Page 25 of Somebody to Save
Nana stuck her tongue out at Grams, and I wiped the tears from my eyes. “I’ll buy you more books, Nana.”
“I don’t give a crap about the books, tell us about yourlife.”
Groaning, I tilted my head back toward the ceiling and considered what I could tell them.
“I’m working an engagement party later this afternoon, and bingo night went well yesterday. Bri has a crush on her coworker…umm…there’s not much else to tell.”
Grams glanced over at Nana, then they both looked at me. Of course neither of them believed me. I was a crappy liar, and they knew me better than anyone else.
“Fess up, Addie Wren.”
They were going to learn the truth sooner rather than later, so it made sense to tell them anyway. Rip off the metaphorical Band-Aid.
“I have a date…tomorrow.”
Both of my grandmothers gasped, and Nana clapped excitedly as Grams squeezed my knees.
“That’s such good news. You know, we never liked Owen, the little shithead,” Nana said, and my jaw dropped. No, they didn’t like him. There wasn’t a lot to like, so I understood, but the two of them also never cussed. They got onto me so much when I was growing up that I still rarely did. So, hearing Nana call him a shithead…maybe they disliked him more than they’d initially let on.
“Tell us all about him. Is he a nice boy?” Grams asked.
And I didn’t have a chance to answer before Nana added, “Is he cute?”
“He is nice and cute,” I said. Although cute didn’t feel like an apt enough adjective. Gorgeous, handsome, panty-dropping, mouthwatering—those made more sense, but I wouldn’t tell them that. “And I also wouldn’t call him aboy.”
“Not a boy?!” Nana gasped. “How exciting!”
“No, no, no,” I said quickly, not wanting to give them the wrong impression and knowing if I got them on that train of thought, we’d never get back to the point. “He’s a…man.”
“Did you hear that, Gabby? The way she just said‘man’?”
“You guys,” I sighed, but they were already giggling. “I just meant that once you pass a certain age, the word ‘boy’ doesn’t work anymore.”
“Of course, honey. So, how old is thismanthen?”
I swallowed nervously and chewed my lower lip while I fidgeted with the hem of my dress.
“He’s…older than me.” I tried, but Nana cleared her throat and raised her eyebrows in warning. “Fine, he’s…forty.”
I closed my eyes and waited for them to blow up or begin yelling. Not that they usually did either, but I’d never dated someone almost two decades older than me before. But when neither of them spoke, I cautiously peeked one eye open.
Grams was still stirring her soup, and Nana was nodding thoughtfully.
“Where did you meet him?” Grams asked, and I straightened, unsure of how to react to their lack of reaction.
“Umm…we met at a party. I went on behalf of Grant Events a couple weeks ago because Caroline didn’t want to go.” Nana continued to nod while Grams stood silently, and I couldn’t take it. “Tell me what you really think,” I pleaded. “I know you both have thoughts.”
“We do not—” Grams began to argue, but I turned on her the same look she’d used on me several times just in the past few minutes. “Fine,” she sighed. “Speaking for both of us, we justwant you happy, Addie Wren. If it’s with this man, then so be it. I just hope you know we’ll put him through the paces when we meet him. Especially your Nana.”
I laughed and drained my lemonade, slipping off the counter and placing my empty glass in the dishwasher. “We have to make it through the date first,” I said. “You never know, it may go horribly and I’ll never see him again.”
Even as the words came out of my mouth, I didn’t believe them. I knew it wouldn’t be horrible. We had enough explosive chemistry that we should probably be careful walking into any establishment together. And if that was our starting point, I had a good feeling about the rest.
Which was also terrifying.
“It’s going to be great,” Nana said confidently. “And if it’s not, it won’t be because of you. You’re a heck of a catch. Remember that.”
THIRTEEN
