Page 15 of Flowers in Your Hair

“Dang, you’re really caught up on her. Why don’t you seem happy then?”

“I can’t find her,” I murmur.

“Son, you know my hearing aids don’t work for crap. You need to speak up.”

“I can’t find her,” I say, louder, frustrated with myself.

“Ahhh, a little Cinderella situation, huh?” Gramps smirks.

“That’s what Marley said too. She left before I could talk to her again. Woo her.”

“You’ll find her,” he says, patting his rough hand on my knee. “If it’s meant to be, it will be.”

“Says the man who met his wife at nineteen at the diner she worked at, and was married to her within two months,” I joke, shoving him lightly.

Gramp’s eyes light up as he thinks about his late wife, Grandma Irene. “She was a good one, I had to snatch her up before anyone else could.” I know talking about Grandma causes him pain, but he also loves to talk about her, to remember her.

I nod, thinking about the little moments of love that I frequently witnessed between Grandma and Gramps. Sure, my parents also showed me how to love a partner well, but I want the old time love that Grandma and Gramps had. The seemingly effortless, carefree love.

“It’s a small town, you’ll find her,” he repeats, ever so confident. “Now, let’s go inside. I need a sandwich.”

“Didn’t you just go for lunch with dad?” I ask.

“Yeah, but he’s on a health kick, and he ordered me a salad.” Gramps stands up from the recliner, groaning as he does. He stretches out his back slightly, reaching for his cane.

He starts heading toward my house, Travis following behind closely. I can always count on Gramps for sage advice, that’s for sure.

I get Gramps settled in at the dining table with a turkey sandwich, when Travis starts barking like crazy. I stride over to where he is at the front door, spotting my brother Beau heading up the driveway.

He doesn’t knock, just opens the door, walking in like he owns the place. He’s dressed casually, his long hair tied back on top of his head. “What are you doing here?” I ask.

Beau shrugs. “Bored, figured I’d see what you were up to. Thomas is on duty, and Jason is with Lennie at a birthday party.”

I scoff, then joke. “So what you’re saying is that I’m your last resort?”

He doesn’t deny it.

“Wow…” I say, but really, I’m not mad. “I take it Marley is busy too?”

He doesn’t say anything for a moment. “Don’t know. Wedding season is starting, so yeah, I’m sure she’s busy.”

I nod. “Got it. Gramps is here.” I jerk my thumb toward the kitchen.

Beau tilts his head over, looking past me into the kitchen. Gramps sits at the table eating, idly patting Travis’s head now that he’s realized it’s only Beau. Beau toes off his tennis shoes, walking through my house. “Gramps,” he greets, patting him on the back. He heads to the fridge, digging around for something appetizing to him. I stride into the kitchen area, sitting at the table across from Gramps.

“Beau,” Gramps says. “Marley busy today?”

Beau pauses, staring into the fridge. “I’m sure,” he says. He chooses not to elaborate, and Gramps gives me a subtle smirk.

“Andrew here has found himself a princess,” Gramps says, changing the subject back to me. I widen my eyes, hoping Gramps will shut up.

Beau closes the fridge, coming away with an apple, and a bottle of water. “Tell me more.” His lips quirk in a quick, but unmissable smile.

“She slipped away like Cinderella, and he’s all torn up about it.” Gramps takes a bite of his sandwich.

Beau glances at me, raising a brow. “Cinderella, huh?”

I pinch my nose. “I met her at Isaac’s wedding. She was the florist, and she left before I could get her information. Megan won’t send me her phone number, or even her email ‘cause of some confidentiality clause.”

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