main Street and blew a tire.”

“My goodness! Were you hurt?”

“I was fine, just a bit shaken up. When I got out of the car, Griffin and a couple friends were standing there. And then . . .” I wrinkled my nose. “I fainted.”

Darlene gasped, steeling her fingers over her heart. “You fainted!”

“Yes, but Griffin caught me before I hit the ground.”

“The Lord at work!” she exclaimed, looking toward the ceiling.

I laughed. “He towed my car back to his garage, and then he was nice enough to let me stay over, since I had nowhere to go.”

“You stayed the whole night at his apartment?” Darlene was clearly shocked at the news.

“Yes. But only because he felt sorry for me. You see, I’m sort of between living situations right now, and I need to save every penny I have—which isn’t very many, to be honest—in order to get on my feet somewhere new. Griffin caught me trying to sleep in my car and offered his couch. But he was a complete gentleman, I assure you.”

“Of course he was.” She nodded with satisfaction. “He was raised right. Of course, there was a lot of nonsense when he was growing up. My stars, that boy could find trouble with his eyes closed! His father and I were beside ourselves for years wondering if he was ever going to straighten himself out.”

The screen door creaked open and slammed shut again, startling us both.

“Anyway,” Darlene said, waving a hand in front of her face. “I’m just so pleased to see him out and about with a nice young lady such as yourself.”

“Oh, well, I wouldn’t say we’re out and about together, exactly. He’s just helping me out while I’m here. I’ll be gone soon.”

“And where is it you’re headed, dear?”

“That’s a bit up in the air at the moment, but when I left Tennessee yesterday morning, I was heading for a place called Cloverleigh Farms. I was there once for a wedding years ago and fell in love with it.”

“Oh yes, I know it. That’s a beautiful place.” She hesitated. “Of course, the nearby town is much less charming than Bellamy Creek.”

“Is it?”

She nodded. “Yes. And quite small. They only have one harbor, and we have two.”

I laughed. “Seeing as I don’t have a boat at the moment, it’s probably okay. What I’d like to do is open up a bakery once I’m on my feet.”

“Ready to go, Blair?” Griffin appeared at the doorway.

“So soon?” Darlene sounded dismayed. “We’re just getting to know each other. Did you know Blair wants to open a bakery?”

“Yes.”

“I was just thinking she could open one up here in town. Or a pastry shop! We haven’t had good pie in this town since Betty Frankel passed, God rest her soul.” She crossed herself.

“She’s not staying here.”

“You don’t know that for sure,” Darlene said irritably.

“Actually, Griffin’s right,” I said. “I’m only here for a few weeks.”

“A few weeks?” His mother looked hopeful again.

“Yes. It’s going to take Griffin some time to get the parts he needs to fix my car, and in the meantime I’m going to work at the desk and help out with a new marketing strategy at the garage.”

“Was there an old marketing strategy?” joked Cheyenne, coming into the room and dropping onto a leather recliner.

I smiled. “It’s centered around an event we’re going to plan for Labor Day weekend. Sort of an open house to reintroduce the business to the town. But first, we’re going to renovate the lobby a bit.”

Cheyenne’s jaw fell open. “You convinced him to renovate the lobby? Wow, he really did fall under your spell.”

“It was Blair that fell,” Darlene said. “Did you know that? Fainted dead away at the mere sight of him, and he caught her.”

“Really?” Cheyenne looked back and forth from me to Griffin, whose mouth was set in a grim line.

“No,” he said, annoyed. “She was dehydrated.”

“I heard she was wearing a wedding dress.” Darlene looked smug as she pointed a finger at her son. “Now you tell me that isn’t divine intervention.”