Page 84 of The Wedding Planner's Manny
—”
“No, Grandma. Just... let me help you into the living room okay? I'll have some coffee ready for you in a minute.”
“Thank you, dear, and happy Easter! You'll be so glad to hear that I brought presents for all of you.
Where's the birthday boy?”
“The boys are out in the yard. I'll get them to come in after I got your coffee, okay?”
I tuned out of the conversation at this point. Nathan and Caleb had found the last egg and the four-year-old proudly presented his Easter basket full of eggs to me. “Look! We have all the eggs!”
“That's great!” I patted his head. “Well done!”
Caleb grinned and dashed into the house with the basket. “Look, Daddy!” I heard him yelling.
When Caleb was gone, my eyes fell on Nathan—on the cast on his arm, to be more exact. There was something new on there. For the most part, the cast was covered in his classmates' signatures, but now it also sported a drawing of a ninja turtle. Alargeand detailed drawing that must have taken quite a while.
“What's that?” I asked, pointing at it.
“Nothing,” he said so quickly his tongue nearly tripped over the word.
“That doesn't look like nothing. Did a friend draw that? It's really good.”
“Raphael is super talented.”
“Raphael?”
Nathan blushed and said no more.
Interesting.
“Told you you would find someone,” I said, reaching out to ruffle his hair.
“Whatever.” He ducked away from my hand and made his way back into the house. I stifled a laugh, watching him go. Whoever this Raphael kid was, I had a feeling I'd be hearing more of them in the future.
When I entered the living room, Nathan was unwrapping the present his great-grandma had brought him. “I made it myself,” she explained as Nathan tore the wrapping paper off his gift. For some reason, this made Ethan groan. I shot him a look, but he didn't offer an explanation for his displeasure.
“It's a scarf!” Nathan announced, holding up his present once he'd unpacked it. It was a nice scarf, with blue and white stripes. It looked warm.
“It's a little larger than the one I made for your little brother because you're a big alpha now, aren't you?” His great grandma explained proudly. Then she looked to Ethan. “Why are you making a face?
What did you think I was giving him?”
“A gift that was possibly not age-appropriate.”
“Oh, please.” Mrs. Rosewood made a dismissive gesture with her hand. “I save all my best ideas for the adults.” For some reason, she shot me a look as she said this, her eyes twinkling. Had she somehow changed her opinion of me between our last meeting and today? I would welcome that.
Indeed, the next time I left the room to grab a mug of coffee, she rolled into the kitchen after me in her wheelchair.
“Would you like to get your coffee refilled too?” I asked.
“No, I think I've had all the coffee I need for today, but I have something for you.” I noticed now that she had a small plastic bag in her lap, which she lifted with a saucy grin as I watched. “Just a little something to welcome you into the family,” she said. “Ethan told me how you saved my great grandson from freezing to death, so I wanted to make sure you keep warm too.”
Keep warm? Had she made me a scarf too? “You didn't have to. I only did what anyone would have done,” I said as I accepted the plastic bag she was offering me. Sticking a hand inside, my fingers brushed against something woolen. I pulled the object out. She'd knitted mesomething, but it wasn't a scarf.
In fact, I couldn't make outwhatit was, but it looked like some sort of undergarment. Hadn't she mentioned something like that during our first meeting? That she wanted to make us underwear? I couldn't believe she'd reallydoneit, though.
“You'll have to try it on. I'm not sure about the fit,” she said, smiling warmly, as if she hadn't just given me the weirdest present ever. “I'm sure you'll enjoy them, though. They come with egg warmers.”
