Chapter 46
FORTY-SIX
“My older sister moved in with me when I was in my late fifties.
Apparently, I needed someone to tell me when I was doing something wrong.”
—excerpt from the unpublished memoir,
Darling, I Must Say by Gloria Hayes
Monday morning, I opened the front door to head to work and found a small gift bag. It had a tiny gift tag with the words TO IRIS written on it in block letters, but the FROM spot was left empty. Inside was a bag of chocolate kisses.
That was it. But I knew who they were from.
“Why do you look so happy?” Ellie asked when I breezed into the café.
“I do?” I giggled.
Her eyes narrowed. “You just giggled. Are you okay? Did you hit your head? Should I call an ambulance?”
“No. I’m totally fine.” I waltzed up to her and threw my arms around her in an impromptu hug. She was so stunned, she didn’t even hug me back. “It’s a great day, isn’t it?”
“Sure?”
I floated into the kitchen, humming off-key.
“I’m texting Mae right now,” she called.
“Go ahead. Tell her she’s the best big sister ever.” Maybe this was the day that I finally told her the truth. I’d tell her about Abe, too. I’d tell her anything she wanted to know.
Four hours later, the fighting started.
It was just after ten. The lull between breakfast and lunch had settled over the café. Aside from three old men playing dominos, the place was empty. Even Ellie had stepped out to run home for something she’d forgotten. I was in the middle of the sexiest part of my job—cleaning the men’s bathroom.
The door jingled and I poked my head out of the bathroom in time to see Abe stroll in, looking much too handsome in his dirty shirt and jeans.
Nerves and excitement swirled in my stomach.
Two months ago, I would have laughed in the face of anyone telling me a tattooed, single dad would steal my heart. Definitely not my type at all.
Except I was starting to believe that I had it all wrong. Abe was exactly my type.
I waved at him and realized I still had on the bright pink rubber gloves. Quickly, I ripped them off, tossed them somewhere in the bathroom and hurried to meet him.
“Hi.”
“Hey.” His expression was unreadable.
I crossed my arms, then uncrossed them, then put my fists on my hips. He stuffed his hands in his pockets. Our eyes met.
“Did you need something?” My voice was soft.
“I think we should talk.”
I licked my lips. “Yeah, probably. We can go in the—”
The door burst open and Mae stalked toward us, her eyes practically glowing.
“Oh, good. You’re both here. What is this?” She waved a copy of the Two Harts newspaper. It was mostly a vehicle to spread gossip with an occasional news story and a list of arrests for the previous week. (Not to brag, but my father had made an appearance on that list more than once.)
“The paper?”
“And?”
“Why don’t you just say what’s gotten you so upset instead of making me guess.”
Abe edged closer. His shoulder brushed mine as we stood side-by-side.
She snapped the paper open and handed it to me. “Right there.”
Before I could look at what she was pointing at, someone else entered the chat. Ali grinned when she saw the three of us and waltzed over. Her smile faltered when she got a good look at the thunder on Mae’s face. “Whoa. What’s going on?”
“Have you seen the paper?”
“Not yet. Why?”
Mae grabbed it from my hands and handed it to Ali. “Look.”
“What am I looking f— Ah.” Her eyes widened in surprise. “You two look great. Iris, you are wearing the heck out of that dress.”
“What are you talking about?” I asked.
Ali handed me the paper. Abe leaned in close as I scanned the page.
I found the article immediately. A whole page about the movie theater opening in Randolph.
With photos. One of those photos featured Abe and me on the red carpet, his arm around my waist, mine draped around his shoulders, and both of us were laughing.
Even though it was one snapshot, there was a palpable connection between us.
We looked happy, like we belonged together.
Abe audibly inhaled. Surprise, maybe? Or maybe he was also captivated by the photo.
“Yeah, well, she’s also wearing your brother.”
Ali snickered. “Nice one.”
Mae crossed her arms, her foot tapping double time. “This doesn’t bother you?”
“No. Why would it?” Ali gasped. “Think about it. If things worked out between them, we would be related to each other. All my best friend dreams would come true.”
“They’re all wrong for each other. Abe has to be ten years older than her.”
“Thirteen,” I said absently, still staring at the photo. I wondered if the paper had the original of this and would give me a copy.
“Thank you, thirteen years. She has a whole future ahead of her and Abe is… well, Abe.”
Ali’s head cocked to the side, staring down Mae despite the fact she was six inches shorter. “What does that mean?”
“They’re all wrong for each other. He looks like he spent ten years in prison and is out on parole.
He’s got… baggage and he’ll only weigh Iris down.
” Mae waved a hand around in frustration, talking as if the man in question wasn’t right there in the room with us.
“We’re not even sure he’s going to stick around this time. ”
Anger filled my belly with each word. Mae didn’t know Abe at all. I opened my mouth to say this, but Ali got there first.
Ali glared at Mae. “Are you trying to say my brother isn’t good enough for your sister?”
“Maybe I am.”
Abe put a hand on his sister’s shoulder. “Everything she said is true.”
I gasped. “No, it’s not.”
Mae made a self-satisfied noise. I wanted to throat-punch her. “See? He agrees with me.”
“Shut up, all of you.” I tried to step between them, but Ali stalked forward and pushed me out of the way.
“Maybe your sister isn’t good enough for my brother. Ever thought of that? Let’s see. Wasn’t it just a few weeks ago she got arrested? Now who’s the criminal?”
“They didn’t actually charge me with anything,” I said helpfully.
Abe muttered a curse. “Don’t talk about her that way.”
But Ali and Mae were so keyed up that I think they forgot we were there.
“She’s barely out of college, she’s such a loner her only friends live in a nursing home, and you know what I heard? I heard she turned down grad school in Austin. It’s been months and she still hasn’t told you, has she?”
I gasped. “Ali! I can’t believe you.”
Ali had the decency to look remorseful. “It just slipped out. I’m so sorry.”
Mae turned to me, hurt in her eyes. “Is that true?”
“I was going to tell you,” I said.
Ali poked Mae in the shoulder. “Abe could do a whole lot better. A whole lot.”
“You take that back,” Mae said, her voice low.
“No.”
“How about everyone just shuts up and we forget this ever happened?” I practically shouted. With no results.
“You don’t know who you’re messing with,” Ali said. “Nobody talks about my family like that. Nobody. Not even the person I thought was my best friend.”
“Enough,” Abe said sharply. “Iris and I aren’t a couple, although it is none of your business. We are both adults. We’re friends. We went to a movie. This is not worth breaking up a twenty-five-year friendship.”
Okay, that stung.
But these two idiots didn’t even blink, they were so focused on each other.
“Was that a threat?” Mae loomed over Ali like that terrifying mama ostrich I’d always pictured her as.
“Mae, please,” I said.
“It’s about to be reality.” With that, Ali stalked to the door.
Mae followed behind her. “Bring it on, Goodnight. Bring it on.”