Page 84 of Recipe for Rivals
I giggled like a child all the way down the hall and outside to my truck, imagining Grandpa standing in the entrance to the dining room, his pants around his ankles and his hands on his walker. Those women with the front row seats were teasers after my own heart. Of course my grandpa didn’t mind the jokes. The man had lived withmefor years.
Tossing Chewbacca on the passenger seat, I reversed out of my driveway. “Come on, Chewie, let’s go get Pants a belt.”
When I reachedPleasant Gardens that afternoon, Grandpa didn’t seem the least concerned with his new infamy. I stood in the doorway to his bedroom and held up a belt, grinning. “Hey there, Pants.”
“Not you, too,” he grumbled, his bushy eyebrows drawing together. “I tell you, the women in this place need better entertainment.”
“You seem to be providing plenty.” I closed the door behind me, dropped the belt on the edge of his bed, and took the second armchair that faced the TV, playing the sports channel. “Hey, what do you think about getting out of here this weekend?”
He didn’t tear his frown from the TV. “Do I have a dentist appointment?”
“No. Arcadia Creek is putting on the Battle of the Badges, and we’re having burgers and a flag football game.” I had told him about it a few times, and every time I mentioned it, he wanted to go. He would forget by the next time I visited. “Thought you might enjoy seeing some old friends.”
Grandpa eyed me. “Will they let me leave this place?”
“Yes. I checked with the front desk.” That was weeks ago, but I didn’t see why the answer would be different now. “What do you say?”
He looked at the belt I’d put on his bed, then back to the football reruns being analyzed on screen. “Sure.”
“Great.” I stared at the screen too, but my vision wasn’t clear enough to recognize what I was seeing. Nerves shimmied through me. I drew in a steadying breath and tried to sound nonchalant. “There’s someone I want you to meet.”
Grandpa picked up the remote and hit the power button. He immediately turned in his leather chair to face me. “Who is she? The Gable girl?”
Sheesh. Why dideveryoneconnect me to Gracie Mae? “No, not her. It’s someone new. Gigi’s niece, actually. She just moved here from New York City.” I swallowed. “Brought two little kids with her. I coach one of them.”
Great. I was rambling and he was seeing through me.
Grandpa looked at me through clear, narrowed eyes. “She must be special.”
“She is.” This conversation was so uncomfortable. Maybe because we both knew I wouldn’t tell him about a woman unless I cared a lot for her. I had never brought anyone home before, not since high school—even then, I’d never had a steady girlfriend.
“You said she’s Gigi’s daughter?”
My stomach dropped. Gigi didn’t have kids. “No, her niece. We aren’t actually—things are very slow-moving. I’m not sure she’s even ready to date. But I like her, and I want you to meet her.” I wasn’t sure he’d remember her—or even this conversation—but getting his opinion mattered to me.
“I’d love to,” Grandpa said, a suspicious twinkle in his eyes.
“Just do your best not to embarrass me,” I teased. “Can’t have the woman running away before I get her to agree to a date.”
He turned the TV back on. “Then it’s a good thing you got me a belt, son.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
NOVA
If you had toldme last year I would become a football mom, I would have laughed. The sport was so outside of what my family was interested in. I didn’t know the first thing about the game myself, but I loved watching Ben snag a flag and search for me in the stands with triumph during his games and his practices. He was succeeding at something with a team of supportive friends at his back. It gave him a group to fit in with, something to put his focus on. Somewhere to belong.
The moment we reached the big park where the Battle of the Badges was being held, I loved that Ben noticed a group of boys from his football team and ran off to join them. He was fitting in. He seemed happy. Yes, he hadn’t wanted to talk to Carter the last time we’d gotten him on the phone, but aside from that, everything seemed good.
I would proudly be a football mom forever now because of what it had given to my son during this hard period in his life.
That, and a forever supporter of firemen. When Dusty stopped by the other day to give Ben his old Chewbacca, my son’s face had brightened like he’d been offered a trip to NASA.Dusty played it off like it wasn’t a big deal, but we both knew Ben felt differently. He took the Chewie toy everywhere he went now, but I’d asked him to leave it in the car when we’d arrived at the park.
Alice hopped around to the back of the SUV with me, clutching Peaches under her arm.
“Do you want me to help you find Kendall?” I asked. “Her mom told me they would be here today.”
Alice looked unsure.