Hours after I'd used the hose to drown the dying embers of the fire, I still couldn't stop my thoughts from swirling. The things Liv said had triggered something in me I couldn't seem to silence, and the idea of going home and living the way I'd done for so long suddenly felt so wrong. Heavy. Overwhelmingly dark.

Relaxing at Granny's, being near family and talking to Liv and Nate without analyzing my words first, was a kind of freedom I'd never known, but when I went home, I'd have to slip my mask back into place. I'd be the dry, boring man whose only interest was the hotel and keeping it running smoothly.

As I brushed my freshly washed hair into place, I reminded myself there was an upside to wearing that mask—the comfort of the known. Nothing would change, but I was fine the way things were.

Ecstatic? No. But I'd gotten along on my own, and if you never soar too high, you couldn't crash too low. A nice, steady contentment was enough for me.

Downstairs, the table was already set with six places for me, my parents, Liv, Nate, and Granny. It would be a relief to have a smaller group and none of Briar's nonsense. Hopefully, everyone could be kind for one meal and dinner would be uneventful.

"There's my favorite grandson!" Granny beamed from her place by the stove as I came into the room making me smile.

"I'm your only grandson."

Granny pointed at the prepared dishes of food and I began moving them to the center of the table as she finished what she was doing. "I know that." She scoffed. "But if I didn't like you, I could still call you my least favorite grandson."

"That's true." I kissed her cheek. "Anything else I can do?"

"Nope. Why don't you sit?" She nodded at the table. "Everyone else should be down any second."

As though her words summoned them, the sound of footsteps headed our way and chatter filled the air. Minutes later, we were all seated at the table with Granny and I each taking an end and the two couples sitting across from each other.

Liv seemed tense, but it was hard for me to worry about my sister while Nate sat beside her, stealing my focus just by existing. Conversation swirled around me, but my thoughts were only on Nate and trying not to openly stare. When he caught me looking at him, tingles shot through my core as he studied me right back.

Things were pleasant until Mom made some unnecessary comment about Liv's hair and I couldn't stop myself from frowning at her. Why couldn't she keep her opinions to herself? Then I met Nate's gaze, and he had the same frustrated expression as me.

Warmth flooded my chest. I might be a tad jealous of her position at his side, even if it was only for show, but I liked that he seemed to feel the same protectiveness over her as I did. It was nice being on the same team.

"Who's ready for dessert?" Granny asked as she stood. "Nate taught me how to make his pecan pie bread pudding, and we're in for a treat!"

I rose to my feet, helping Granny clear the plates as Nate said, "It's not really mine, so much as a recipe from Pinterest."

His modesty was sweet. Granny tsked, waving his words away. "Well, I learned it from you, so it's Nate's recipe for me."

"Bread pudding is my favorite." I smiled at Nate as I collected his plate, and as he blushed, heat skated over my neck.

"I heard that." He peeked up at me shyly. "I hope you like it."

Liv leaned over, whispering something in his ear that made him snicker as I carried the dishes to the sink. Rather than being annoyed by their closeness, I just enjoyed the sound of his happiness, glad they were friends, and that meant I might get to see him again in the future.

"It's good that one of you can cook," Mother said as she refilled Dad's wine glass. "From what I remember, Jolivette struggles in the kitchen."

My shoulders sagged as I again wished she could keep her opinions to herself. Turning, I planned to change the subject, but Nate huffed, and said, "Actually, Liv's a great cook. She follows recipes a lot better than me. I always seem to mess up if it's more than a few ingredients."

"Now, that sounds like Joanna," Dad said and cut his gaze to Mom. "Following directions always throws her off."

I pinched my lips together, holding back my grin. Finally, someone besides me was noticing the little jabs Mom threw Liv's way, and they were deflecting them.

"Here we go," Granny sang, cutting off their conversation as she set a stack of small plates on the table and I lowered the heavy casserole dish filled with dessert beside it. She cut thick squares and passed them around to everyone.

My huge portion was half gone in two delicious, brown sugar coated bites. "This is the best bread pudding I've ever had in my life."

Everyone hummed in agreement and commented on how amazing the dessert tasted. A minute later, I scooped a second serving onto my plate and noticed that Nate seemed incredibly pleased with himself.

"How was your meeting yesterday, sweetheart?" Dad asked Liv, breaking the silence.

"It went perfectly!" She straightened in her seat, smiling at Dad. "The neighborhoods are even more impressive than we'd expected, and we got the contract."

Seeing her so proud of herself was a pleasant change of pace. I was glad when Granny clapped, and said, "I'm so proud of you, lamb!"

"So am I," Dad nodded. "It'll be fantastic for you and Laurel in the short term, but it could attract a whole new client list that'll change the trajectory of the business long term as well."

"I know! Laurel and I talked about that this morning. We're thrilled."

Mother sighed. "That's very nice, but you already have money, and you refuse to touch it."

Dad's fork hit his plate. "Joanna—"

"Jonah, I'm only asking. Am I not allowed to have questions?" She glared at Dad before turning to face Liv. "If you insist on being a salesperson, there are plenty of things to sell in this area. I don't understand why you can't live here or in Savannah."

My jaw clenched as Liv's mouth fell open. "Why on earth would I want to do that?"

Mom furrowed her brow as though it were obvious. "Your family's here, for one thing. I wish Joby would move home too. There's no reason for you to be so far."

I shook my head, not willing to be pulled into this nonsense, but before I could speak, Liv said, "Mother, in less than an hour together, you've put down my hair and my inability to cook. Now, the job that I love and I'm actually fantastic at seems to be beneath you."

Mom clutched her chest as Liv stood, continuing, "I'm sick of trying to be good enough for you. I'm happy with myself and my life, but I'll never measure up. So I'm done lying."

Granny's hands held her cheeks, and I hated that this was happening in front of her. Family arguments always hurt her, no matter the outcome.

Liv took a deep breath and let it all out at once. "Nate's not my boyfriend. He's a friend."

Nate rested a supportive palm on her back and gave Granny a tight smile. "I'm sorry we misled you. It's true that I love her, but as a friend."

"It's not his fault, anyway." Liv turned to Mom, whose bottom lip quivered with emotion, and told her, "He was doing me a favor because I wanted something that would please you and maybe give me a break from your constant judgment." Her voice softened as she faced our grandmother. "I'm sorry about everything, Granny. But I think we'll go."

She started toward the door with Nate on her heels, and as I watched them leaving, panic squeezed my chest.

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