Page 19 of Nerdy or Nice
"In October?" I said. "But that's way past golfing season, at least here in Michigan."
"I know," Clint said. "That's what made it so scary."
From his spot beside me on the couch, Drake made a sound that might've been a laugh.
I turned to look just as Clint asked, "What's so funny?"
Now Drakedidlaugh. "It would take a lot more than a club to scareyou."
"Yeah, well, you didn't see the look in her eyes," Clint said. "I'm telling you, that lady's nuts."
I spoke up. "Hey, that's my aunt. And she'snotnuts. She's perfectly lovely."
Clint gave a slow nod. "Yeah, she's a real looker, I'll give herthat.But that doesn't make her any less crazy."
Next to me, Drake said, "Grandpa, come on."
Clint sighed before muttering, "Sorry."
With every passing moment, the whole nine-iron thing was making more sense. Before I could stop myself, I'd already asked, "Sorry for what? Calling her nuts or getting her cat pregnant?"
Clint gave a bark of laughter. "Hey,Ididn't get the cat pregnant. Tango did."
I almost rolled my eyes. "Obviously. But how did that happen?"
Clint's gaze shifted to his grandson. "What, she doesn't know?"
I sighed. "Of course I know how it happens. But how did they end up…you know, in the same room?"
"I'll tell you how," Clint said. "Celia and I are golfing, right? And she tells me she's going away for the weekend, but her regular cat-sitter canceled. And she says it all hinty-like, as ifI'msupposed to volunteer."
"To watch her cat?" I said. "So, did you?"
"Well…yeah," he said. "You should've seen her, your aunt, I mean. She's wearing that little red golf skirt – my favorite, by the way – along with this white blouse with those ruffles I like."
I squinted through my glasses. "Ruffles?"
"Yeah. Down the front, like a pirate. She lookedgood.Kind of made it hard to say no."
I shifted awkwardly on the sofa. Theseweren'tthe kind of details I'd been seeking. Trying to get the conversation back on-track, I pointed out the obvious. "But you just said that she didn't even ask."
"Yeah, herwordsdidn't ask, but the rest of her did."
"So you volunteered?"
"Hell yeah, I volunteered. I mean, how hard could it be? I've got a cat of my own, so…" He turned toward the back of his chair as if to look at Tango. But sometime within the last minute or so, the big orange cat had hopped off the back of the recliner and disappeared to who-knows-where. Clint looked back to me and said, "Anyway, I figured it'd be no big deal."
I was still trying to picture it. "So…did you pet-sithere?"
"No, atherplace, like she wanted. I scooped the litter and everything, did it three times a day, too." Clint paused. "Not the litter.ThatI only did once, but I still did it. The other times, it was just food and company."
Company, huh?"So, I'm guessing you brought Tango?"
"Noteverytime," he said. "But I figured he might like to visit. You know, check out a new place, maybe use a different box."
I gave Drake a self-conscious glance before asking, "So…on one of those visits, I'm guessing they, um…?"
"Got lucky?" Clint said. "Oh, yeah. I caught 'em going at it in the back hallway."
