Molly's Mr. Wrong by Jeannie Watt

Author:Jeannie Watt
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2016-08-02T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWELVE

MIKE DIDN’T SHOW up for work Wednesday morning. Cal and Karl arrived around nine, emptying the coffeepot and then settling in for news and the occasional check of their computer dating profiles. Finn figured that Mike was simply late, until Cal asked if Finn had heard from Mike that morning.

“He was here yesterday, but left early.”

“I tried to call a few times, but it went to voice mail,” Karl said.

“Huh.” Finn pushed a hand over his head. Since Mike had come out of retirement, he rarely missed a day at the shop. “I’ll drive over and check on him.”

The boys nodded and went back to the news. Finn started for the side door. “I’m heading over to Mike’s.”

Lola lifted a hand without looking away from her computer screen and Finn headed out the door. He dialed Mike as he walked, and as the boys had said, it went straight to voice mail. There was always a chance that he was entertaining his lady friend in an intimate way and had shut his phone off, but Finn couldn’t see his grandfather playing romantic games early in the day.

There was always a chance, though, so he checked for Elaine’s car when he pulled up at Mike’s house. Her usual parking spot was empty and the curtains were drawn on Mike’s windows. Maybe Mike was at Elaine’s house...

Finn took the steps two at a time and after a brief hesitation, knocked on the door. He heard shuffling inside and tried the doorknob. It was unlocked so he pushed the door open. Mike stopped halfway across the room, Buddy held against his chest. The kitten peeked out over Mike’s big hand, but for once, Finn was immune to that crazy cuteness. His grandfather’s usually neat hair was practically standing up and his eyes were red-rimmed, as if he hadn’t slept. If Finn needed any other indicator that something was wrong, there was a Jameson bottle next to his grandfather’s favorite chair. Mike never drank alone, but it appeared that had been exactly what he’d been doing last night.

“What the hell?” he asked as he closed the door behind him. “Why isn’t your phone on?”

“I needed some time.”

Mike turned and slowly moved back to his chair. Once he was seated, Buddy scrambled up the back cushion to the top, behind Mike’s head. Finn knelt next to the chair. “What happened, Grandpa?”

Mike moistened his dry lips, then said simply, “Elaine.”

“Did you guys break up?”

Mike met his eyes and Finn was rocked by the depth of pain he saw there. “Cancer. She has cancer.”

“Damn.” The word came out softly. “I’m so sorry.”

Mike just shook his head and then settled it back against the cushions, staring at the opposite wall.

“Do you have any details?”

“Not a lot.”

His grandmother, Mike’s wife, had died of breast cancer. Losing his beloved Annie had ruined Mike, and then he’d lost his nephew, Dylan’s father, not long after. A double whammy it had taken Mike years to recover from.

Finn put a hand on his grandfather’s knee.

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