Page 24 of No Dirty Secrets

“You poor thing. No wonder Cole brought you to me.” She shoots her grandson a glare over my head, not hiding a thing.

“He’s just smart enough to do the right thing when he needs to. But he’s just as cocky as Emmett was at his age.” She sniffs lightly. “Everything is going to be okay, Casper. You’ll see.”

Her gray hair is a disguise, which is made clear by her tight grip during the hug. When she lets go, though, I find myself wishing that she was still holding me in her arms. Until that moment, I hadn’t realized how badly I need someone to hug me and to make everything better.

She deals the next hand of cards, and we start another round of cribbage while we wait for the men to finish their conversation. Mimi is good, but I don’t expect anything less. I grew up with cribbage, though. Counting to fifteen, thirty-one, and learning every possibility of how to play the cards is in my blood.

“You’re smarter than Cole,” Mimi muses when I’ve skunked her. “Don’t fall for that smile and those green eyes. He’s always been able to smile his way out of anything.”

“Hey,” Cole interjects. He can’t say anything else, though, because Laurence wakes up with a vicious scream.

“BAD DREAM!”

Sori falls off the couch, her eyes wide open.

“I’m up. I’m up.”

Laurence buries his teary eyes in her shoulder. “Bad dream… Mama.”

Sori runs her hands up and down his back, taking away the little boy’s worries.

“That’s our cue to go.” Emmett helps his wife and child up. “We’ll see you next week, Mimi.”

He waves absently to Cole, and they are gone a few moments later, with Cole helping them carry Laurence’s bag.

“I want that for him.” Mimi coughs suddenly. “Before I get too old to see it happen. I want him to have that love.”

Shifting uncomfortably in my seat, I don’t know what to say. Thankfully, I don’t have to.

“I’d rather be overseas than deal with a crying child.” Cole bursts back into the room with a flourish. “That kid is not happy.”

Mimi snorts. “Obviously, you and your brothers made your choices for a reason, even if I don’t agree. But Laurence is perfect, so don’t compare him to being in the military and going overseas.” She looks over at me with a small smile. “I told them not to join, but all three of them were hardheaded. Impossible men,” she huffs. “Just like their father and grandfather were.”

Cole shrugs, offering a smile that makes his green eyes sparkle. “You love us.”

“Some days.” Mimi puts the deck of cards down. “But you have to go now. I’m tired, and you’re making me miss my shows.”

“You have a DVR.” Cole pointedly stares at Mimi’s 72-inch screen and the jumble of electronics that sit underneath it. “There’s nothing you’re missing.”

Mimi waves a hand dismissively through the air. “Take the hint, Cole. Then you can take this pretty girl to go get some ice cream or for a walk in Central Park. Anything to get you out of my hair.”

I watch as Cole continues to needle his grandmother and can’t help missing home. My family is a lot like his. But without the millions of dollars of disposable income, apparently.

“It’s late, Mimi. If we go out now, something bad could happen.”

It is Mimi’s turn to give him shit. When she opens her mouth, I have to force myself not to laugh.

“You’re a Marine, Cole,” she mocks him again. “If you can’t protect her in the middle of the night, then you might have gone into the wrong profession. Now, shoo.”

Just like that, she dismisses us both. Well, Cole… She dismisses Cole. Me, she turns to with a smile and a hug. Cole harrumphs and leaves the room with a fake pout, which only makes Mimi laugh more.

“Take my phone number from Cole. If you need anything while you’re in town, you give me a call. Even if it’s just a friendly face. I’ve lost far more than I should have in my life. But I’m old and used to it now. No one as young as you should have to go through it… Not alone.”

“Thank you,” I tell her with a watery smile.

Mimi dismisses it, reaching out and squeezing my hand gently. “When you find a way to get rid of those shadows behind your eyes, you’re going to see what’s right in front of your face.”

Cole comes back, a smile on his lips and a Tupperware container full of leftovers. One glance and I realize what Mimi is hinting at.

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