Page 41 of Loving Words
I chuckled. “There she is.” After linking my fingers with hers, I gave her a gentle tug in the direction she’d come from. “So, another gnome?” I feigned interest, as I knew exactly what I’d find in front of the post office. A bare-bottomed gnome with a daisy sticking out from between his cheeks. How Gran had managed the drop-off after the town had awakened was what surprised me the most.
“Yes! This one has a flower up it’s a—” Kennedy bit back the word the moment one of the older ladies clucked her tongue at her.
Showing interest in the prank, I wasn’t prepared for the little extra oomph Gran must have added after I’d drilled a small hole in the ceramic. I burst into a fit of laughter at the sight of red lipstick stains decorating one cheek.
“I hope the sheriff throws the book at this miscreant!”
“Where do they come up with these ideas?”
“It’s clearly someone who needs to join us at Sunday service!”
Sucking in my lips, I did my best to hold back my snicker. “Hungry?”
Kennedy peered back and forth between the gnome and me. “Let me get a picture, in case Darrell wants to post it online.”
Peering about the town square, I caught a flash of what looked to be Gran before she turned out of sight. I’d have to have a little chat with my favorite mischievous granny. If she wanted to continue enjoying the prank, she’d have to be extra careful.
With lunch in my belly, I balled up the sandwich wrapper and leaned back on my hands. We were sitting under a tree in the grassy square, across from the newspaper.
“I’m so excited for dinner tonight.” Kennedy covered her mouth as she spoke around a mouthful of her Philly cheesesteak. “Mama Trudy is going to love you, and Rose Marie is a trip,” she said of her best friend and her best friend’s mother.
Chuckling, I smiled. From what I understood, Rose had grown up in town and had only left for the two years it took her to attend mortuary school. “You’d have to be, in order to work with dead bodies.”
Kennedy shuddered. “True. I still don’t know why Rose Marie decided to become a mortician.” A flash of darkness came over her, and I didn’t like it one bit.
I tapped her foot with mine. “I have a feeling you two together are trouble.”
Shrugging, she giggled. “I won’t deny the truth.”
Kennedy wiped sauce from the corner of her mouth, and sweat beaded along her hairline, and yet she was as beautiful as ever to me.
“Let’s move in together.” The words were out of my mouth before I’d even formed the thought.
Kennedy rolled her eyes and chuckled. “We do live together.”
Sitting up, I grabbed one of her hands and threaded my fingers with hers. “No, princess, I want to get our own place.” Kennedy’s mouth parted and closed a few times before I rushed on. “I know it sounds crazy. We’ve barely been together. Lord knows Gran has been amazing in the last six months, but let’s move into our own place.”
“This is crazy!” she said, pulling back to take me in clearly. “You’re being serious.”
Nodding, I reached out and tucked a stray hair from her damp forehead. “One hundred percent serious. Logically, I think I should be kicking my own ass for bringing it up already, but...” Looking away, I took in the small, charming town and noticed an older couple well into their eighties. They were walking and holding hands. “But this is what I want. Here or anywhere else, I want to be with you, Kennedy. I’m not saying we need to rush off and get married or give Gran those babies she won’t quit about. I just want to be with you. I want to build a life with you, and I just don’t see a reason why we can’t start now.”
Kennedy’s phone rang, and I sighed at the intrusion. “It’s Rose Marie.” Her brows creased, and her gaze met mine. “She should be working. I’m sorry, but I need to take this.”
I squeezed her hand as she brought the phone to her ear.
Her entire body tensed before she pushed to her feet. “I’m on my way!”
“What’s wrong?” I asked, following her in the direction I’d taken into town.
Tears spilled down her cheeks when she looked up at me. “It’s Mama Trudy,” she bit out, fear shining in her beautiful eyes. “She had a massive coronary and is being rushed to the hospital.”
Kennedy took off in a run, and I followed along beside her. At the house, I directed her to my car in the back and soon pointed it toward the hospital. Unfortunately, by the time we arrived, we learned the woman hadn’t made it.
My heart broke for Kennedy and her friend. The two friends cried for what seemed like hours at Trudy’s bedside. It took everything in me not to scoop her up into my arms and comfort her. I was an outsider looking in, waiting to do whatever was needed.
“Trudy was more of a mother to her than my own daughter-in-law,” Gran said, appearing at my side, her nose pink and her eyes a bit bloodshot from her own grief.
I pulled Gran into my arms. “I’m sorry for everyone’s loss. Kennedy mentioned her, but I hadn’t had a chance to meet her yet.” Releasing her, we both looked over at the two heartbroken women.
