Page 52 of The Party Line

“You don’t have to stick around,” Jasper said as he took the first bite. “This is just like Gracie used to make for us.”

“Did y’all eat together every day?” I asked.

“Yep, three times a day, mostly after she retired. You should remember that,” he said in between bites, then threw back the pills and washed them down with coffee. “It’s tough to cook for two, but trying to fix for one is even harder.”

“Why didn’t you tell me that? I could have been bringing you food all this time.”

“You got enough on your plate without trying to take care of me.”

“Not anymore,” I reminded him. “Right now I don’t have a job, and other than getting the house and yard in shape, nothing else to do. I do remember that you ate with us when I was at her house. When I was little I thought you were my grandfather.”

“I was,” he said. “Don’t take blood to make a family, and I was the only grandfather you knew.” He took a couple of bites and then changed the subject. “Come January, you could have a strawberry farm to run.”

“I don’t know anything about that. I’m an accountant, not a farmer.”

“You ain’t stupid, Lila. You can learn anything, but it was probably a dumb idea.”

“I’m going back to the house, and at noon, I’ll bring you some lunch and more pills.” The idea wasn’t dumb. I owned the property, and the lease was up in January. Between now and then, I would have several months to learn what all was involved and even to get some hands-on experience. That would help me stay occupied while I figured out what to do with the rest of my life.

I was so busy thinking about strawberries that I forgot Connor was coming. I raced into the downstairs bathroom, brushed my hair one more time, and was busy applying a little lipstick when he knocked on the back door and poked his head inside. “The muffin man is here.”

“Coffee is ready. Come on in. I’m on my way!” I yelled and checked my reflection in the downstairs-bathroom mirror one more time. I saw a tall red-haired woman who had to bend slightly even to see herself, and wondered why he had said I was beautiful the night before. Did he mean it, or was that one of his pickup lines?

The box of muffins was on the table, and he was filling two mugs with coffee when I made it into the kitchen. He looked up, smiled, and handed me my second cup of the morning. “You look lovely—but then, you always do. I smell bacon. Did you already have a first breakfast? Is this your second one?”

“No, I made Jasper some pancakes and bacon, but I haven’t eaten yet. I was waiting for the muffins. Thank you for the compliment,” I said and took a sip of the coffee. “And for the muffins. What are you doing today?”

He pulled out a chair for me. “I can only stay a little while. Grandpa wants me to work with the crew coming to work the strawberry plants. From fancy oil-executive meetings to farmer. Got to admit, none of it is bad work.”

I sat down, more than a little envious and a lot disappointed. Connor seemed to have his life on track while I was still struggling,trying to get out of the thick woods. Talking to him had seemed to help me in my efforts to find a path, but there would be none of that today.

“So, what’s on your agenda today?” he asked.

I opened the box and took out a muffin. “Gina Lou is moving in, but I’m not sure when. I may spend a little time in the room she’ll be using—cleaning out the closets and dresser drawers, that kind of thing.”

He sat down across the table from me. “Be careful. Today is March 15.”

“Beware the Ides of March,” I said in my best eerie voice. “Maybe it wasn’t a good idea to have her move in today.”

“Only if you are superstitious.” He peeled the paper from a muffin and took a bite.

“My mama is. She doesn’t even like to come in this house. Says that she feels ghosts in here.” Saying that out loud to Connor didn’t make me uncomfortable.

“I am pretty sure that any place that is still standing after a hundred years has a few skeletons hiding in the closets,” he said.

“With that in mind, I should probably listen carefully for rattling bones or eerie sounds when I clean out the closet in Gina Lou’s room,” I teased.

“If you get scared, just call me, and I’ll come running,” Connor offered in a flirting tone.

“Keep your phone on,” I told him.

“Always.” He pushed his chair back, picked up his coffee mug, dropped a kiss on my forehead as he passed by, and headed out the back door.

I ate another muffin, had two more cups of coffee, and had started across the foyer when the house phone rang. I jogged back to the kitchen, picked up the receiver, and looked at the thing while it rang again before I realized there wouldn’t be a name displayed.

“Hello?” I answered.

“Lila, this is Gina Lou. My car broke down last night. Just up and died and quit running when I was about a block from my trailer. Daddy says it’s not worth fixing because the transmission is blown. I hate toask, but can you come help me? My friend that was going to give me a ride had to take her grandmother to the hospital. Looks like she’ll be there all day because they’re admitting her granny.” Her voice sounded like she was on the verge of tears. “I have to be out by noon because another person is moving in, and my dad is on his way to his job, and he can’t be late ...” She finally stopped for a breath.

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