He was gracious and understanding considering how embarrassed he must have felt. Luckily, he was on his way up to school at Southern Virginia University from his home in South Carolina, so he’d made only a small detour to swing by the inn. It was still awkward, but at least a little less so knowing he hadn’t done something as dramatic as fly across the country to see me.

“Man, I’m kinda wishing I’d just texted,” he said as I walked him to the door. “I guess I thought showing up might be a nice gesture.”

“It was very sweet,” I told him. “I’m sure your gestures will be appreciated by the right girl someday.” I said good-bye and closed the office door, leaning against it with my eyes closed. I should have expected it. It had been a particularly long dry spell since I’d heard from one of Abuela’s knights in shiny returned-missionary armor. I thought maybe my living on the East Coast was making it harder for her. Not as many missionaries left from the eastern states. But she’d still managed to find one. Of course she had. She was nothing if not determined. I stayed there, my hands pressed against the smooth wood of my office door until Simon cleared his throat. I opened my eyes to see his grin spreading from one ear all the way to the other.

“There’s got to be a story,” he said. “And I bet it’s a good one.”

I shook my head, crossing back to the couch, where I collapsed onto the cushion beside him. “You don’t know the half of it.”

“So I take it the grandmother he referenced is not the one who lives here?”

“No. My mother’s mother. She’s still in Puerto Rico. And maybe just a little meddlesome.”

“Sending returned missionaries to your place of employment is a little meddlesome?”

“Okay, maybe a lot meddlesome. But . . . she means well.”

“Has this ever happened before?”

I nodded. “Four times. Only one other time in person. The other guys called or texted.”

His shoulders shook. “This is so awesome. I really want to meet your grandma.”

I snorted a laugh. “You’d probably like her. She’s funny and spunky and has this great personality. Everyone loves her.”

“Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?”

“Sure.”

“Why is she so concerned about you getting married? I mean, she must be to be sending these guys to see you.”

I explained Abuela’s family situation. “She always wanted a big family,” I said. “And she never got it. She’ll be eighty-four in January, so I think she’s feeling her age and wanting me to give her a great-grandbaby before I’m thirty.”

“Is this a family responsibility you carry alone? Propagating the next generation? No siblings to help out?”