Actually, everything was overwhelming. Eating, sleeping…living without Cam.
But mostly she just cried for her broken heart. For how good it had been with him. Who’d have thought she’d get the building but lose him for good?
Sometime in the middle of the night, she leaned back against the wall. The mother dog and the pups were settling. She was trying to latch her mind on to something productive when Jagger lay down beside her and put his head in her lap. She scratched behind his ear and kissed his head, grateful for a buddy who understood when she needed him. “Hey, Jaggy. Don’t worry, I’ll stop crying, I promise.” But more tears leaked out.
Hadley had finally dozed off, it seemed, because she was awakened by rapping at the door. A glance out the window between the hardware store and the flower shop showed that the sky was glowing with the salmon colors of another summer dawn.
She sat up and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, threw off the sweatshirt she’d been using for a blanket, and found her grandmother at the door. Sans cane.
“What time is it?” Hadley asked, rubbing her eyes.
Her grandmother perused her in that efficient way she had and handed her a coffee. “Six a.m. You look terrible.”
“Probably because it’s six a.m.” Hadley’s mouth felt like chalk and her head felt like a bowling ball from crying.
Gran gave a little chuckle at the bad joke and sat down. “I heard about Cam,” she said, coming straight to the point. “I’m sorry.”
For some reason, that made Hadley start crying all over again. “I’m fine, Gran,” she said.
With that, her grandmother pulled her into a giant hug. “It’s all right, Hadley. You don’t need to be strong all the time.”
Hadley blew her nose. “I suppose I could be really angry with myself for getting involved with someone so quickly after Cooper, but you know what? I’m not. I’m…sad. I love him, Gran. I love him so much.” Her grandmother reached out a hand to pat her back.
“Maybe he just needs time.”
“He’s off to LA to start his restaurant there. He chose his restaurant over me,” she said, her stupid eyes leaking again. “And I’m so angry with him, but he’s hurting, I can tell. I just don’t know how to help him.”
“He gave you the building,” Gran said. “That means something. I believe he was planning to do it for quite some time.”
“It means he wanted to move on. Away from here. Away from me.” Her voice cracked on the last word despite herself. She looked up at her grandmother. “I’m staying in Seashell Harbor. I’m going to throw all I’ve got into this business and make it thrive. I love it.” Cam was right. She’d never felt better about anything. Except him. But even without him, she’d be all right.
Gran blew out a breath. “Hadley, I’ve always secretly imagined you taking over because you understood and loved the dogs as much as I did. But I didn’t dare to dream it. And I didn’t ever want you to feel coerced by me.” She took a breath, teary-eyed.
“Gran, no. Don’t cry.” Hadley hugged her grandma.
Gran hugged her back but then pushed back a little. “Let me cry my happy tears. I’m just so proud of you. Not just because you took a scary leap in a direction that seems right for you.”
Hadley shook her head. “I’ve made a lot of mistakes along the way.”
Gran patted her arm. “It’s called living, my dear. You’ve had the courage to be daring. To go out in the world and find yourself.”
Hadley twirled Darla’s ring, which had reminded her to be brave as she tried to figure out her life. Sometimes that strategy had worked, and in other ways it hadn’t at all. But she was determined to focus on the positive. “I’m excited about starting a rescue in a way I’ve never been. But…I might need your help occasionally. Would that be okay?”
“I think I might like retirement,” Gran said. “But I’ll always want to spend time with the dogs. When I’m not traveling. Paul and I have got a trip planned. For our honeymoon.”
Her grandmother was beaming. “Gran! I’m so happy for you.” Hadley hugged her—again.
“You’re the first one I’ve told.”
“Well,” Hadley said, nearly speechless. “That’s incredible.”
“I know.” She shrugged. “Who knew?” She stepped back and touched Hadley’s cheek, like she’d done so many times before. “I know you’ll find happiness too.”
“I’ll be fine,” Hadley said, determined not to ruin her grandmother’s wonderful news. “When’s the wedding?”
“We’re thinking this fall. It’s going to be very simple so I’ll have plenty of time if you can use a hand some days.”
“Any days you want. On your schedule. I still need plenty of your expertise.”
The puppies were stirring, and the little one was starting to squeak pitifully.
“How’s our little girl?” Gran asked.
Hadley started to prepare the puppy’s meal. “I’m still squirting the milk into her cheek without any help from her. I’d feel a lot better if she’d start sucking it down herself.”
“Maybe she just needs time too.”
Hadley shot her a look.
“Don’t give up on the puppy—or on Cam yet.” She walked over to Hadley and held out her hand for the syringe. “And now I want you to go home and take a shower and a nap.”
“Look, Gran.” Hadley smiled a little. “Just because you’re showing off your excellent walking skills does not mean you have to come back and work yourself to the bone. I’m fine.”
“Hadley Marie, if I hear I’m fine one more time, I swear…” Gran took the syringe from the bowl of warm water, scooped up the puppy with her other hand, and sat down.
“Mayellen will be here at four,” Gran said firmly. “After dinner, I’ll come back and sleep over.”
“No, Gran.”
“Don’t worry about me,” she said. “Paul’s bringing me an air mattress. I’m not sleeping on the floor like you do. Now shoo.” She waved Hadley off. “Go and come back tomorrow.”
Hadley felt puffy and groggy and rumpled. And she knew when to accept a favor. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” She looked down at the puppy and startled. “Oh my goodness, take a look at this.”
Hadley bent to check out the puppy, who was vigorously sucking on the syringe.
“I am not pushing this,” Gran said, pleased as pie. “She is.”
Hadley dropped to her knees to see better. The puppy was tugging at the syringe, visibly extracting the milk from it. When the five cc’s was drained, she pulled back, her chin covered with a dribble of milk.
Gran glanced from the puppy to Hadley. “Sometimes things aren’t quite as bad as they seem.”
Hadley gave her grandmother a squeeze. “Not when I have you for a grandmother.”
* * *
Cam tried to take the red-eye from LA, but because of rain delays and some minor mechanical problems, it was 7:00 p.m. the next day when he finally got back to Seashell Harbor.