Chapter 21
Note to self:
If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.
“This is good stuff,” Mack said, a spoonful of clam chowder halfway to his mouth.
Yes. Clam chowder. From an Elvis-themed café in a tiny, nameless town in Colorado where the closest ocean was a thousand miles away. Mack might be the bravest man I knew.
After a couple more hours of driving, we decided to stop for dinner and to find a hotel nearby. If those existed in this place. This day had seemed impossibly long, and Theo had been driving for hours without a real break.
I set my crossed arms on the table and tried to ignore how Theo’s brushed up against mine. Mack had insisted we sit next to each other. I couldn’t tell if he was a conniving, interfering old man, or legitimately confused about our relationship status.
Theo reached up to get his glass, his arm sliding against mine. Every time his arm gently bumped mine or the faint scent of citrus and soap assaulted me if I leaned even an inch closer, I got a little more antsy. I started to work up a fantasy where he turned and pulled me onto his lap and then right in the middle of this café and in front of my grandpa, he kissed me and…
I shook my head before I let my mind travel too far. He has to sit this close, Ramos. Stop making up stories.
“Glad I got to ride with you two.” Mack smirked. “Even if you only have eyes for each other.”
“Lay off, old man.”
He ignored me. “I love Stephanie but, whoa boy, can she smother a person. Last time I saw her, we went out to dinner, and she tried to cut my steak for me. Into little, tiny pieces so I wouldn’t choke. Can you imagine? I’m the one who taught her how to cut up a steak.”
“She means well.” Theo stole a tater tot from my plate.
Mack wagged his spoon at us, mindless of the tiny droplets of clam chowder that splattered on the table. “She does. But I’m nervous to tell her about my plan.”
“Knock it off.” I slapped Theo’s hand as he tried to liberate another tot.
“They taste better when they’re from your plate,” he said.
“That is not true.”
“It is.”
“What’s this plan?” I asked Mack, and in the split second my attention was diverted, Theo grabbed yet another tater tot.
I glared at him and moved my plate as far away as I could.
“I’m going to start dating.” Mack shoved another spoonful in his mouth.
“Oh.” I sat back, surprised. “I mean, I guess it’s been a little over a year since…you know.”
Mack pushed his bowl to the side. “Since Gracie died.”
I flinched at his bluntness. “Yeah, since Grandma died.”
“I loved your grandmother with my whole heart, I’ll always love her, but,” he put a hand on my arm, “I’m lonely. Real lonely. I talk to plants. I adopted possibly the ugliest dog in the world and sometimes I put clothes on her.”
Karen’s head popped up from where she was tucked in between Mack and the wall. It had been too hot to leave her in the car and Mack had wielded his charm enough that the restaurant staff looked the other way.
Mack patted her head. “You are the prettiest little puppy.”
“You lie to your dog?” Theo asked.
“I told you, she’s delicate.”
Karen caught sight of me and bared her teeth.
“Yeah, delicate,” I muttered. “How does this plan work exactly?”
“First, a makeover.” He spread his arms out to showcase his outfit.
“That explains the hat.”
He frowned. “The woman at JCPenney said it made me look dashing.”
“Absolutely. I like it.”
“Second, my counselor says I need to be open to new experiences.”
“You’re seeing a counselor?”
“Don’t act so surprised. She’s been helping me get all my feelings sorted. It’s not so bad. You should try it,” he said sagely.
“For what?”
“Think of it like taking your vitamins. You take your vitamins every day to keep your body healthy. You take your therapy to keep your mind healthy.”
“I… wow.”
“I’ve been reading a lot of self-help books.” He nodded matter-of-factly. “And I enrolled in a Zumba class at the Y.”
“Zumba?”
“Good exercise. Lots of women.” He winked. “Joined some online dating websites, too.”
My mouth dropped open. “You’ve refused to get an email address for years.”
“Well, I have one now.”
“Are you on a lot of these sites?”
“Keenage Dreams and Senior Friends with Benefits are my big ones.”
Theo covered his mouth to muffle his laughter. I nudged him with my elbow.
“Senior Friends with Benefits?”
“I’ve met some very nice women. Younger women.” He waggled his eyebrows.
“Younger?”
“Sure. One I’m talking to right now is only sixty-two.” He pulled out his phone. “Let me show you a picture.”
“That’s okay,” I said hastily.
“The point is that I’m ready to get out there. I’m tired of hiding away. I don’t think Gracie would want that for me.”
He was right. Grandma wouldn’t want him to lock himself away. But still, I guess I couldn’t keep the sad look from my eyes.
Mack squeezed my arm. “She is always in my heart. Always. I’m not replacing her.”
I nodded. “I get it. I…this will be good for you. Mom will come around eventually.” After she takes to her bed for three days and then figures out how to stalk Mack online.
“I knew you’d see it my way.” Mack pushed his empty bowl to the side and picked up the check. “And to thank you, dinner is on me.”
“I’ll leave the tip.” Theo pulled out his wallet. I reached over his shoulder and snagged a twenty-dollar bill.
“Hey, that’s mine.”
“I know, but it feels better to spend your money.” With a wink, I folded the bill and tucked it in my bra.
Mack laughed. “When did you two say your wedding was?”
“No wedding. Not a couple,” I said. Again.
Mack smiled widely. “Sure thing, Ali-Cat. Sure thing.”