Page 108 of Someone to Remember
“I’ll tell you what they want to help you with…”
His gorgeous eyes go wide. “No way.”
“Luke, are you serious? They want to be the ones to keep the poor widower’s bed warm.”Take an Imodium, Kinsley. Stat. You’re talking about hisbed, for crying out loud.
He gives me a curious glance. “Have the daddies hit on you?”
“Two of them, both married to women I know.”
“Come on.”
“True story, and at the holiday hullabaloo, no less.”
“What the hell is that?”
“It’s an event at school where the kids get to shop for their parents and other people on their list. I was working the bake sale table when one of them asked if I needed any help around the house, and he was talking aboutmyplumbing, not the house’s.”
“Stop it!” He roars with laughter. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“I wish I was.”
“What’d the other one say?”
“Apparently, he comes through my neighborhood around midday ‘on his route’ and could stop by if I need anything.”
“What route is he on?”
“I have no idea, and I don’t want to know.”
“Unbelievable.”
“Is it, though?”
“I guess not.”
“People hear about a lonely widow and see opportunity. They think we’re so desperate for any attention we can get that their stupid come-on lines will actually work. And the worst part is they always say something nice at first, like how much they enjoyed Rory and how sad they are that he’s gone.”
“Ruthless.” He shakes his head with dismay. Then his eyes go wide again. “Oh my God, I just remembered… One of the ones who called made sure to mention that she’d worked on a committee with Bella and thought the world of her. She was so sad to hear she’d passed.”
“She wassosad until she realized you’re now single and in need of what she has to offer.”
“Wow, I didn’t see that at the time.”
“Stick with us veterans. We’ll show you the ropes, although please know that sometimes they’re simply offering help and nothing else. It’s just that it can be hard to tell the difference.”
“I’m fine without the ropes.”
When he seems to realize there are a lot of ways that statement could be interpreted, he loses it laughing and takes me down with him.
“Metaphorically speaking,” he adds when the laughter passes.
“Too funny. I knew what you meant.”
“Just making sure, and for what it’s worth, I’ve seen a lot of the sincerity along with the weirdness.”
Our lunch is served, and he pushes the fries my way like the devil he is. We discover we both like them with ketchupandvinegar.
“Bella thought vinegar was disgusting.”
