Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 67711 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 339(@200wpm)___ 271(@250wpm)___ 226(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67711 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 339(@200wpm)___ 271(@250wpm)___ 226(@300wpm)
“I do feel better, and it’s good to see you too. Where have you been?”
I hadn’t been sure Gran was aware enough to notice that I hadn’t been by in a few days. I glanced at Emily, and she shook her head. She must have just made excuses for my absence.
“I had some emergencies at work, but that’s taken care of now.”
“Good.” She looked at Ford. “Who is this young man?”
I couldn’t help but smile as I looked his way. “This is Ford. He’s my….”
“Friend,” Ford said, saving me from having to out myself to Gran while she was still recovering.
“Well, he’s a nice friend to come visit an old woman like me.”
“Jay talks about you so much, I couldn’t wait to meet you.”
I loved Ford even more as I watched him take her hand and kiss the back of it.
“How are you feeling, Gran?” I asked.
“Like I can actually breathe. I thought it might be my time there for a day or too.”
So had I, but I didn’t say that. I just squeezed her hand. “I’m so glad it’s not. I want you to be around forever.”
She smiled. “I don’t think I can do that, but I’m going to be here for a while longer.” She turned to Emily. “Did you check on the café?”
Emily nodded. “Things are going fine.”
“But they’d be better if you were there,” Gran said.
“I wanted to be here for you.”
Gran smiled. “I know, and I appreciate that, but now that you know I’m going to be fine, you can get back to your business.”
“Gran, you’re more important.”
She huffed and looked between me and my sister. “Neither one of you take enough time for yourselves. You need to go live your lives instead of spending so much time fussing over me.”
“I like worrying over you, Gran,” I said.
She looked at Ford and smiled. “I think you have other things to worry about now.”
What did that mean? Surely she didn’t know about me and Ford. Had Emily said something?
Gran started to say something else, but she was hit with a coughing fit. When she recovered, we must have all looked worried because she scowled at us. “It’s just a cough. I’ll have it for a while. You don’t need to act like I just keeled over.”
I saw Emily try to hold back a laugh, but she ultimately failed. “Gran, you’re something else, you know that?”
“I try, dear.”
“We should let you rest,” Emily said. “We don’t want to slow down your recovery.”
Gran sighed. “I suppose I should take another nap. The nurse said I still need to sleep most of the day, but I should be back to my apartment in a few days.”
Emily and I each gave Gran another hug, and Ford took her hand once more. “It was an honor to meet you, ma’am.”
We started to leave but Gran called me back. “I’ll wait for you in the lobby,” Ford said.
I closed the door and sat down by Gran.
“I approve of your young man.”
He words startled me. “He’s not….”
“Don’t you lie to me. I saw how you looked at each other and the way he put his hand on your shoulder to reassure you. There’s more between you than friendship.”
I started to deny it but stopped myself. I loved Ford. I wasn’t going to hide that. “Are you okay with that? With Ford being my boyfriend?”
“I’m more than okay with it. I’m happy for you. All I want is for you to have more people in your life who care about you.”
“Oh Gran. I love you so much.”
“I love you too. Now go and take your man out somewhere nice. Don’t screw this up.”
“I promise I’m going to do everything I can to make him happy.”
“From the look of things, you already do that.”
“Thanks, Gran. For everything you’ve done for me and Emily.”
She smiled. “You two keep me young.”
“By the way, Ford knits. Next time we visit, you’ll have to talk to him about all your projects.”
Her smile widened even more. “That sounds lovely.”
33
FORD
Emily and I found a quiet place to sit in the lobby.
“I approve of your relationship with my brother, but just so you know, if you hurt him, I will make you regret it.”
I could tell she was deadly serious. “I appreciate the warning.”
“Jay is…he’s not as tough as he tries to act.”
Jay was so different than the arrogant man he pretended to be when we met. “I figured that out.”
“I think he’s been crushing on you for a long time. He talked about you incessantly when I last visited.”
I grinned. “Really?”
“Yes. He told me all about how ‘fucking irritating’ you were, but I could tell there was more to it. You really got under his skin. Do not abuse that power.”
“I won’t. I love him. I thought I hated him at one point, but I was so wrong.”