Page 75 of Out on a Limb
“Do you know what she always talked about?”
I shook my head even though I had a good guess.
“You.” He smiled a little. “About how well you did in school. About how well you ran the gift shop. About how smart you were. How kind and caring.”
I couldn’t pretend I wasn’t crying now. The tears were hot and fast as they slid down my cheeks. “I learned it all from her.”
“I’d believe that.” Andrew smiled a little more. “She was a badass.”
I laughed. “She was.”
Andrew suddenly got very serious. “And so are you.”
I sucked in a deep breath through my nose, trying to stop it from running. “I don’t feel like one.”
“I just watched you chuck a rock at a thermostat.” His smile was back, and this time it was laced with a little pride. “If that’s not badass then I don’t know what is.”
I snorted out a laugh, accidentally shooting a spray of spit and snot on his shirt.
Then I started to cry again. “Gross.”
Andrew lifted one shoulder. “A little snot never hurt anyone.”
I started to hiccup as my sobs and laughs got stuck together. “How did you get so smart?”
“I spent a lot of time with a smart lady.”
“Me too, but I’m not so sure she wore off on me the same way.” I picked up the hem of my shirt that was Andrew’s and wiped at my eyes.
“Bullshit.” Andrew reached out to swipe across my cheek, wiping away a streak of tear I missed. “And it’s time to get out there and show everyone whose granddaughter you are.”
I fought in a shaky breath. “You’re good at pep talks.”
“I’m good at a lot of things.” Andrew smirked. “Maybe I’ll show you some of them later.”
“Not now?”
He shook his head. “Not now.”
“Ugh.” I slumped down. “Fine.” I pushed past him and pulled open the door, stepping out into the building where I’d spent almost a decade of my life, expecting to see my granddad rushing around like he owned the place
Technically he did.
But there was no sign of him.
“Is he gone already?” I shouldn’t be shocked.
But I was.
“He’s probably back in the offices where it’s cooler.” Andrew stuck with me as I went out the door and headed for the offices we might have disorganized a little more before calling the police this morning. Sure enough, my granddad was there, digging through the mess.
“Where in the hell is it?” He yanked at the drawers in his desk, slamming one shut before moving on to the next one.
“Where in the hell is what?”
He jumped, eyes bugging out as he looked my way. “Nothing.”
“It doesn’t look like nothing.” I stepped into his office. “Looks like you’re missing something important.”
