Page 79 of Kiss Me Now
“Hey, Grace, would you want to get dinner some time? Miss Lily is my best friend in town right now, and I adore her, but she’s kind of done for the day at 7:00 PM. Could be fun to have someone to grab a movie or dinner with.”
She took a second to reply, and I rushed into the pause. “Sorry, is it weird that I asked? It probably is. I used to be good at socializing, but maybe I’ve forgotten how.”
Grace shook her head and smiled. “No, it’s not weird. I think I might be the one who’s acting weird. I just...” She paused again. “I’ve kind of made a point of not getting too tangled up with people around here since I’ve been back the last couple of years. I don’t plan to stay long term, and it seemed easier that way. But I think I’d love to grab dinner some time.”
“Okay, cool. Thanks for not thinking I’m weird.”
“Yeah, sure,” she said. “Thanks for asking. The first part of your order should be in by Tuesday. The store closes at 6:00. What if you came by then to pick it up and then we’ll grab something to eat?”
“Great. See you then.” I waved and left, satisfied that both the garden and a new friendship was on their way to existence.
At home, Miss Lily was waiting for me in the garden like she’d known exactly when I would show up. She wore her gardening clogs and had her tote on the ground beside her. “Afternoon, Brooke. How was school?”
“Fine. I found a spot and got permission to put in the garden. Even started ordering supplies from Grace. I knew exactly what I needed thanks to your tutoring out here.”
“Good. Tell me what you’re going to plant.”
I knelt to weed the squash and went through my plans with her, talking about all the lessons I would be able to teach about each point of the process. “I honestly don’t know how anyone teaches biology withouthavinga garden,” I concluded.
“Hands on is always best. Makes it real for them while their brains are still trying to develop their abstract thinking skills. But enough about work. How goes life otherwise?”
Something about the way she asked it put me on guard. She was trying too hard to sound casual.
“It’s good.” I left it at that, waiting to see which way she would dig.
“Had a good visit with your parents?”
“Yes. They’re busy as ever. My mom still thinks Creekville is a phase.”
“You came home sooner than I expected. Didn’t think I’d see your car until Sunday night.”
I concentrated on pulling out an especially stubborn weed. It came loose but tried to take a bunch of soil with it. I smashed the clod and shook it back to its garden furrow, tossing aside the weed without remorse. “Let me guess; you talked to Ian.”
“He did mention that he saw you this weekend, yes.” She peered over the edge of her sunglasses. “I found it interesting that you didn’t mention seeing him.”
I didn’t know what to say here. It wasn’t like I was going to trash Ian to his own grandmother. “It was just in passing. Met up for lunch.”
“And how did it go?”
“Fine. Good sandwiches.”
“Brooke Spencer, that is not what I’m talking about, and you know it. Don’t play clueless. It’s unbecoming.”
I sighed. “What did Ian say about it?”
“Not much. Mentioned that he’d seen you and asked if you were all right. Wouldn’t tell me why he was asking. So. Are you all right?”
“Miss Lily, I adore you, and I know you’d love to see Ian and I get together, but it’s not going to happen. We’re not a good fit.”
“Nonsense,” she said, her voice calm as ever. “Eight decades buys you a lot of wisdom, and I haven’t been wrong about a match in twenty years. If I say a couple doesn’t have what it takes to make it, I’m right, and when I think two people are meant for each other, I’m also right. That’s not bragging,” she added, waving a gloved hand in my direction like she was preempting any argument. “It’s fact. I have never once had an instinct about a couple and gotten it wrong either way.”
“There’s always a first time,” I mumbled.
“Did you just sass me?” Her eyes narrowed. “Say it outright or don’t say it at all.”
“Fine,” I said, pulling off my gloves and tossing them in my garden tote. “I admit this is the first time I’ve ever known you to be wrong about anything, but you are dead wrong about me and Ian. There’s not a worse mismatch that I can think of. I think you missed having him come around so much that you talked yourself into believing that he and I were a good fit.”
I scrambled to my feet, not daring to look at her in case I’d offended her. But she was quiet for so long that I finally snuck a glance. Instead of a frown, she was grinning as she went back to pulling weeds like nothing had happened.
