It was much too soon, really.
Much too quick.
He turned down the main street in town and then up to one of the mountain roads that led to his grandmother’s home. It was a short drive, and Grandma chatted happily along the way. She talked about her day and what a nice time she’d had. She expressed that she had really enjoyed her coffee and that Brody needed to let her drink it more.
“I think you have more than enough coffee, Grandma,” he said.
“Oh, you’re no fun,” Grandma waved her hand at him.
Brody shook his head, but finished driving Grandma to her house and dropped her off. He helped her out of the car and walked her inside. Her fat cat, Whiskers, came out to meow at him.
“Stop feeding him so much,” Brody frowned at the cat.
“Don’t you fat shame him,” Grandma said, shaking her finger at Brody. “All bodies are beautiful.”
“Grandma, he looks like he’s sick.”
“All bodies are beautiful,” she said, repeating herself.
Brody shook his head. He made a mental note to pick up diet cat food for obese cats the next time he was at the store. All cats might be lovely, but he couldn’t take a chance that Grandma’s cat might develop diabetes or other problems that could lead to an early demise. Grandma loved Whiskers almost more than she loved Brody. That wasn’t exactly a secret.
When he left her house, he swung by his own cabin. He went inside, lifted weights in his private weight room, and had dinner. He took a shower and hung out for a little while. Finally, he decided he’d loitered long enough, and he drove back into town to check on the little waif his grandmother had discovered.
There was only one motel in town, so it wasn’t hard to find where she was staying, and Brody was only a little surprised to see her standing in the parking lot staring at her car with her hands on her hips. It wouldn’t run. Was that the problem? Now she was stranded. He pulled into a space two down from her so she wouldn’t feel crowded, and he got out of the SUV and walked over.
Luna looked up at him. Instantly, recognition crossed her face. It was followed closely by embarrassment.
“It’s you,” she said, blushing. She looked away.
“It’s me,” he agreed. “What’s the problem?”
“Um, it won’t start.”
“Doesn’t matter. Roads are closed.”
“So I’ve been told,” she said quietly. She shook her head and stared at the car, as though looking at it would make something start working suddenly.
“What’s the problem?” He asked.
“I just told you.”
“I mean with your hotel. Can you stay here until the roads open back up?”
She shook her head.
“I…My checkout was at three,” she said. “I can’t afford to stay any longer.”
“Is that so?” He asked.
“Yeah. I just…I guess I could sleep in the car until I can figure out an alternate route home.”
“You can’t drive home right now,” he told her. She lived hours away on a good day, and even if the back roads were open, they weren’t going to be safe. Not for someone as beautiful and lovely as her. He found himself speaking before he’d had time to think it through. “I had a guest room. You can stay with me.”
“What?” She looked up at him with complete shock on her face.
“My grandmother was going to offer you her sofa, but her cat seems to think that’s his home. I’d hate to hear you died being clawed to death by a jealous fat cat.”
“Don’t body shame him,” she whispered, looking back at her car.