Page 68 of Writing Mr. Wrong

“Hmm.” Grandma Dot took a drink of her beer. “He does cut a fine figure out there. Like a redwood among the spruce.”

Gemma rolled her eyes so hard it hurt. “He’s not that tall, Grams. Look at that guy on the other team. He’s taller. Oh, and how about that guy way over there. He’s on the Growlers.”

“That’s Mason.”

Gemma squinted. “Oh, er, right. Still…”

“Mason Moretti is one fine, tall drink of water. Makes a woman think she’d like to climb him like—”

“No!” Gemma glared over. “Do not finish. I hate that phrase.”

“Scale him like a sycamore? Mount him like a maple? Ascend him like an aspen?”

“Stop.” Gemma dropped her head into her gloved hands. “Please.”

“If I were twenty years younger, I’d give you a run for your money.”

“Twenty years younger andnotmarried to my grandfather?”

“Oh, that’s nothing.” Grandma Dot waved a hand. “Mason Moretti is on my list.”

“Your what?”

“You know. A short list of celebrity figures that married people agree, if they ever got the chance to hit that, it’s a freebie.”

Gemma groaned and sank her head lower.

Grandma Dot patted her back. “I’m teasing, dear. I don’t have a list. However, if I did, Mason Moretti would definitely—”

“Stop.”

Grandma sighed. “All right. I’ll refrain from giving twenty reasons why you should take Mason Moretti up on what he’s very obviously offering. Changing the subject, I saw those photos from yesterday. Your mother says you went motorcycle riding with him.”

Gemma relaxed. “I did. We had a good time.”

“You had a motorcycle once, didn’t you?”

“Pre-Alan, yes. I might get another one. Mason gave me a lesson on his yesterday.”

Grandma Dot looked out at Mason. “I realize it’s none of my business, but would it be such a bad thing to climb that particular tree?”

“Yes.”

“Because he hurt you before.”

Gemma tensed.

Grandma Dot squeezed Gemma’s leg. “And that means, sadly, that you can’t just take him for a spin, as pleasant as that might be.”

“That’s not on the table.”

“Oh, it most certainly is, dear. He isn’t offering to take you away for three days because he really wants to learn how to be a better person.”

Gemma sighed. “He has an ulterior motive. As always.”

Grandma Dot’s lips pursed. “I said that wrong. I think he does want those lessons. If he hasn’t made a pass at you yet, then he’s not trying to trick you into a sexy getaway for two. He’s just open to the possibility. A few days away to get to know him better and to see that he’s capable of changing.”

Gemma groaned. “Which is what Alan tried to do. Change me. I’d never do that to someone.”

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