Page 62 of Pictures in Blue
Tom bangs his gavel on the podium for good measure as some people start to trickle outside after they grab their drinks. That has got to be the fifth gavel he’s gone through in the last few months. He either breaks them from being a little too enthusiastic or someone (usually Fran or Cordie) steals it. I still have no idea what they do with them. Burn them? Bury them? Who knows. There’s probably a graveyard of gavels right under Cordie’s freshly planted tomatoes.Here lie the gavels rescued from Tom’s heavy hand. Safe and at peace.
Those two are like teenagers always ready to influence the other to do something most people would deem stupid. Like sneaking out in the middle of the night to meet friends in a random parking lot to buy beer. Or into Tom’s study—or wherever he keeps his gavel—to steal it. I’m surprised he doesn’t sleep with it under his pillow or lock it behind a glass display case, the key hidden safely in his nightstand. Knowing Fran and Cordie, they’d still find a way to get to it. They’d somehow manage to make a copy of the key or steal his hearing aids so they can sneak into his room undetected.
Always up to something.
Speaking of, I walk toward them and look down at their small frames. “Don’t think I don’t know what you two are doing.” I point between them.
They both place their hands on their chests like they’re in grade school about to recite the pledge of allegiance. In this case, they’re trying to pledge their innocence and unfortunately for them, I know better.
“Us?” says Cordie.
“We aren’t up to anything other than trying to find poor Avery somewhere to stay,” adds Fran.
“We’re just lucky you happen to have room for her and are so graciously willing to welcome her into your home.” Cordie bats her eyelashes like a cartoon character begging to get what they want or flirting their way out of the situation they landed themselves in. Definitely the latter. Always the latter with these two. They flirt with everybody. The town always says it’s just their grandmotherly charm, but I've never bought it. They know what they’re doing and so do I. No matter how charming they can be and no matter how much I love them, the eyelashes aren’t going to phase me.
I roll my eyes. “You’re lucky I love you both.” I shift my gaze to Fran. “You owe me at least three weeks of free coffee and scones as a thank you.Andsome lemon bars.”
“Lemon bars, you say?” She sees right through me.
“Oh dear boy,” she sighs and pats my cheek in a soft, grandmotherly gesture. “I have a feeling it’s you who is going to be thanking me.”
She winks again and heads to the bar arm in arm with Cordie. Thick as thieves. They immediately put their heads together and start whispering, throwing the occasional glance Tom’s way.
I look back at Ethan who walked up behind me. “At least warn a comrade next time there’s an ambush.”
“And get on Granny’s bad side?” He points his thumb behind him at the bar where Fran and Cordie are now scribbling notes on a napkin. “No chance.”
Smart kid.
I put my arm around him and have him in a headlock before he can reach me. “Alright, just for that, we are having liver and spinach for dinner.”
He struggles to get out of my grasp, but I’m not letting him off that easy. “No way, Uncle Hud. We’ll both starve if that’s what’s for dinner.”
He’s right. Liver and spinach don’t sound appetizing and even if I did want to get back at him, I’m not going to make myself suffer along with him. He finally manages to free himself.
“Let’s do pancakes and bacon.”
I have to give the kid credit. He knows my weakness. I never say no to breakfast for dinner. “You’re too smart for your own good.”
“How do you think I always find your flag before you find mine?” He says without missing a beat.
With a grunt, I lift him in a fireman’s carry and start to head for the doors. Elias and Ethan usually don’t stick around for the after party, so I don’t plan to either. He starts to squirm and can’t help but laugh. I let out a chuckle and start to tickle him, making him flail even more.
“You better stop moving so much or I’m going to drop you!” I warn him, continuing my attack.
“Uncle Hud…stop it!” he says between giggles.
“No chance. This is payback for your little scheming in there.”
He continues to struggle and laugh until we round the corner to head to the parking lot and bump straight into someone. I manage to catch Ethan before he faceplants on the sidewalk and I look up. I’m met with familiar blue eyes and a look of exasperation spread on my new roommate’s face.
CHAPTER TWENTY
AVERY
“Oh my gosh, I am so sorry!” I say as I bend down to pick up my phone, Charlotte’s voice echoing from the ground. When I stand, Ethan is grinning ear to ear and Hudson is staring, unblinking at me.
“I wasn’t paying attention.” I hold my phone up to show Charlotte on FaceTime. Again. For someone who shoved me out the door, figuratively and literally, to go on this trip, she’s having a hard time letting me actually do the trip. Don’t get me wrong, I love her to death and enjoy our conversations, but she’s going to get cut off if she continues to call me at 5 a.m.—something she’s done several times since I got here.
