Page 17 of The Woman in the Hollow
Which was why we were not only going to be at the garden center, but we were each bringing in a few of our most trusted soldiers to act as security just in case.
“Hey, Dante, I saved her,” Valley said, leading Hazel back into the hallway. “Mom was asking her inappropriate questions about dating.”
“Really, it’s fine,” Hazel insisted. “She’s very… interested in everyone being happy.”
“And popping out babies,” Valley said.
“Have you guys ever considered that she hyper-fixates on your dating life because she’s lonely?” Hazel asked.
There was a full beat of silence after her words, making her eyes go round.
“I’m sorry. Was that inappropriate? I just got the feeling she’s been alone for a long time.”
“Most of our lives,” August said.
“It wasn’t inappropriate,” I assured her.
“We’re just kind of shocked we never thought of it,” Valley said. “Now I kind of feel bad for any time I had other plans and couldn’t go out with her.”
“Kind of explains why she wants to spend every spare moment with the kids,” Savannah said.
“Has she ever even dated?” Traveler asked.
“I mean not that she’s told any of us,” Valley said.
“Can you imagine being single for, what, twenty years?” Savannah asked, her eyes going sad. “No one to talk to after a hard day. No one to eat dinner with. To celebrate with. To give her flowers.”
“We give her flowers,” August said.
“Yeah,” Valley said, nodding. “But it’s different.”
“Do we know any men of a certain age she might be interested in?” Savannah asked.
“Should we really be doing to her what she’s done to us?” August asked.
“Doing what to whom?” Nino asked, joining the group.
Hazel eased closer to me, giving me a wince. “I didn’t mean to create a whole thing,” she said.
“Don’t worry about it,” I said, pressing a hand to the small of her back as the crowd started discussing all the older men they knew. “Can I get you a drink?”
“Sure. Your mother said you brought wine.”
“She made me,” I admitted, getting a little laugh out of her.
“This whole family seems to revolve around her.”
“It does.”
“She must be pretty incredible.”
“She is.”
“So, are you going to play matchmaker for her too?”
“Luckily, I don’t know any single men her age, so I can sit this one out.”
“Maybe she’d like a younger man. Maybe someone you know from the gym.”
