Page 4 of The Friendly Fall

Thankfully, she answers on the first ring.

“Hey there, Eliza Kate,” she greets me, her voice as chipper and sweet as ever.

“Granny, I need you.”

Chapter Two

Nick

“You’re young, single, and there’s so many other things to do on a weekend. Are youreallygoing to spend your free time at the fire station?” Mom asks me as I finish counting the day’s earnings at our family’s small hardware store.

I let out a heavy sigh, rubbing my brow. “We live in a town with less than five thousand people. I don’t think I’m missing out on anything.”

“Except finding a girlfriend,” she mutters under her breath.

“What?” I ask, narrowing my eyes at her, pretending like I didn’thear what she said.

“You heard me.” She laughs, shaking her head. “I know you get tired of me harping on that, but you’re thirty-two now, Nick. I want you to have a family.”

“I thought you said I was young,” I retort, giving her a smirk as she rolls her eyes at me.

“Youareyoung.”

“So then why push me to find someone?”

“I just don’t want you to grow up and be alone.”

I shrug, pushing away the worry. “I’ll be fine. If the right person comes along, then so be it. I need to get to the station, though. I told Daniel that I’d sit with him tonight.”

“You’re a volunteer,” Mom reasons as I walk around the counter and make my way toward the front door. The scent of fresh wood chips lingers in the air. “You don’t have tositat the station.”

“Yeah, but sometimes it’s nice to have some guy time—without Vanessa and the kids there,” I add carefully, knowing that Daniel’s wife is also one of my good friends—and their one-year-old twins are adorable. It’s not like I don’t want to hang out with his whole family or something…

It’s just that I appreciate a little quality guy time every once in a while.

“I get it,” she says, giving me a warm smile. “You know who I talked to the other day, though?”

I stop, hovering by the front door. “Who’s that?”

Please don’t mention an ex-girlfriend.

“Marilyn Willis.”

I blink a few times at the mention of the eighty-year-old woman we go to church with. “Uh … okay? You talk to her all the time.”

“Yeah, but she told me hergranddaughteris coming to town.”

“Wow, cool!” I chuckle, shaking my head at her. “That’s really great, Mom. I hope she has a nice visit.”

“She’s about your age.” Mom wiggles her eyebrows. “She’s cute, too. I found her on Facebook.”

“Creepy.”

“Everyone does it.”

“Not me.” I shake my head. “Social media is a huge waste of time. And prevents people from minding their own business.”

“Yeah, well, you’re missing out.” She smirks. “Anyway, I was thinking we could all get together when she comes to town.”

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