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Ethan. It’s my time.”
    “You are not that old,” he said through gritted teeth. Seventy was not old enough to die. Not his Gram.
    “Maybe not, but I’ve lived a full life.”
    “You lost your only child when she was twenty-nine years old, and then you gave up your dreams and your freedom to raise me. You deserve better than this, Gram.” He glanced over and saw the grim set of her mouth. He rarely mentioned his mother. Losing her had been bad enough for him, but surely it had been even worse for his grandmother.
    “Raising you was an honor, Ethan. I wouldn’t have traded it for anything. Life is too short for regrets. We make the best out of the cards we’re dealt, and that’s all we can do.”
    “And sometimes that’s not good enough.”
    “No, it’s not, but it’s out of our hands. I can think of a lot worse ways to go. I feel great, except for the headaches now and then, and that shouldn’t change. If I’m lucky, I’ll pass in my sleep and never feel a thing. Stop strangling the steering wheel.”
    If he could have, he’d have ripped the damn thing right out of the Jeep and smashed something with it. He couldn’t lose Gram. Couldn’t speak over the painful clog in his throat.
    “You’ll get through this.” Her voice had gone soft.
    He turned off Highway 321, beginning their ascent into the Pisgah National Forest. The Smoky Mountains smudged the horizon ahead of them, dark and hazy like the emotions flooding his brain.
    “I made a bucket list,” she said, her voice stronger again now. “There are only a few things on it. I want to try out your new zip-line course.”
    He shook his head with a bitter laugh. “You got it.”
    “I’m so happy Mark and Ryan are coming back to town. It’ll be great to see the three of you guys working together.”
    They fell silent for a few minutes. He couldn’t wrap his brain around the things he’d heard from Dr. Haskell that morning. He and Gram had so much to talk about when they got home. So many decisions needed to be made, decisions he did not want to think about.
    “I invited Gabby to book club,” Gram said.
    “What?”
    “I really like her. Those flowers you gave her were lovely. You’re a catch.” She winked at him.
    Did Gram think he and Gabby were a thing? He was considering asking her out, but they were far from an item. Before he could answer, his cell phone rang. He reached for it and saw Ryan’s name on the screen. “Hey,” he answered.
    “Yo, I just got a call from Deputy Ziegler. They finally tracked down our bleeder.”
    “Yeah?” Ethan straightened in his seat.
    “Kid was treated at the ER for a broken leg and a scalp laceration. Said he fell out of a tree,” Ryan said.
    “A fu—” He glanced at Gram. “A friggin’ tall tree. He’s lucky that’s all he broke.”
    “Tell me about it. Anyway, he eventually admitted he was out at our place with four of his friends, drinking and joy-riding on the zip-line.”
    Shit. What a nightmare.
    “And I didn’t call you earlier,” Ryan continued, “because you were with Gram at her appointment, but I got a call this morning from someone on the Haven Town Council. She said they have some concerns about Off-the-Grid.”
    “What the hell?”
    “I’m guessing they heard about what happened on our property the other night. She’s going to stop by around two to discuss it with us. What time will you be here?”
    “I could be there by two if I drive straight to the office.”
    “All right then. Just wanted to give you a heads-up.”
    “Thanks.” Ethan disconnected with a frown.
    “Everything okay?” Gram asked.
    He told her what they’d just learned. “And now someone from the Town Council is coming over to discuss their concerns with us.”
    His grandmother scoffed. “That must be Lorraine. She always has had a stick up her ass.”
    He rubbed a hand over his mouth to cover a smile. He knew Lorraine Hanaford, and Gram was right on the money. “You mind if we stop by the