Page 71 of Sweet Little Thing

“Get my keys from the washroom. We will take my car,” she said, still smiling like she was trying to stifle more laughter.

I headed toward the washroom to get the keys I had seen hanging in there. Taking Geraldine to see Heidi might not be a good idea. She could be about to slip into another moment from her past again.

The idea of my sister listening to Geraldine’s ramblings with interest made me smile. She’d believe everything Geraldine said and ask questions. When I walked back into the kitchen, Geraldine was there with her black flats on her feet.

“She’s got the most breathtaking eyes I’ve ever seen. It’s like a punch in the gut when she looks at you.” Geraldine said when she saw me.

“Who?” I asked, thinking she might be lost again in her memories.

“He will never see beyond that though. Her face will own him. I saw the way he looked at her. There isn’t anything I can do to stop it. She’s got a depth to her that he doesn’t. She’s strong where he isn’t. He will only hurt her, bring her down, and it’s gonna be fucking brutal to watch. I hate thinking about it, Gerry.She deserves so much more.”

That wasn’t an answer. It was more rambling. “Do you know where we are going?” I asked to see if she was still with me.

She smiled softly. “Yes, Beulah. We’re taking these cupcakes and visiting Heidi.”

Okay, so she was still sane. “Oh. I thought…”

“You thought I’d gotten lost in one of my spells,” she replied looking almost smug. “I am very clear at the moment. I was just repeating that first conversation I had with Stone about you. Those were his exact words.”

Heidi was thrilled we visited. The glittery cupcakes had been a big hit, and she had been excited that I brought my new friend.

Geraldine’s mind stayed in the present the entire visit. She had shown Heidi a trick to crochet, played kickball with us, and pushed Heidi on the swing she loved under the big oak tree.

It wasn’t until we arrived back at her miniature castle that she started talking about me priming the water pump and checking on the chickens. I let her ramble on and fixed dinner while she ran around the house cleaning for the make-believe company she was having. Her sister would be at this party, and she needed to make sure the linens were freshly pressed. By the time I convinced her she needed to have dinner because there wasn’t a party tonight, she had come back around, and I was able to leave at my usual time.

Stone’s Rover wasn’t there when I pulled up to the apartment. Sighing, I sat in the car and stared at the building. This was my fault. Last night’s wine had given me a loose tongue, and now he wouldn’t come home because I was here. I had tried not to think about what Geraldine had claimed he had said about me. It was hard to believe, and I was leaning towards it being another girl he had been talking about. That could not have been me. Stonehad never liked me.

A knock on my window caused me to jump in my seat, and I jerked my head to the left to find Mack or Marty standing there with a grin. I wasn’t sure which one it was now that I had met them both.

I rolled down my window instead of opening my door. I hadn’t decided if I’d be staying. I needed to think things through first.

“You gonna sit out here all night?” he asked.

I shrugged. “Not sure yet.”

My response turned his easy smile into a concerned frown. “Why? Stone being his broody asshole self?”

I glanced back at the building. “No. I just think I’ve outstayed my welcome.”

“You’ve hardly been here. Stone’s a good guy, but he can go bastard really easy. Ignore it. He wants you here. Besides, you got rid of Presley. You’re our motherfucking hero.”

I knew he was being funny and trying to get me to smile, but I couldn’t manage one.

“Come on. Marty is grilling steaks. I’m about to make some of my famous broccoli salad, and Shay promised she would bring a peanut butter pie from Hannah’s Sweets down the street. We need help eating all that.”

This was Mack. How did anyone tell these two apart?

“I don’t have anything to bring. I can’t come empty-handed.”

He chuckled. “Yeah, you can. Shay is only picking up the pie because I said she needed to bring something since she eats here all the damn time. And I wanted some of that pie.”

I glanced back at the building and thought of going up to Stone’s empty apartment. Right now, he and Geraldine were all I had apart from Heidi. And I really didn’t have Stone. We couldn’t even be considered friends. It wouldn’t hurt me to make new friends.

“Okay, thank you. That sounds nice.”

I had eaten with Geraldine, but here I was eating a second dinner. I was going to gain weight doing this. One thing was for sure, though, I would not be drinking wine tonight.

I rolled the window back up and opened my door. Mack stepped back to let me out, waiting for me. I picked up my purse and locked the car.

---