“She died in childbirth, Granny.”
She gasped. “A wee baby? Oh, no! Did they both?—”
“The baby lived, and?—”
“Lived? Are you sayin’ I have agrandchildthere?” And now she was crying.
So was he. Tears dribbled down his cheeks. He didn’t dare look at Lucky in case he was in the same condition. He cleared his throat. “You do. And?—”
“Holy Mother of God.” She continued to weep. “A grandchild. All this time. Freya gave me another grandchild. I can’t believe it.”
He did his best to hold it together for her sake and Lucky’s. “A grandson. You have a grandson. And I have a—” He swallowed. “He’s right here. I’ll let you—” He passed the mobile to his half-brother, who was mopping his face with a bandana. He grabbed a napkin from a holder on the bar.
Shoving the bandana in his back pocket, Lucky sniffed and dragged in a breath. “Hi, Granny.” His chest heaved. “I’m your grandson. I’m Lucky.”
“Oh, my boy,” she choked out between sobs, “’Tis notluckyou’re havin’. You’re a fecking miracle!”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Sara excused herself from the shopping trip by saying she needed to wash her hair and she didn’t want to hold them up. Her parents would have waited, but Lani came up with a logical reason to leave ASAP, something to do with traffic.
Good old Lani must have figured out that she wanted to stick around to see Kieran and ask how the nine o’clock phone call with his granny and Lucky had gone. Her sister was coming through like a champ.
Sara already had Lani’s birthday present, which she’d tucked out of sight in a pocket of her suitcase. Lucky and Oksana had located an out-of-print copy of a book Lani had wanted for years.
But she deserved something extra for her kindness and support regarding Kieran. Sara didn’t know what that extra thing would be, but she had until the party on Saturday to brainstorm.
She took a shower and also washed her hair so she wouldn’t be a liar. Washing it wasn’t a bad idea since she’d be seeing Kieran again tonight, but she didn’t linger in the shower because she was starving.
Anxiety about the rendezvous plan had kept her from eating much at dinner last night. Although her sexual adventure withKieran had started out sweet and slow, after their talk it had become gloriously physical. She’d worked up an appetite.
Venturing into the kitchen, she found Rance at the small table tucked into a corner of the spacious room.
He put down his coffee and looked up from a copy ofThe Sentinel, Wagon Train’s weekly newspaper. He had a small plate in front of him with nothing on it but a few crumbs. “Hey, there. What’re you up to?”
“Same as you, hanging around waiting to find out how the call went. Have you heard anything?”
“Far as I know, they’re still in Rowdy Roost talking to her. Not surprising. That lady looks like she’d be loaded with questions.”
“You took a shine to her, didn’t you?”
“Damn straight. Like I said, this crew is short on grandmas, and I’m talking about the ones in her age bracket, not Marybeth’s, who’s almost too young to qualify for our bunch.”
“But she treats you like a grandma would.”
“Sort of, but she’s harder on us than the grandma I have in my head.” He peered at her. “I just happened to think. Do you have one you can donate to the cause?”
“Not really. My dad’s folks had him late and they’re both gone. Mom’s parents moved to Florida a few years ago and there’s no way they’d give up their beach house to live in snow country again.”
“Bummer.”
“Listen, I hate to be a PITA and mess up the kitchen, but I’m really hungry. Who should I ask about fixing myself something?”
“You’re looking at him.”
“But you don’t live here.”
“Doesn’t sleeping here count?”
