“Where are you staying in the meantime?” Charlie asked. “You know our guest room is always open to you.”

Kincaid smiled, her gaze briefly alighting on Ash before hopping back to Charlie. “Thank you. I’m staying with a friend. It’s not a problem.”

Even though Kincaid had barely looked at him, Grace’s attention zeroed in on Ash, her eyes narrowing in that way only an observant mother’s could. Ash could feel the tips of his ears heating.

“A friend,” Grace said, casual as could be. “How nice.”

Ash forced a polite smile. “Let me show you the kids’ section. We found a great tent to replace the old one.”

The tour continued and stayed focused on the store, but at the end, when Kincaid was occupied with showing Charlie the reorganized storeroom, Grace stayed with Ash. She leaned over to smell a rosemary plant on the front counter, and Ash busied himself with packing up his laptop.

“Ashton,” she said in that smooth southern lilt, that tone that could hide a death threat in a thick cloud of cotton candy.

“Yes, ma’am.” He set his laptop bag on the floor and straightened, trying to keep his expression neutral.

She smoothed her palms on the counter, leaning a little closer, and gave him a pointed look. “You know I’m not one to meddle.”

“I—”

“But I also love you and Kincaid like my own and can’t hold my tongue when I see the both of you playing out in the road in a busy street.”

He stilled. “Pardon?”

“Do you think I’m senile?” she said with a knowing tilt to her lips. “A mother sees things, and I’ve been one for a long time. You need to take care with her, you hear?”

He swallowed hard. “I don’t understand.”

She reached out and patted his hand. “You smell like her perfume, dear.”

“Grace, I—”

She lifted a palm. “It is not my business. I don’t need details. I’m just asking you to take care. Kincaid is a tough young lady. Not many could walk through what she’s been through and come out the other end with such grace. That mother of hers…” Grace pursed her lips and shook her head. “But don’t mistake toughness for hard-heartedness. Just because her heart has known a lot of hurt doesn’t mean it can’t be broken again.”

The words startled him. “I would never want to hurt her.”

She pinned him with a curious look. “Do you love her?”

Ash tensed, the question like a fire alarm screaming in his head. “She’s been my best friend for a long time. Of course I do.”

She clucked her tongue. “You know that’s not what I mean.”

“It’s not like that,” he said quietly. He glanced toward the storeroom to make sure Kincaid wasn’t on the way back. “She knows that. And she’s not in love with me. Her heart has always been with Graham. This is just…casual.”

Ugh. What a disgusting, ridiculous word. Casual. What did that even mean? As if their relationship was flip-flops or jeans at the office on a Friday.