Page 28 of The Truth

“No kidding,” Genny said. “Aubs takes stubborn to a whole new level. Like, I have all of these brothers I need to marry off. She can at least takeoneoff my hands, but no, she’s not going to help me out here or anything. Hala, Ayla, too. Since Chan andRonnie have already done their duty, so to speak. You do know, Chan, Gene is a no-take-backsies, right? He is yours forever.”

The redheaded woman on Ayla’s left laughed. “I’ll manage Gene just fine.”

“You can manage me all you want, whenever you want.” Gene shot Chantal alookthat scorched a woman, just from being in the vicinity.

“I think you should just marry off Greer and Gia or something. Much more likely to happen,” Grady said. He had a glowery look on his face—but only when he looked at Hala. And… Emerson. Didn’t he like his brother’s friend? “If we can pay a pair of guys enough money to take them without us going bankrupt. Anyone have any suggestions?”

“I’m game. How do either of you feel about moving to Nebraska?” Emerson asked.

“For you, hot stuff… I would almost think about it. Except… it’s colder there, right?” Greer said.

“A bit, but only a little bitty bit. Ok a lot bit. I also have an older brother, if you or your friends are interested. Collin is well-established, well-behaved, and still has all of his own teeth and hair. Except… one tooth. I may have knocked one of his front teeth out with a baseball when I was eleven.” He looked at Hala. “You like small-town sheriffs, Ms. Hanan? I suspect you’d give my brother a real run for his money. He is incredibly afraid of kindergarten teachers, for some reason. Ours was really scary back then, and then she moved in right next door. Collin was never the same. You look nothing like her, I can say.”

“I am almost tempted, I am almost tempted.” Hala grinned back at him.

Grady just got all extra-scowly then.

He had been that way ever since they’d arrived. They’d been talking about Hala’s date with Louis Sandoval a week or so ago.Ayla just thought maybe Gunn and Louis didn’t get along or something.

But Hala was sending Grady littlelooksright now. Like maybe they’d argued or something. Grady did like to say things to Hala sometimes. But… Ayla kind of thought he liked towatchHala sometimes, too.

She was still trying to figure them all out.

People could be so complicated.

Just look at what mess Greer had found herself in lately.

It was no wonder her bestie looked a little green at the moment.

Talk about scary.

Then… Gunn was leaning closer. “What are you doing tomorrow?”

“Probably just hanging at the house alone while Aub works, actually. After my class at ten, anyway. I’ll take the transit over to Finley Creek. Sometimes, when I get home, I will walk to the library and hang out with Jake for the day. I am the best unofficial library volunteer, you know. Why?”

“I was thinking… would you like to have lunch with me at Mamaw’s Place tomorrow? I have the morning free—Emerson is going to be in meetings most of the morning. I’m going to drop him off, but I’ll be at loose ends for several hours. And I’d like to spend it with you. I can drive you to class when I drive him to his meeting.”

Ayla found herself nodding before she thought. “I would like that very much.”

“Great. Emerson and I can drive you to class so you don’t have to take the transit. I can pick you up at FCU after.”

“Sounds like a plan, Reverend Hiller.”

Someone snickered. Ayla looked up.

“It sounds more like adatethan a plan.”

Greer always thought she was so funny.

20

Step one of his plan:Spend as much time with her as he possibly could. He and Emerson had picked her up at nine, and taken her to class by ten. Then, he’d dropped Emerson off, stopped by the nursing home to visit a congregationer who had lived there for several years, and made it back to FCU to get Ayla with plenty of time to spare.

Now… he had her all to himself.

Gunn opened the door for her and she entered the restaurant ahead of him. She shot him a wicked grin. “This is one of my favorite restaurants, but we don’t eat here very much. Just when I have aquatherapy appointments, on Thursday evenings. I have them on Mondays and Fridays, but she’s usually working on Mondays. Aubrey usually drives me, but Greer has driven me before. They won’t let me come by myself. Greer says she thinks I’ll escape if I do. I do a lot of physical therapy, you know. Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and I do exercises at home every day in between. I prefer the pool, honestly. It helps, no denying that, but… it really is… physical. And we all know I’m not so down with that.”

“Well, nothing not enjoyable today.” He tried not to hover as they walked inside. He wanted to be close to her. No denying that. The hostess met them at the door. The restaurant wasn’t too crowded—it was that time between breakfast and lunch that he’d suspected would be nice and calm, so they could relax and talk, just be together. He waved at Charlie and Rory. Chantal’s older brother and his wife had the two babies with them. Normally, he would stop and talk for a moment.

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