Page 36 of Love Me

“Grandma!” Hannah covers her mouth, shock written all over her face. “Mother above give me strength.” Ms. Nettie is a loud-mouthed, crass elderly woman, so this doesn’t come as a surprise to me at all. But clearly Hannah has chosen to completely ignore the rumors and whispers that have been going around our town for years about us.

I squeeze her hand lightly once before bringing it up to my mouth and placing a kiss on the back of it. Her eyes flick to me, nerves and shock settling down and leaving her more composed. Seeing how I affect her makes me feel so good, there’s a deep connection between us that’s always lain dormant, but now that I’m pulling that up, neither of us can deny it. She just needs to give in to it.

“Grandma, you’re good with this?”

“Yep! ’Bout time you dropped that little weasel, what was his name? Leon? Lance? Labia?”

“Levi, Grandma. Charlotte’s father.”

I bristle at her words, and I know she felt it based on how she looks at me out of the corner of her eye. The fuck he is. Deadbeat piece of shit is not that girl’s father.

“What a stupid name. That’s a brand. I like Labia better.”

“Holy shit, Grandma, what meds did you take today?”

“The good ones, my girl, always the good ones.”

“For fuck’s sake,” I whisper under my breath, leaning back in the chair. Time to get this train back on the tracks.

“Ms. Nettie, things are moving quickly, and I just want youto know how serious I am about Hannah. I’m crazy about her and I feel like we have a lot of time to make up for.”

“You’re a good egg, Liam Hayes. All you boys are. Not the eldest one though, something fishy about him. Winnie doesn’t like ’em much, which is a sign if you ask me.”

Sawyer and Ms. Nettie have been clashing since the beginning of time, and for some reason, the calm pup sitting in her lap loses her shit every time he comes into Bean Haven.

“Grandma, you’ve known these boys their entire lives. There’s nothing fishy about Sawyer.”

“Agree to disagree! You two have fun. Put a baby in her, Liam, I want more grandkids, and lord knows Harlow and Hailey aren’t gonna give me any before I croak. And keep Labia away from her.”

“Shit, Grandma, are you sure you’re okay?”

“Feeling great, quit askin’ me. Now, go. Let me watch Graham Colson cross the street. That man is a silver fox if I’ve ever seen one. Fine piece of ass that one.”

“Holy shit, I’ve had enough.”

Hannah scoots out of her chair and walks to the back of the bakery while I drop my head back in a deep laugh that I can’t contain. Once I’ve pulled myself together, I lean back until I can make sure that Hannah isn’t within earshot.

“Ms. Nettie, I know I’ve known Hannah forever and things have always been platonic, but I’ve been in love with her for a damn long time. She’s it for me. I’m gonna marry her. Soon.”

Her hand reaches out and pats the top of mine in a loving, grandmotherly way, and I settle into my seat.

“I know, my boy. She’ll figure it out. That other one left his mark on her, but you can heal her, help put her back together again. Soulmates are real and you’re hers. You remind me of my James. This kinda love only comes once, so when you get it, don’t let hergo.”

Pride and happiness swell in my chest as her words settle in my heart. Some conversations will stick with you for a lifetime, and this is one for me. It was important to me that she knew where I stood before her time on Earth ended.

“Thank you, Ms. Nettie. I’ll take care of them.”

She suddenly gasps, her hand flying to her heart in shock, causing mine to stop. What the fuck?

“No! I will not run away with you, Liam Hayes! You’re not my type!” she yells, and I sit fucking stunned as shit. She knows no bounds. Fuck, to be old and give zero shits will be such a gift.

“Grandma!” Hannah snaps from the bakery counter. “Leave him alone!”

Later that afternoon, I drove to the other side of town to pick up Charlie from school. The pickup line traffic is a goddamn madhouse and too many parents parking their cars to chitchat like it’s fucking happy hour caused an even worse traffic jam. By the time we got back into town, there was zero parking within three blocks of Bean Haven, forcing us to park down the street and walk.

Carrying Charlie’s backpack, her little hand in mine so she doesn’t slip on any ice, we walk down Main Street, chatting the entire way about school and friends, all the while I’m trying to hurry her along so that we aren’t late for dance. Typically Hannah is able to close Bean Haven on time to do afternoon pickup but on the rare occasion she can’t, I get to jump in and help out.

“Shh. Stop. You hear dat?” Charlie asks me, pulling my hand back to get me to stop.

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