Page 24 of Better Not Pout
“Oh, please, Rosalie, you know the whole town is talking about the two of you. Honestly, I’m a bit hurt that you didn’ttell me yourself and that I had to hear it from Marge down at the hair salon. You know how that woman is with her gossip. She couldn’t wait to talk to me about my granddaughter and her lovely new beau.” Her voice is now playfully scolding.
Busted.
I groan and drop my head back against the candy-striped wall behind me. “Ugh. Of course they do. Marge is the equivalent of Gossip Girl, but the small-town version. If she knew how to work a cell phone or the internet, we’d all be screwed, Grams.”
When she walks past me toward the kitchen, a knowing look on her face, I follow behind her.
“Plus, it’s… new,” I say in defense. “We’re still getting to know each other. And you know we wanted to be able to do that without the pressure from every single person in Mistletoe Falls.”
We pass through the kitchen entryway, and Gramps is at the counter, prepping for a new batch of truffles. He looks up at us, that silly little striped hat on his head that he insists on wearing making him look like the most adorable candy maker in the world.
“What did I miss?”
I tamp down another groan as I slide onto the barstool beside him at the very same moment that Grams says, “We were just discussing Rosalie and Wells dating. They’re the talk of the town, honey. Maybe our girl finally has a beau worthy of her.”
He looks up from the chocolate with a wide, pleased smile. One that causes my chest to have a sudden pain, and for the first time, I feel truly guilty for this thing with Wells.
“It’snotserious, Gramps. Please, do not look so excited. We’re still in the very early stage of our relationship, and who knows what could happen. This could be very short-lived.”
It will be very short-lived, but I keep that little piece of information to myself.
“Or it could be a great, beautiful love. The best one you’ve ever known, sweet pea. Give it a chance,” he adds with a wink before turning his attention back to the chocolate he’s setting in the mold. “Plus, I quite like him if you’re asking me. He’s a good man.”
Great. Even Gramps is in the Wells McCoy fan club.
Although I’m also its newest member. Mostly because I’m unbearably attracted to this man. I would not mind in the least if he tied me up with a strand of Christmas lights and had his delicious way with me.
Therein lies the problem.
“Um… well, thank you, Gramps. It is important to me that whoever I date is someone that you and Grams love too,” I say softly. “You’re the most important people in my life. Always.”
Grams steps in beside the barstool and wipes her hands on her apron before sliding her arm around me. “And you are the light of our lives, Rosalie. You know that Gramps and I just want you to be happy. No matter who that happiness is with.”
I nod, smiling. “I know.”
“It doesn’t hurt that he sure is easy to look at,” she adds cheekily, mischievous amusement sparkling in her eyes. “Oh, you should see all of the ladies from Pokeno. They can’t seem to get enough of that man. I swear, he’s the only thing they talk about anymore.”
I resist the urge to roll my eyes. “Well, that’s because he’s probably the most exciting thing to happen here in the last five years.”
She nods. “That’s true. The last time I heard the girls this excited was when they started doing bingo on Saturday nights down at the community center. You know…” She trails off, walking over to Gramps and reaching for one of the chocolate nutcrackers that have cooled, and picks it up. “You should go onover to Well + Good and bring your beau some sweets to get him through the day. What do you think, Percy?”
Gramps nods enthusiastically. “You know what they say, the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”
“Yeah, and it’s the least you could do since he brought you your favorite coffee from Frosty’s this morning,” Grams adds.
My eyes widen.
How in the heck did she evenknowabout that?
“Now, go on. Bring your man a box of these sweet treats. Your Gramps and I can handle things here until you get back.” She thrusts a Sweet Sullivan’s box toward me that’s now full of a variety of our signature candies.
“Wait, you mean like right now? As in this very second?” I say incredulously. “It’s the middle of the workday. Surely he’s busy right now, Grams. Doing important… bar owner stuff.”
She pops a brow at me. “Well, you never know until you try. Go on. Outta here.”
Begrudgingly, I take the box from her with an exasperated sigh. Another day of being bullied by my matchmaking grandparents.
Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah.
