Say You'll Marry Me

“A man sweats when he works,” he snapped. “If not, he’s not working hard enough. I know it’s a hard concept for you to grasp, but that’s the way the real world works.”

“What the heck are you talking about?”

They’d reached the porch, and before he could reply, the screen door opened. Her grandpa—his boss—stepped out with a frown pinching his white eyebrows together. “What’s going on?”

Joy’s grandmother appeared in the doorway behind him, a wide smile on her face. “It’s young love, Albert. Don’t you remember when you used to sweep me off my feet?”

Logan nearly tripped on the step. Young love?

“I twisted my ankle in the hayloft, Grandma,” Joy corrected as he managed to get her up to a chair without dropping her.

“Oh, dear.” June pushed past Al and hurried to her granddaughter’s side. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine. Nothing a little ice won’t help.”

Logan had taken a step back, but suddenly the older woman turned to him with another smile.

“And a good, strong man.” She reached out to pat him on the forearm. “No wonder she said yes when you asked her to marry you.”

What?

Shock sent his gaze straight to Joy’s. Identical astonishment on her face gave way to dismay, and he wondered what the hell was going on. Al took a step toward his wife, but June was still talking as Logan swung his gaze back.

“We’ve liked you from the moment she brought you home, Luke.”

“Uh, it’s Logan.”

June turned her full attention on him, and Joy quickly sat forward. “Grandma—”

“I know who you are, young man.”

Did she?

Confusion clouded her light blue eyes. He liked June. She’d always been nice to him, but something wasn’t quite right here. Even though he hadn’t seen her around much the past month or so, she should still recognize him.

“Logan Walsh, from down the road,” he repeated.

Al stepped up to slip an arm around his wife’s shoulders. “Logan works for us, June Bug.”

The older woman frowned as her gaze shifted from Logan, to her husband, to her granddaughter. “But…where’s Luke?”

“Still in Nashville, Gram. We’re not together anymore.”

The crease on her forehead deepened. “You mean the wedding is off?”

Logan noticed Joy’s pained gaze flick to him for a brief moment, then return to her grandmother, full of compassion.

“The wedding is off,” she confirmed.

He’d heard through the grapevine about her engagement—or termination thereof. If the rumors were true, the guy had cheated on her.

Sadness filled June’s expression. “I was really looking forward to seeing you get married.”

“I know.” Joy stood and hobbled the two steps to her grandmother. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s just…your father and mother eloped.”

“And you never got to help plan the wedding,” Joy said.