“Is that why you’ve never remarried?”
She nodded. “That and the fact it’s hard to find someone as wonderful as Hugh.”
With a coy smile, I replied, “And some men are just meant for fooling around?”
GramBea’s eyes bulged. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She then flipped open a trunk and started pilfering inside.
“Oh, but I think you do.” When GramBea kept tossing clothes around, I said, “You know, if you did partake in sexual activity with someone, it would be okay. This is the twenty-first century after all. No one is going to come charging at you and pin a scarlet letter on your chest.” When she still remained silent, I added, “Women of all ages have needs and desires.”
Pausing in her search, GramBea glanced at me over her shoulder. “Estelle told you about Floyd, didn’t she?”
Oh God, she’d had sex with someone named Floyd? All I could think of was Floyd the Barber from The Andy Griffith show reruns that Granddaddy used to love watching. “While she didn’t give me a name, she did say you might have enjoyed some intimacy with someone besides Granddaddy.”
GramBea righted herself. “It was not her place to say anything to you about something so private.”
I rolled my eyes. “Oh please. I think I’m old enough to handle hearing my grandmother did the deed.” Sure, I wasn’t sharing my first reaction of pure horror at the idea she’d been getting it on with someone. It wasn’t the right time. Now was the time to assure her it was absolutely normal for her to have sex outside the confines of marriage.
Straightening her shoulders, GramBea patted the bottom of her styled curls. “As the matriarch of this family, there is a moral code I need to uphold. If I start living any and every way, what is to become of us all?”
“I hardly think you having discreet sex is going to send our family spiraling down into the gutter.”
GramBea shook her head. “I’ve seen it happen. One little thing leads to another, and the family is ruined.”
“Well, I don’t care what you say. I’m glad you had sex with Floyd.” I cocked my brows at her. “Speaking of Floyd, is he in the past tense or are you still seeing him?”
“We were seeing each other. After we became intimate, I told him I didn’t think we could continue outside of marriage.”
“And he wasn’t ready to get remarried?”
“Actually, he was.”
I blinked at GramBea. “Then what was the problem?”
Tears sparkled in her eyes. “I wasn’t.”
“I’m sorry. Was it because of Granddaddy?”
“Yes. I’d only been a widow for two years. I thought it was too soon to be considering marriage.”
“If that was the case, why can’t you understand how I felt about not dating yet?”
“Surely you can see how very different our situations are,” GramBea replied knowingly.
As much as I wanted to be dramatic about it, I could see how great the difference was. GramBea and Granddaddy had been married fifty-five years. They’d raised children together and buried their parents. “Yes, mine was a different love than yours.” At the word love, I winced. “Maybe it wasn’t even love.”
“I think there was love there for a season, but it just wasn’t meant to be for a lifetime.”
“That’s a nice way of looking at it, especially when your husband changed teams mid-season.”
GramBea laughed. “The important thing is you can still have love. Many, many years of love. The kind like your grandfather and I had. Like your mother and father have.”
My chest constricted with emotion. “I do want that.”
“Then continue fostering this crush on Zeke.”
I knew it was fruitless arguing about how he was just here for the summer, not to mention how detrimental it could be working with him. Instead, I just nodded. “I will on one condition.”
“What’s that?”
“That you put yourself out there just like I am.”
GramBea’s eyes widened. “You want me to start dating again?”
“Damn straight.”
“Language, Finley.”
“Don’t change the subject.”
GramBea fanned herself in the attic’s heat. “I wouldn’t even know where to begin.”
“I’m pretty sure if you let the men in this town know you were available, you would have them lined up at your door.”
“Oh Finley, be serious.”
“I am. You’re a hot ticket, GramBea.”
My compliments sent a flush across her cheeks. “You really think so?”
“I do. I’m pretty sure it would already be the case, but Floyd probably chased everyone away when he told them you weren’t ready for marriage.”
“He might have. He doesn’t seem like the type to bad mouth me.”
“Is he still available?” I’d hesitated to ask the question. It wasn’t so much I was afraid he might’ve moved on but more about the fact at GramBea’s age, he could have passed away.
“Yes, he is.”
“Then why not hook back up with him?”
“Oh, I don’t know.”
“Did you really like him?”
GramBea’s expression appeared nostalgic. “I did.”
“Was he good in bed?”
She gasped in horror. “Finley Anne!”
“Come on, GramBea, I thought we were past all that.”
“I just don’t think it’s proper to talk about such things.”
“Forget being proper.”
“I don’t know if I can.”
“Would you rather have propriety or happiness?”
GramBea nibbled on her lip. “Happiness, I suppose.”
“Of course, you want happiness. If Floyd was even halfway decent in the bedroom, then I think you should call him.”
“A woman calling a man is so very forward.”
I rolled my eyes to the attic ceiling. “GramBea you’re eighty. The time for subtlety has passed.”
She grinned. “You sound like Estelle.”
“Then take our advice and live a little. Channel a little of your tenacity about my dating life into your own.”
After appearing lost in thought for a few moments, GramBea nodded. “Okay, I’ll talk to Floyd. Maybe if I asked him here to dinner, it wouldn’t seem too forward.”
“I think that would be a great idea.”
Pursing her lips, GramBea said, “Maybe you could ask Zeke.”
I wagged a finger at her. “Now you’re pushing it.”
“I’m sure he would love a home-cooked meal after having to eat out so often.”
Now it was my turn to start pilfering in the trunks. “Maybe he would.”
“Then ask him.”
“We’ll see.”
“If you don’t, I will.”
I gasped and jerked my head out of the trunk. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“I just might.”
“You leave Zeke alone, and I’ll leave Floyd alone, how’s that?”
GramBea smirked at me. “You don’t even know Floyd.”
“This is Green Valley. I’m sure I could hunt him down in less than an hour.”
“Probably,” GramBea replied somewhat reluctantly.
“So, let’s call a man truce and focus our attention on finding me something to wear to this cosplay thing.”
When I held out my hand, GramBea shook it. “Deal.”
Chapter Fourteen
After GramBea found a skirt and blouse her mother had worn during the 20s, I let her take the lead on my costume. Thankfully, my great-grandmother hadn’t been a waifish creature, and the skirt was only a little tight in the waist. GramBea assured me she could let it out by tomorrow afternoon.
The next day at work I found it hard to concentrate. I was both anxious at what I might encounter at the party and excited about being with Zeke. I seriously felt like a teenager going out on her first real date. The last two hours of my shift seemed to creep by, and I felt
like I would go insane before the hands on the clock finally ticked to five.
When I got home, I found all three of the girls waiting on me in the kitchen. I drew in a deep breath since I knew some sort of ambush was about to take place. “This better not be about another fix-up,” I warned.
GramBea chuckled. “Why on earth would we need to fix you up when you’re going on a date tonight?”
“It’s not a date, remember?”
She gave me a knowing look—one that told me she remembered our conversation in the attic. “Oh yes, I remember.”
Dot stepped forward. “Actually, I’m here because I wanted to offer my services to help you get ready for tonight.”
“Oh?”
She nodded. “When Beatrice showed me the picture, I thought I could do your hair, Finley,” she offered. Since she was the queen of bun-style hairdos, I decided to take her up on it.
“That would be great. Thanks.”
“When you’re ready, I’ll help you get into your costume.”
I furrowed my brows at her. “Is it going to take two people?”
“No, I just want to make sure everything is working right.”
“Um, okay.” I glanced at Estelle. “What are you going to offer?”
She laughed. “Nothing. I’m just here as a buffer in case these two get too crazy and demanding.”
While I laughed, GramBea and Dot huffed indignantly. “I appreciate that,” I told Estelle.
“Come on. We’ve got to get you ready for the ball,” Dot said with a smile.
I had to admit it felt quite surreal when she took me by the hand and led me down the hall to her bedroom. Last week I would never have imagined having Dot do a hair makeover on me. Of course, I never would have imagined donning my great-grandmother’s clothes to attend a cosplay party either.
Dot handed me a dressing gown before turning around to get the necessary materials. I slipped out of the dress I’d worn to work and then slid the robe on. When I was finished, Dot motioned for me to have a seat in the chair at the bathroom vanity.
When Dot finished, I was pleasantly surprised I didn’t look like I could be in a stage production of Cocoon. The style was delicate and fit the time period of the film. Turning left and right, I admired my reflection in the mirror. “Thanks, Dot. It looks amazing.”
She smiled. “You’re welcome.”
With my hair fixed, I went to my bathroom to reapply my makeup. Just as I was finishing it up, GramBea knocked on my door. “Are you ready for your costume?”
Poking my head out of the bathroom, I grinned. “Now there’s a statement you don’t hear every day.”
GramBea laughed. “I would agree. Usually the only time I reference wearing a costume is around Christmas pageant time.”
After slipping off Dot’s robe, I slid on the white shirt with semi-puffy sleeves. While I was buttoning it, GramBea took the skirt off the hanger. After she handed it to me, I stepped into it. At the feel of air against my upper thigh, I gasped. There was a gaping slit from the ankle up to my thigh. I glanced in horror at GramBea. “Oh no, I must’ve ripped it somehow.”
She grinned at me. “You did nothing of the sort. That is my doing.”
“You made this slit?”
“I thought it needed a little something.”
“Like my exposed leg and thigh?”
“Yes.”
I shook my head at her in surprise. “You’re actually sanctioning me looking somewhat slutty?”
“After seeing some of the other costumes, I didn’t want you looking like an up-tight spinster and being upstaged by the other women there.”
“I don’t think there’s a chance of that now.”
“Maybe not.” She then reached forward and unbuttoned the top of my blouse. “That helps too.”
I laughed. “I’m pretty sure the character didn’t wear it this way.”
“Just consider it a slight enhancement.
“Okay, I will.”
With a wink, GramBea replied, “I had to ensure Zeke kept his eyes on you all night.”
“Compared to some of the costumes we’re going to be seeing, I hardly think a little leg and some cleavage is going to matter that much.”
“Oh, I think it will.”
While I didn’t share her confidence, I did appreciate the compliments and all she had done for me. I drew her to me and gave her a big hug. “Thanks, GramBea.”
“You’re welcome, sweetheart.” She pulled away and planted a kiss on my cheek. “Now you go and have the best time in the world tonight.”
“The best G-rated fun?” I teased.
She waved her hand at me. “I suppose a little PG-13 fun wouldn’t be terrible.” With her expression souring, she added, “Just none of that X-rated stuff.”
“Okay, I’ll try.”
“You do that.”
The doorbell rang, which caused me to jump. “Of course, Mr. Punctual would be early.”
“That speaks very well of his character.”
I rolled my eyes. “I would have liked a few minutes to get a hold of myself before he arrived. Maybe have a nip from Estelle’s flask.”
GramBea tsked at me before turning toward the door. “I’ll get the door and let you have a moment.”
The thought of GramBea being alone with Zeke made me shudder. It was almost as bad as your father interrogating your high school prom date. “That’s okay. I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.” I brushed passed her before hightailing it out the door and down the hall.
When I threw open the door, Zeke, or Luke Skywalker, stood grinning at me. “Sorry, I’m early.”
“I hadn’t even noticed,” I replied, as I held open the door to him.
As he stepped into the foyer, Zeke’s eyes were on me. “Evie from The Mummy, right?”
“Yes. I can’t believe you knew.”
He winked. “This isn’t my first time at the Cosplay Rodeo you know.”
I laughed. “Yes, I forgot.”
“I’m pretty sure you’re the sexiest one I’ve ever seen.”
My heartbeat accelerated like a horse breaking out of the starting gate at a race. “Oh, I’m sure you’ve seen more revealing ones.”
“Who said it has to be revealing to be sexy? There’s a lot to be said for leaving things to the imagination.”
Sweet Mother of God. How was it possible this man was for real? Next, he would be telling me he liked old-timey courtships where we held hands for a period of time while a chaperone looked on.
“I would agree,” GramBea replied from behind us.
Of course, she would say that. Zeke turned from me to smile at GramBea. “Beatrice, it’s a pleasure seeing you again.”
“The pleasure is all mine. I was so pleased when Finley told me the two of you were going to be painting the town tonight.”
“Yes, I was thrilled when she agreed to take my crazy invitation on.”
“I’m sure she’ll have the best time.”
I shot GramBea a look. I couldn’t believe she was talking in front of me like I was a five-year-old or something. “Let me grab my purse, and then we can get going.”
As I reached for my purse, Zeke teasingly said, “Don’t worry, Beatrice, I’ll try to have her back at a reasonable hour.”
GramBea chuckled. “You do that.”
With my back to them, I rolled my eyes. After grabbing my purse, I whirled around and joined Zeke at the door. “See you later, GramBea,” I said as I reached for the doorknob.
“Bye, Finnie. You two have a great time.”
“Thanks, Beatrice,” Zeke said behind me. I was already out the door and heading for the porch steps. At the rate I was going, Zeke was going to have to sprint to catch up with me. I suppose his long legs came into play because he was at my side in time to open the car door for me.
After murmuring my gratitude, I slipped across the leather seats of the Tahoe he’d rented. When he climbed inside, I turned to him and smiled. “This is quite a vehicle for a s
ingle man.”
He laughed. “While I wanted to have enough room for camping and hiking gear, it really boiled down to the fact everything else at the airport lot was a compact car.” Motioning to his legs, he replied, “There is no compact cars with these things.”
“I wouldn’t imagine so.” As Zeke cranked up, I noted, “You must be a big lover of nature since you referenced camping and hiking.”
Zeke nodded. “My parents are what some would consider naturalists. Others might call them ‘crunchy.’ Growing up, we went into the mountains almost every weekend.”
“That must’ve been nice.”
“It was.” He glanced over at me. “What about you? Do you like camping?”
I nibbled on my lip as I debated how to get out of this one. “Sure, I’ve camped before.”
Chuckling, Zeke said, “I don’t think you answered the question.”
“I did.” With a grin, I added, “Just selectively.”
“Ah, that cagey response must mean you’re not a fan of camping.”
“Not exactly. I’m more of a glamping girl. You know, give me running water, toilets, air-conditioning.”
“I can see that about you.”
I cocked my head at him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You just seem more of an urban girl.”
“I think you mean I sound like a diva who doesn’t like sleeping on the ground or scratching at bug bites in unmentionable areas.”
Zeke grinned. “Okay, you got me.”
“I figured as much.”
“Actually, you remind me of my sister Phoebe. As she got older, she wasn’t much of a fan of roughing it.”
“Sounds like she and I could rough it in an RV while the rest of your family did the real camping.”
Zeke nodded. “Most definitely.”
As I randomly mulled over their names, I couldn’t help remarking, “Phoebe is another unusual name like Zeke.” Eyeing him curiously, I asked, “How did your parents ever come to name you Zeke?”
“What’s wrong with it?”
Shelf Awareness: Green Valley Library Book #4 Page 11
