Page 66 of Crashing into Love

“I had a crush on her. She was, like, my idol, Grandma. She’s the reason I snowboard.”

“No, she was the reason you picked up a snowboard. You still do it because you love it, and Drew Oakes has nothing to do with that. Besides, are you really standing here trying to convince me that just because you had a crush on her years ago, that you can’t use that smart head of yours to separate that from the very real feelings you clearly have for her right now?”

“She lives in another country, travels all the time, and–”

“Ah, hell.” The old woman waved her off. “You can keep bringing up excuses, but none of them will change how you feel about her. Did she ask you to call her or otherwise let her know when you got home safe?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“And you two talk a lot, and not just on the phone. I saw her face on your phone screen, Selma. And I know Gia sees her on her laptop, too.”

“So? We FaceTime sometimes.”

“You have such precious little time in your life for friends, even though I wish that weren’t the case, and you’ve spent so much of it with Drew recently. She’s spent her precious little time with you, too. Don’t you think that means something, Selma?”

“I think it means we could both use a friend, Grandma. And that’s what we are.”

“Okay. Okay.” Her grandmother held up her hands in supplication. “But Mae Trousseau, Selma. Mae Trousseau.”

“He was never going to marry her, Grandma. His mom wanted him to, sure, but he loved you already, and you know it.”

“Yes, but if I hadn’t told him how I felt first, he might not have had the courage to tell me.”

“Drew hasn’t exactly confessed anything to me, either.”

“Does she even know?”

Selma looked over at the long table, where Gia was sitting next to Kirsten, eating what looked to be a grilled cheese sandwich.

“I haven’t told her that I’m bisexual, no. So, unless you filled her in when she was here, I doubt she knows. I’ve never even dated a woman, Grandma. You know I’ve never…”

“I know that. Drew doesn’t, apparently, but I do. And I don’t know her well, but when she used to come by here, she’d sit and talk to me, Selma. She’s a good person. I can tell that much. So, if you’re worried about that, you just tell her, if it comes to it. Drew doesn’t strike me as the kind of person who would care in the slightest. I’m pretty sure she’d be understanding, given the Gia of it all.”

“She’s… experienced.”

“Well, I didn’t think she was a virgin, honey. She’s in her mid-to-late thirties, isn’t she?”

Selma chuckled and said, “Yeah.”

“So, just talk to her, if you want; and only when you’re ready. I just want you to be happy, Selma. That’s all. I know you love Gia, and you don’t regret having her, but you’ve put her first to the detriment of your love life. She’s getting older now, so it might be time for you to try to fall in love for the first time. Don’t you think?” The woman gave Selma a kiss on her cheek and a short hug. “I’m going to get some work done. Gia will be fine with Kirsten. Take your time upstairs and come down when you’re ready.”

Selma stood there for a moment longer before she finally rolled her bag toward the elevator and pulled out her phone after pressing the button to go up.

Selma Driscoll: Hey, I’m home. Just wanted to let you know I’m good.

It didn’t take long for Drew to reply.

Drew Oakes: I’m glad. How was the flight?

CHAPTER 21

“How is it?”

“It’s okay. Just a little sore. Doc said it’s still good. Maybe I’m imagining it hurting or something,” Drew answered the question of one of the trainers for Team USA snowboarding.

“I doubt you’re imagining it. We should get in some exercises. Maybe you still need to build up strength in the muscles. I know you trained a little before you got here the first time, but how much of that was on strength-building?”

“Some, but not much. We didn’t want to risk it.”

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