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“Or he’s lying?” As I say it, I feel the truth in the words.
“Or that,” he agrees.
“I just don’t know what to make of him. There seem to be so many secrets.” And yet, he’s talked about things with me that he says he hasn’t spoken to anyone else about. I don’t think I’ve met a man who’s confused me more than Dean Cornel.
“I feel that too.”
“What do you think we should do?” I ask my grandpa, who takes another sip of his canteen.
“I don’t know,” he says after pausing to think momentarily.
“Mina said that Dylan told her they were going to build condominiums,” I tell him.
“Well, in that case, we’ll have to pay close attention to city and other local meetings. Make sure that if someone petitions to rezone our area, we’ll be there to object.” Grandpa Bob has a frown on his face. I know how important buying this land was to him. How important it’s become to our small family.
“They could just do that?” I ask.
“Men with money have the power to do just about anything they want.”
“Ugh.” As frustrating as it is, I know he’s right. I only worked with corporate law at the firm, but maybe it’s time I expand my knowledge, just in case.
“But the good news is that he doesn’t have a girlfriend, right?” He gives me a smile and waggles his eyebrows.
I roll my eyes. “Yeah, right. Like I’d go for him now anyway.”
“Well, let’s hope that whatever he isn’t telling us isn’t too nefarious. Then maybe you kids can work things out.”
“What?” I laugh. “How can you say that?”
Dean might be as hot as the sun, but how could I ever trust him after all this? I glance at him and Coral. They still look like they’re talking about something serious.
Grandpa takes a seat on the porch steps, so I join him. He grabs my hand and asks, “Have I ever told you how I met your grandmother?”
“Yes,” I say with a laugh. I’ve heard the story so many times I could probably recite it by heart. But I know he wants to tell me again. “But it’s been a while,” I say. “Remind me?”
“Well, your grandmother was living in an apartment with her friends. It was right next to the one I shared with my buddies. One night, we were throwing a party, and your grandma and her friends knocked on our door and complained that we were being too loud. We accused them of being prudes and said we had every right to keep partying. We even turned up the music.”
“Grandpa!” I shout. I didn’t know about the last part.
“I know. I was a smart aleck back then. It took her to straighten me out. Anyway, they threatened to call the police. Somehow, we charmed them into the party and got them dancing. Luck just so had it that the woman dancing with me would end up being my future bride.”
“So, how did things go from you being hostile neighbors to falling in love?”
“Oh, Mae,” he says with a shake of his head. “Have you never danced with a man?”
“I mean, sure. I went to prom with Carlos.” Of course, I was also pregnant with Mina at the time, so it was more uncomfortable than fun.
“I don’t mean the little kiddy shifting and swaying. I mean real dancing.”
“I guess not…”
“Figures.” He’s dusting the hay and leaves off his pants. “Otherwise, you’d never have to ask me that question.”
We lapse into an easy silence after that. My grandpa closes his eyes for a little cat nap, and I gaze out across our land.
What would it be like to dance with Dean? To have his body pressed against mine? His strong arms wrapped around my waist as he guides me across the dance floor. Our chests heaving, our faces getting closer and closer until our lips brush against each other.
“What do you think, Bob?” Dean calls through a labored breath.
