Page 84 of Just Another Silly Love Song
Joyce pointed her fork at Grandpa Wayne. “What’s your story? Give me the skinny.”
He finished chewing and wiped his mouth, nodding. “What would you like to know?”
“Divorced? Widower? Forever single? A former priest entering the dating pool for the first time?”
Grandpa Wayne laughed. “Widower. Six years. And you?”
“Widow. Five years.”
They both nodded, silent words spoken between them.
I glanced over at Lori and she gave me a smile.
Grandma Joyce took a sip of her water, still watching my grandpa. “Do you have any hobbies?”
“Sure . . .” Grandpa Wayne thought about it. “Cards. Reading. Morning walks. Gardening.”
She arched an eyebrow. “Ballroom dancing?”
He nodded. “Love it, although I’m a little rusty since it’s been—”
“Over six years?”
He nodded again.
“Yeah, well, over five years for me, obviously.”
“Oh!” Lori wiped her mouth. “I forgot to tell you, Grandma. I found a local studio that offers ballroom dancing twice a week. The prices are very reasonable and they even offer the first class free for first-time guests. They have a class tomorrow. You two should go!”
“Nice try,” Grandma Joyce said. “You probably had this planned all along as part of your setup.”
“You and I were talking about ballroom dancing before I met Ben for the first time.”
“You and Ben should go with us,” Grandma Joyce said.
Lori wagged her finger at her. “You have Wayne to go with, you don’t need us.”
Grandma Joyce’s gaze bounced back and forth between me and Lori like she was considering it. Then she turned toward my grandpa. “Can I talk to you in private, Wayne?”
Wayne looked up from his forkful of saffron rice. “Absolutely.”
“Good. Follow me.”
He set his fork on his plate and stood, following Grandma Joyce out of the food court.
Lori arched an eyebrow. “Where do you suppose they’re going?”
I shrugged. “Down to the captain’s quarters to make out?” I laughed.
“Very funny.” She took a bite of her chicken kebab, watching the entrance. “How did you know they would hit it off?”
I shrugged. “I had a good feeling about it. I loved your grandma’s personality when she called the show, plus you said she was your best friend, so I figured she had to be a decent person. And like I said, Grandpa Wayne loves women with lots of energy. It really was an easy match.”
Lori nodded. “You do seem to know a lot about people. Maybe that PhD of yours serves a purpose after all.”
“Hey, I wouldn’t have met you without that PhD because I wouldn’t be working in radio. It’s all connected. The stars aligned for me to meet you back in high school in my first psychology class, and everything connected perfectly until that kiss last night.”
Lori’s cheeks turned red. “Then it all fell apart.”
