Page 61 of Putting Out
Kenny patted her on the top of her head as he walked by. “It will be fine. You’ll see. You can do this.”
* * *
Reilly watchedhim go and wasn’t amazed to see he’d already lifted himself out of whatever dark mood had been plaguing him. Kenny wasn’t a brooder. Much like her, he chose to act instead of thinking and worrying. Clearly, whatever Erica had said to him had struck a nerve. Either that or the folded-up card hanging out of his back pocket had something to do with it.
She’s gone.
It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out who he was talking about. For a brief second Reilly considered visiting Tessa to gage her mood. Like magnets, all they had to do was be near each other and they snapped together. But Kenny always managed to pry himself loose. If this time, Tessa had given him a dose of his own medicine, then Reilly should be happy for her.
If only it hadn’t made her brother so sad.
*
Over the next hour the truck was filled with everything Odie and Pierce had brought with them.
“We’re hitting the road now,” Odie proclaimed. “We should be there by Wednesday morning at the latest.”
“You need to keep up the workout schedule, Reilly.” Pierce patted his very flat, very hard abs under his shirt. “Focus on the core.”
“I will.” And she almost wasn’t lying when she said it.
“Drive safe,” Grams encouraged them from her seat in the living room.
“Yeah and good luck,” Pop added.
They left and Luke walked over to kiss Grams on the cheek. “Feel better.”
“Oh, aren’t you sweet. You don’t worry. I’ll be fit as a fiddle in no time. Seamus already fixed the walker.”
Kenny followed suit with his own kiss on the other cheek. “You do remember that I’m the favorite, right? No matter how nice Luke is.”
“Yes, dear. My favorite grandson.” Her eyes twinkled when she said it and Kenny had to bite back a laugh.
Reilly knelt down in front of her Grams and sighed. She’d been so happy to be home but she hated what it had cost her grandmother. Even after a nap there were still dark circles under the translucent skin around her eyes.
“It will be better without the commotion.”
“I’m made of sterner stuff that a little commotion can't keep me down. For heaven’s sake, it was a minor bump of a car. It might not have even been a reporter, but Arnie Crowley’s son Joe. He’s learning how to drive and might have gotten scared when he realized what he’d done.”
Grams. Always the optimist.
“Maybe it was. But I don’t want to take any chances of any more reporters stepping out of line. You and Pop can go back to your routine.”
“I have to say at this age there is comfort in the routine. As long as it gets shaken up every once in a while. You’ll be in good hands with Luke. Of that, I’m certain. He’s a very nice boy.”
“If you say so. I’ll call when the time gets closer and work out a way for you and Pop to be there.”
“Yes.”
Reilly began to pull away, but Grams reached for her hands. Her hold wasn’t strong, but it froze Reilly in mid-crouch. “Don’t you forget, sometimes it’s not always about the strength in your arms or in your legs or even in your head. Sometimes it’s the strength in your heart that matters. You have a very strong heart.”
“That’s sweet, Grams.”
“I know. I heard it last night on a re-run of Friday Night Lights and it made me think of you. Now you go down there to Georgia and kick some butt, dear.”
Reilly didn’t know what she was more shocked by: her grandmother stealing homespun advice from a TV show or her using the word “butt.”
“I’ll give it my best shot.” Reilly finally stood and turned to find her grandfather waiting for her with open arms.
