Page 35 of The Party Line

“I didn’t bring mine, either,” Mama said, “but I usually get a rainbow with cherry, grape, and banana when we’re at the one in Poteet.”

“Okay, listen closely.” I slowly read off each flavor and then said, “I’m getting a piña colada.”

Annie squinted and frowned. “I can’t make up my mind between a pineapple or a coconut crème.”

“I want a piña colada, too,” Mama said. “Never had one of those, but I’m game for something new.”

I thought of what Jasper had told me about Aunt Gracie having regrets over never going anywhere. Had she, in that final breath she took, wished she would have sold the last twenty acres and her house and traveled the world? Her red pantsuit wasn’t her only act of rebellion, according to Jasper’s hints. He had said when she’d come out of her bedroom after whatever had happened when they were teenagers—maybe no more than fourteen—that she never again let anyone tell her what to do. And yet she had stayed right there in that house in Ditto and took care of things, even when her father had passed away.

“Make mine the same,” Annie decided. “That way I get coconut and pineapple flavors both.”

That antsy sensation when someone was either staring at me or was nearby swept over me. A prickling feeling that raised the hair on my neck was a dead giveaway that someone or something was near. I glanced over my shoulder to see a coyote peeking out from around atree. When we made eye contact, the animal turned tail and ran, but the strange feeling didn’t disappear.

“Hey, Lila,” a very familiar deep voice floated through the air as Connor came around the building. “Fancy meeting you here.”

“Hey. I could say the same thing to you.” I could hear a bit of breathlessness in my own voice. “I didn’t expect to see you at a snow cone stand.”

“Grandpa brought me here when I was a little boy and ...” Connor stopped talking when the lady in the window asked us for our order.

“What are you ladies having?” she asked.

“Three piña coladas,” I answered.

“Make that four,” Connor said and handed her a bill. “I’ll treat today if I can sit with y’all while we eat them.”

“Thank you, and of course we will share our table with you.”

The lady took the money and made change. “Be right back.”

“Who introduced you to this place?” Connor asked.

There had to be at least a foot between us, but I had the same feeling I’d had when I took sandwiches out for lunch during strawberry-picking season. There was definitely chemistry between us, but that didn’t mean I had to give in to it.

“Aunt Gracie brought me here.”

“When you were a little girl?”

“No, when I was a teenager.” I remembered the day well. We had had snow cones before we went to the mall, and she bought me a new outfit for church on Easter Sunday.

“Was there an occasion?” he asked.

“Easter.” No way would I tell him that a boy had hurt my feelings and made me angry at the same time. “We went shopping after we sat at that bench where Mama and Annie are now.”

The lady came back with four disposable cups full of shaved ice and flavorings, along with spoons and napkins. “Enjoy,” she said.

“I’m sure we will,” Connor said.

We each carried two of the cups to the table, set them down, and then took a seat on the other side from Mama and Annie. Not even the freezing ice toned down the heat rushing through my body when his shoulder touched mine.

“Hello, ladies,” Connor said. “Lila gave me permission to sit with y’all. How’s the catering business coming along?”

“We put a pin in it for a while,” Annie said. “We aren’t sure that’s what we want to do for the next twenty years.”

“We’ve worked all our lives and never been anywhere or done anything else,” Mama added.

“You could do some traveling,” Connor suggested. “Try a road trip or a cruise.”

“I’ll drive you or go with you since I don’t have a job,” I offered.

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