“Fine,” Bianca said with a dismissive shrug. “I guess I’m not needed, then.”

“Of course you are,” Angi told her mother. But as she reached for her mom, Bianca pulled away, sending a nail into the coffin that encased Angi’s heart. She’d done so much to try to not hurt her mom and had ended up doing it anyway.

The thought broke her heart.

Her mother offered a sincere smile to the employees still watching their interplay. “Thank you for all you do. We appreciate you and your dedication to Il Rigatone. To my husband’s dream. My dream.”

Angi’s phone began to ring in her back pocket, effectively ruining the sensitive moment between her mother and the staff. With a murmur of apology, Angi pulled it out and immediately accepted the call.

“Brad, what’s wrong?” She’d put in the number of the scout leader in case of emergencies. “Is Andrew okay?”

“What happened to Andrew?” her mother demanded, reaching for Angi’s arm.

The kitchen had gone momentarily silent as everyone seemed to wait for her to speak. She listened to Brad for a few moments and then gave a thumbs-up to her and the staff members. “Andrew is fine,” she whispered, cupping her hand over the phone’s speaker. But, as the dad on the other end of the line continued to speak, her heart plummeted.

“Thank you for the call,” she told Brad, walking to the far side of the kitchen. “And for bringing Andrew back. My mother is at the restaurant if you could drop him off here?”

She disconnected and clutched the phone to her chest as tears clogged her throat.

“What’s going on?” Bianca’s voice had softened slightly. “I thought Gabe had taken Andrew to his activity today. Why is another father giving him a ride home?”

Angi turned to her mother. “Gabe’s grandma died this morning. The nursing home was just able to reach him now.”

The tears she’d tried to hold back slid down her cheeks as she thought of how Gabe must feel. He was alone, and all she could think of was how soon she could get to him.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

GABE WALKED OUT of the front entrance of the nursing home an hour later, the bright winter sunshine overhead mocking him and his dark mood. Gran was gone, and he hadn’t been there with her or had a chance to say goodbye before she passed.

The whole reason he’d come to Magnolia in the first place was to take care of her, and he’d failed when she needed him most. Just like he hadn’t been able to get to her after her fall and subsequent surgery, although during that time at least he’d had the excuse of his military career.

Today there was no reason he shouldn’t have been available, other than the fact that he’d allowed himself to get distracted from his purpose in this town. His heart ached and his throat felt tight with guilt.

The director of the facility had met him at the door to Gran’s room. He’d failed her. The thought drummed through his mind like rainfall on a tin roof.