Page 26 of The Summer Show
“Yes, m’am.”
He grinned at me and grabbed his lunchbox and water bottle. Then, with a kiss on Ana’s forehead, he vanished out the front door. A moment later, the roar of his motorcycle broke the noisy silence.
“You’re not going with him?”
“Yiayia and Proyiayia talked me into taking them for haircuts. Never mind that they could just walk to the stylist’s house by themselves, they need me to come along with them.”
“Why?” The two older women didn’t strike me as shy. They were the opposite of that, always ready to announce their thoughts and opinions to anyone who would stand still long enough.
“They said they want me to help explain what they want, but that’s a big lie. The stylist has a newborn baby and they want me to hold the baby while she cuts their hair. They think it’ll give me baby fever.”
“Will it?”
Ana snorted. “No. I’ve got an IUD and it’s not coming out until next year. I don’t mind going. Varvara, the stylist’s daughter, is one of our summer school kids. She’s the best student in the class. Remember when I was worried Thanos was seeing someone else? That was the mom. But he wasn’t, of course. Are you going to meet the casting director today?” She waggled her eyebrows suggestively.
“Yes, but only because I’m curious.”
“I will happily accept any gossip about the show that you happen to stumble across while you’re at Hotel Ble. Could you please check on my brother while you’re there—if he’s staying there. I want to make sure he’s okay.”
“He looked fine last night.”
“That was last night. Anything could have happened between now and then.”
“Are you trying to matchmake?”
She touched a hand to her chest. “Who, me? No. Maybe a little bit.”
“He’s your brother. I don’t do best friends’ brothers.”
“I don’t mind.”
“I do.”
“He could use a good woman, and you’re the best.”
“I’m pretty great,” I said, “but your brother seems like he’s got problems he needs to work on alone before he can be with anyone.”
“The part of my brain that isn’t Greek knows you’re right. But please check on him anyway?”
“Only if you promise to quit matchmaking.”
She held up her hand. “Scout’s honor.”
“Not good enough. Swear on your class.”
She raised her other hand. “I swear on my students’ lives that I won’t try to matchmake you with Nick.”
“Or anyone else unless it’s Jason Momoa—and no Jason Momoa if you ordered him from Wish, either.”
“There goes the loophole I was going to exploit.”
“Happily coupled people are so annoying.”
“But you can’t wait to be one of them, right? Right?”
I raised my naughty finger at her and walked backwards to the bathroom.
“Miss Hart, I am shocked! Shocked, I tell you! Think of the children!”