Chapter Thirteen
Thirteen
Hannah
“Are you sure you and Simon are just housemates?” Bebe asked as we stood in the food line.
“Yes, I’m sure,” I said. “I just met him a little over a week ago. Why?”
“He’s been watching you,” Bebe said. “Not in a creepy stalkery way but with a certain sense of…what’s the word I’m looking for?”
“Bemusement,” Stephanie Fisk, Davis’s mom, said. She was the supplier of the corn bread as well as several pies and cakes. Apparently, she owned a bakery in town called Beach Buns, a name that I thought was hilarious.
“Bemusement like he’s in shock that he has to share a house with me and Dude or like he thinks I’m cute?” I asked. I’d had two glasses of wine and was feeling a bit fearless.
“Cute,” Bebe said without hesitation.
“Definitely that one,” Stephanie agreed. She handed Bebe and me plates loaded with brisket, a square of corn bread, potato salad, and green beans, which I gratefully accepted.
Bebe led me to a picnic table in the shade.
I couldn’t help glancing over my shoulder at the group of men Simon was standing with as I took my seat to see if what Bebe said was true.
Sure enough, my gaze met Simon’s and he lifted his beer bottle to me in a silent toast. Hmm.
Having misplaced my glass, I raised my fork in return, which caused him to smile at me. It was a killer smile.
Bebe leaned against me and muttered, “Told you so.”
We had come to a truce about the state of the house, so I supposed Simon might be feeling friendlier toward me; whether it was attraction or not, I’d just have to wait and see.
Monica Fisk, our hostess, and Taylor Pomeroy, Zach’s wife, joined us while Stephanie remained at the food station, handing a heaping plate to anyone who walked by.
“No one goes hungry on my mother-in-law’s watch.” Monica tucked into her plate. “I love that woman.”
I took a bite of my potato salad. “I can see why.”
“I’m sorry but I have to fangirl.” Taylor wriggled on her seat. “I have been watching you and Dude online for years. I can’t believe Van Girl is here and Buttercup is parked on my street!”
Taylor looked to be in her late twenties. She was wearing a pink halter top and jean shorts. Her dark brown hair was styled in long curls that framed her face. She had a shy smile and a nervous habit of biting her nails.
“Thank you for watching.” I always thanked my viewers because without them I would have no income. “I appreciate it.”
“The episode where Dude brought you those stray kittens.” Taylor put her hand over her heart. “I cried buckets. He was so sweet with those little babies. And then when you found the mama and they were all adopted.” She fanned her face as if the tears would start again.
I felt my own heart do a little flip-flop at the thought of the three kittens.
“Their mama had been attacked by a coyote,” I explained to Bebe and Monica.
“Luckily, we found her and she was able to be healed by the local vet. We fostered the kittens until she could take them back and then we got lucky and a nice family adopted the whole litter and mama. Dude was heartbroken when we had to say good-bye.”
“And now I’m crying again.” Taylor sobbed into her paper napkin.
“Oh, that is precious,” Bebe said. “And it explains Dude’s love of Frank.” She gestured to the lawn and I turned to see Dude picking Frank up by the scruff of his neck and carrying him around the yard.
“Dude! Drop him!” I ordered. Dude turned to face me with his ears perked and his mouth full of Frank. “Dude.” I used my sternest voice and still he just stood there, holding Frank, who at least didn’t seem to mind the drool that covered his back. I turned to Bebe. “I am so sorry. I’ll go get him.”
I was halfway out of my seat when Simon approached Dude. “Now, Dude, is that how we play with our friends?” Dude swiveled his head in Simon’s direction. “Put him down, buddy.”
Much to my surprise, Dude slowly lowered Frank to the ground and gave Simon his I’m sorry head hang. Simon scratched his ears and told him it was okay. Why a man being nice to my dog made me want to swoon, I had no idea, but it definitely did. I sank back into my seat with a sigh.
“Is anyone else finding that ridiculously attractive?” Bebe asked. “I’m asking because I can’t tell anymore if it’s my hormones or not.”
“It is. It totally is.” Monica ran a hand through her dark chin-length hair. “There’s just something about a man being loving to kids or pets that gets me every time.”
“Same,” Taylor, Bebe, and I said together.
We watched as Frank nipped Dude’s toes and got him to chase him around the yard, much to the delight of the children.
“So, are you and Simon together?” Monica asked.
“No.” I shook my head.
“She says they’re just housemates,” Bebe said. “But I can see the sparks between you two all the way from my house.”
The others laughed and Taylor said, “It’s true. You do seem to have a connection.”
I shook my head. “We’re just thrown together by circumstance. Even if there are sparks, it would make sharing the house complicated, besides I don’t do relationships.”
“Why not?” Monica asked. “You’re both in your prime. Maybe you were destined to meet, like a cosmic match made by your grandfathers.”
“I’m divorced,” I said. “And given how badly that went, I don’t have any interest in a serious relationship ever again.”
“I’m so sorry, honey.” Bebe rubbed my back. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“Nah.” I shook my head. “Suffice it to say that when I failed to conceive during fertility treatments, my ex traded me in for what he called a newer model that wasn’t defective.”
“That bastard!” Bebe cursed while Monica and Taylor gasped.
“Yes.” I nodded. “Which is why there will be no situationship of any kind between me and Simon.”
A squeal of laughter sounded from the yard and we all turned to see one of Monica’s littles putting her pink sun hat on Dude’s head. Ever accommodating, he lifted his chin as if pleased with his new chapeau.
“Looks like everyone is going to sleep soundly tonight, the kids and the critters,” Stephanie said as she joined us.
“Hallelujah.” Monica turned to me. “I may borrow Dude to wear out my three when they need to get their wiggles out.”
“He’s always available,” I said.
The conversation moved to the food. I scored several recipes before it then shifted to warning me about the upcoming tourist season as the Outer Banks was about to get overrun.
Knowing I was supposed to be doing grandfather recon, I tried to steer the conversation in that direction. “I’m surprised Pops stayed here in the summer. He’s not a big fan of crowds.”
“I think that was the only time Billy and Bobby could stay,” Stephanie said. “I thought they’d make the move here permanent after they got married, but—”
“I’m sorry, what?” I asked.
“Billy and Bobby got married.” Stephanie studied my face. “You didn’t know?”
“No.” The brisket that had been so delicious now tasted like cardboard.
“Oh, dear.” Stephanie blanched. “I shouldn’t have said anything. Pretend I didn’t.”
“No, no, it’s fine,” I assured her. It wasn’t but I was determined to rally.
“It was a ceremony in name only,” Monica said. “It wasn’t legally binding. If you want to see what the day was like, there should be a wedding album somewhere in their house. It was my wedding gift to them, as I’m a photographer.”
“The album should be in the blanket chest in the guest bedroom,” Stephanie said.
“How do you know that?” I asked.
Stephanie grinned. “My husband, Mike, made the chest as a wedding gift for them, and Billy told me he put all of his wedding mementos in it. Mike’s hobby is woodworking. And, of course, I baked their cake.”
“Luke and I did nothing but attend,” Bebe said. “It was a beautiful wedding.”
“Same with me and Zach,” Taylor said. “I cried when they exchanged their vows but I cry at everything.”
She’d cried at my grandfather’s wedding. I wasn’t sure how to feel about that, other than it should have been me. I shoved the thought aside, not wanting to cause any distress to these new friends. Still, Bebe must have noticed I was upset as she put her hand on mine and leaned close.
“We would have told you about the wedding sooner, but it was clear the day we met you that you and Simon didn’t know Billy and Bobby were a couple,” she said. “Luke and I thought we could ease you into it.”
“And there I went, shooting my mouth off and dropping that news on you like a stink bomb.” Stephanie winced. “I’m so sorry, honey. Mike always says if you ask me the time, I’ll tell you how to build a watch.”
Her regret was so genuine, I forced a smile. “It’s all right. I’ll look for the album as soon as I get home.”
I glanced over at Simon, who had returned to his group of men. It took every drop of self-discipline I possessed not to run over there and tell him what I’d just learned. Pops and Gramps had been married! Holy banana balls!
I was tipsy on the walk home. I kicked off my sneakers and carried them in one hand, walking barefoot down the dirt road to the cottage. The hem of my skirt twirled as I spun around to face Simon while walking backward with Dude at my side.
“I really, really, really like the neighbors,” I gushed. “I got three recipes for potato salad and one for lemon meringue pie. Did you see the peaks on Stephanie’s pie? I’ve never seen anything that glorious.”
“Which one was Stephanie?” Simon’s forehead crinkled in thought.
“She’s Davis’s mom,” I said. “She owns a bakery in town called Beach Buns.”
He let out a surprised laugh. “Good name.”
I spun back around and fell into step beside him. As we approached the cottage, I leaned against him and whispered, “How did your mission go, O’Malley?”
“I believe I got some very interesting intel, Spencer, and you?”