Page 47
She finished her sip of sangria and then looked at me. “Yeah, why?”
“It’s just that chocolate chip cookies, potato chips, and bean dip seems like pregnancy cravings to me.”
“You’re the one who put out this spread.”
“I’m just clearing out my cupboards from the before times.”
“Well, I’m not pregnant. Five times is enough. And don’t try to deflect. We need to start talking about Adam. You were seen together at the Down Home Diner. And I heard that you’re going to the sisters’ house tomorrow for an early dinner.”
Angelica and Maddie both turned to me. “You didn’t tell me,” Angelica squawked.
“You’re going to Little Grandma and Miss Gladiola’s with Adam?” Maddie’s eyes were wide.
“And his son,” Carrie cooed. “It’s going to be all Sweet Home Tennessee.”
“Thanks for not sharing,” Maddie pouted.
“I was going to get there. First I needed to explain about him being an ass.”
“All men are asses, it’s in the handbook,” Carrie scoffed. “Are you excited?”
“Too excited. I haven’t been this excited about a date in years, and it pisses me off. I really shouldn’t care this much. I don’t like the idea of anyone mattering this much.”
“Join the club, little sister. I was in hell when Beau moved back to town.”
“At least you knew who you were getting involved with. Adam is a crapshoot.”
Carrie sat forward in her seat, putting down her plate of food. “Not according to my brother. Ford’s known him for two years. Adam’s the real deal. According to Ford, Adam is a solid guy, who’s even been a shoulder for his in-laws since he lost his wife.”
“For real? Did Ford know his wife?”
“No, she’d passed about six months before Ford met Adam. But even then, he’d been pretty put together according to Ford. Ford figured it was because of James. Then as time went on, he figured it was just who the man was.”
I wondered.
I wondered who Adam had in his life who he leaned on if he was busy being there for his in-laws. Seemed like I might be doing some psychoanalyzing of my own in the near future.
Adam knocked on my door at two-forty-five on the dot.
"It's open!" I shouted from my bedroom. It had taken me far too long to come up with just the right pair of shoes to go with this dress. I knew I’d had them, but since I’d only worn them once before, they’d decided to hide themselves where they belonged, in their actual shoe box on the top shelf of my closet. Little bastards. But they were cute as hell.
He knocked again.
I shoved my right foot into the pretty pink heel and ran as fast as I could, which wasn’t that fast, down the hallway to the door.
“Didn’t you hear me say it was open?” I asked as I looked at Adam standing on my porch with his hands in his coat pockets and his jaw set in a way that told me I was about to receive an opinion I hadn't asked for.
"I heard you." His voice was level. Careful. "Your door shouldn't be unlocked."
"Adam." I leaned against the doorframe. "It's Jasper Creek."
"That doesn't mean—"
"Little Grandma's door smells like lavender and is never locked until eight o'clock at night. Pearl Bannister leaves her back door open from May through September so her cat can come and go." I smiled at him. "Welcome to small-town Tennessee."
He looked like he had more thoughts about this, and he was keeping them behind his teeth by sheer force of will. I appreciated that.
"Miss Zoeeeeee!"
