“They want to matchmake you with Gibson,” Mercury says from the mouth of the hallway.

“Did you get tired of shouting?” I ask as I stand to help him.

He bats me away. “I can stand on my own.”

I cock an eyebrow. “You’re using a cane.”

“A cane doesn’t count.”

I open my mouth to argue with him – I can argue until the cows come home and often do – but I remember we’re not alone. I snap my mouth shut and return to my place on the sofa.

“Mercury,” Sage scolds. “You’re not supposed to tell her she’s our next project.”

“I hate to disappoint you but you already told me I’m your next project,” I remind her.

She purses her lips. “But you’re not supposed to know it’s a matchmaking project.”

“You’ve mentioned my boyfriend several times.”

“This is fun,” Petal declares. “No one ever contradicts Sage.”

“I’m not trying to be contrary.”

Mercury barks out a laugh. “It comes natural to you. Your grandmother Lyra was contrary, too.”

“How was she contrary?” I ask.

Uncle Mercury hasn’t told me much about my family despite my numerous questions. He always puts me off with promises of later. Guess what? Later has arrived.

“If Adhara said the weather was lovely, Lyra would put on a sweater and complain it’s cold.”

I smile. “I think I would have liked Lyra.”

“You never met your grandmother?” Clove asks.

“Nope. Grandma kicked Mom out of the house when she got pregnant with me. Mom hated her and wouldn’t let me see my grandmother. By the time I was old enough to find my grandmother for myself, she’d already passed away.”

“Good.” Sage nods. “We did the right thing.”

I narrow my eyes on her. “What did you do?”

I expect her to lie or come up with some fib. To my surprise, she answers. “We phoned your mom and told her about her uncle needing help.”

“We also might have told her she’d need to sell his house,” Petal adds.

Now it all makes sense. My greedy parent strikes again. Mom thought she’d get the money from the sale of her uncle’s house. I’m surprised she didn’t come here herself and force Mercury into a home.

Wait. I’m not surprised. She’s always been lazy.

“Welp.” Sage stands. “I think we’ve overstayed our welcome.”

“You weren’t welcome to start with,” Mercury grumbles. “And no matchmaking my niece.”

“Is everyone forgetting I already have a boyfriend?”

No one answers as the rest of the gossip gals stand and follow Sage to the door.

Feather pats my hand as she passes me. “And don’t you worry about Gibson. I’m sure he was good while he was on tour.”