19. Faith
CHAPTER 19
Faith
“Here come more potatoes.” Dante stopped, set the pan down on the buffet, and squinted across the room. “Faith?”
Reassured I wasn’t some turkey thief out to steal their meal, the seniors resumed eating and talking. A smiling older woman joined Dante, and they came toward me together.
“Faith, what the hell—” He looked at the older woman. “I mean, what in the world are you doing here?”
“You said they needed volunteers. I called and checked and told them I’d be happy to help.”
“We sure didn’t think you’d show up with this storm. Come on, sugar, you must be colder than a well digger’s belt buckle. Let’s get you some cocoa.” The woman took me by the arm and propelled me toward the electric fireplace plugged into the wall. “Here you go. Sit a spell and let your toes thaw out.”
Someone pressed a warm mug of cocoa into my hands as I sat down at a long table by the fake fire.
Dante had followed us and walked around to face me. “You should have told me you were coming.”
“Are you going to introduce me to your lady friend?” the older woman asked.
Before I had the chance to turn that phrase over in my head, Dante put a hand to his brow and shook his head.
“Faith, I’d like to introduce you to my grandmother, Dolores Bishop.”
My eyes widened in surprise. “Your grandmother?”
“The one and only.” Dante wrapped his arm around the older woman’s shoulders.
“I’m his Meemaw. Now tell me, how do you two know each other?”
My face flushed, and it didn’t have anything to do with the heat from the fire.
“We, uh, we work on campus together,” Dante said.
A smile crinkled the corners of Meemaw’s eyes, and she patted my arm. “Dinner’s about done now, sugar, but we’ll fix you a plate and get something warm in your stomach.”
“I’m sorry it took me so long to get here. You don’t need to feed me. I came to helpyou.”
“Don’t you worry. There will be plenty to do.” Meemaw touched Dante’s arm. “Now go fix Faith and yourself a plate of food before Bugsy Divots eats all the potatoes.” She put a hand up to her mouth and confided to me in a loud whisper, “He’s got a thing for my taters.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Dante said.
“Dante will take good care of you, sugar. I’ll be back in a flash, just need to go check on the next batch of rolls.” Meemaw patted me on the shoulder then took off toward the kitchen.
I smiled and watched Dante walk over to the long table laden with food. It wouldn’t kill me to spend an afternoon in the same building with him. It’s not like he was going to grab my ass or come onto me in front of the senior citizen brigade. Plus, his grandmother sure was a hoot.
He came back a few minutes later carrying two paper plates piled high with a traditional Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings.
“I wasn’t sure what you’d like.” He set an overflowing plate down in front of me.
“It all looks delicious.”
“Let me go grab silverware and some napkins. Do you want lemonade or iced tea?”
“Lemonade would be great, thanks.” I leaned back in my chair and watched him walk away again, taking a moment to enjoy the view. A minute later he was back.
“Thank you,” I said, as he handed me some plastic silverware and a napkin. He set my drink down next to me. “This looks wonderful.”
“Yeah, just don’t eat the Jell-O salad.”
“Why not?”
“Mrs. MacNamara makes it.” He scooted his chair in next to mine. “I think last year she put black beans in it instead of raisins. You just never know what she’s going to throw in there.”
“Thanks for the warning. Oh, and I really like your apron.”
Dante reached back and untied the strings, then whipped the apron over his head. “Meemaw’s a stickler for the rules. I’m surprised she didn’t make me wear a hairnet.”
“Now that I’d like to see.” I smiled at the thought of him with a blue net over his head. He’d probably still look hot.
As we tucked into our meal, I looked around. The space was comfortable enough. Bookshelves lined the cheery yellow walls, stacked with paperbacks, puzzles, and board games. A giant television sat up against one wall, and long tables filled in the center of the room.
“It’s like a rec room for seniors,” Dante said between bites of stuffing and mashed potatoes. “Meemaw’s been coming here for years. They have card clubs, sewing stuff, bingo. Keeps her out of trouble.” He glanced over at where Meemaw stood fidgeting with the food on the buffet.
I saw the love in his eyes. “She must be very special to you.”
“She is. She raised me, pretty much by herself.” He wiped the corner of his mouth with the paper napkin.
My eyes lingered on his lips. “So, you grew up around here, then?”
“Yep, about ten miles outside of town. I hated it at the time. Looking back, it was probably the best place for me.”
“What do you mean?”
Dante fiddled with his fork. “Let’s just say I went through a few years of soul searching. I caused Meemaw a lot of grief before I settled down.” His gaze met mine as he stuffed an entire roll into his mouth.
I swallowed a bite of stuffing, forcing it past the lump in my throat. Those eyes, I could literally drown in them when he focused all his attention on me.
What kind of trouble had he caused as a kid? I pictured him shirtless, straddling a giant motorcycle. I’d let it go for now. Besides, I’d been the one to make the rules, and learning more about each other wasn’t part of our agreement.
Meemaw finished messing with the buffet and walked toward us. “How is everything?”
“It’s delicious. I’m so sorry I wasn’t here to help with the cooking.”
“Pshaw, don’t you worry about it. I have a special job for you and Dante if you’re willing to help?”
“Of course.” It was the least I could do seeing as how I’d missed out on the entire meal prep process.
Dante smiled and shook his head, his mouth full of green bean casserole.
“Oh, you just stop that.” Meemaw playfully slapped his arm.
He finished chewing and swallowed. “Be careful, Faith. She has a way of coercing unsuspecting people into doing her bidding.”
I smiled and took a sip of my lemonade. Seeing this side of Dante, how playful and loving he was with his grandmother, cast him in a bit of a new light. “I’d be happy to help with whatever you need, Mrs. Bishop.”
Meemaw gave Dante a triumphant smile. “See, my boy, not everyone thinks I have ulterior motives.”
He raised his hands in surrender. “Okay, okay, what exactly is this special job you have for us?”
Dante
I followed Meemaw back to the kitchen. As soon as the swinging doors closed behind us, she whirled around and grabbed my arm.
“She’s the one, isn’t she?” she asked.
I studied her face before responding. Her eagerness to believe I might have actually brought a girl back to meet her filled her eyes with hope.
“Um, Faith’s a?—”
“Oh sugar, you don’t have to tell me. I can see it for myself.” She clucked her tongue and moved over to the stove to stir the gravy. “I’m proud of you, my boy. I know it’s not easy for you to risk your heart again after what that Cheryl did to you.”
“Meemaw, I?—”
She turned and winked at me. “Faith seems like a lovely girl, and I can’t wait to get to know her. We’ll have plenty of time to chat later. Right now, I need the two of you to help me out with that little project.”
Wouldn’t do any good to try to dissuade her. Once Meemaw made up her mind about something, she’d dig in her heels and hold her ground. Besides, how was I to explain the exact nature of my involvement with Faith? It would be easier to just let her believe what she wanted for the time being. Faith would be on her way back to town soon enough anyway, so no need to get her involved in my little distortion of the truth. And if Meemaw thought I had something going, that would get her off my back for a while. Seemed like a win-win for everyone.
“All right, old woman. What do you need us to do?”