Effie shoved Granger away with more force than necessary, took a steadying breath, and addressed him withposure. "Thank you."


    Granger flexed his fingers, remembering the softness of Effie when she''d stumbled into his arms, and the faint trace of her perfume that lingered in the air. Now that she''d stepped back, it felt as if something had been ripped from his chest, leaving a hollow ache behind.


    He managed a crooked smile. “It''s nothing. Really, I was just doing what anyone should."


    Across the hall, hidden in the shadows, Isabel watched the scene unfold. Her face twisted with resentment as she muttered through gritted teeth, "She got lucky this time. Next time, she won''t be so fortunate."


    Isabel was at the hospital herself for a dressing change.


    Carole, clutching her chest, eyed Isabel''s bandaged arm with a lingering sense of dread. She kept her voice low, "You nearly gave me a heart attack, kiddo. Good thing that hallway isn''t under surveince-if anyone had seen you shove that trash can, we''d be in real trouble."


    Carole rubbed her forehead, her worry lines deepening. Lately, nothing seemed to be going right—maybe she ought to take Isabel to church, light a candle, and pray for a change of luck.


    Isabel''s lips curled into a sly smile, a glint of scheming determination in her eyes. "Just wait. After what Effie did to me, I''m looking forward to the show."


    Carole shot her a worried look. "Don''t do anything stupid."


    Isabel shrugged. "Rx. I promise, nothing''s going to happen to me this time." Still, Carole''s concern was in on her face.


    Meanwhile, Effie led Granger to her grandmother''s hospital room, where she introduced him with a gentle smile. Granger greeted her grandmother politely, then turned his attention to the stack of CT scans at the bedside.


    "Granger, how is she?" Effie asked.


    He replied, "It''s not too serious. But at her age, recovery takes longer-she''ll need someone around to help her out. Broken bones take time to heal, so it''s best if she stays in bed and rests. Moving around too much could cause more problems."


    Her grandmother blinked, momentarily speechless at Granger''s stern bedside manner.


    Granger shot Effie a quick wink, as if to say, See? I handled it.


    Effie grinned and turned to her grandmother. "You heard the doctor, Grandma. You have to rest and do as he says."


    Her grandmother relented with a smile. "Alright, I''ll be good this time-stay in bed, recover, just as the doctor orders. I still want to help you raise your little ones, you know. My future great-grandchild is going to be so cute-with fair skin and big round eyes. Just imagine!"


    Granger''s smile faltered, suddenly at a loss for words.


    He realized both Effie and her grandmother were sharp as tacks their words were pointed, and he was the target.


    He cleared his throat. "If there''s nothing else, I''d better get going."


    "I''ll walk you out," Effie offered.


    "No need, really," he insisted, nearly making a break for the door.


    Effie and her grandmother exchanged a look. Her grandmother''s eyes sparkled mischievously as she said, "Effie, sometimes a romance is just trouble, not destiny. Don''t let it be a stumbling block in your life."


    Effie couldn''t help butugh. Grandma was calling Granger a bad apple without missing a beat. For all her years, nothing ever escaped her sharp eyes.


    "I know, Grandma," Effie replied warmly.


    Just then, Effie''s phone buzzed. She nced at the screen-her mother-inw, Lindy, was calling.


    "Hi, Mom?"


    "Effie,e home for dinner tonight," Lindy said.


    There was something odd in Lindy''s tone, and a sudden sense of dread settled in Effie''s stomach.