If Roe wasn’t going to take the lead on this fake-boyfriend charade, I’d have to. “How was your day?”
Nettie nudged me. “That’s how you say hello to your boyfriend? When you’ve been married fifty years like I was, then it’s fine. Go over and give him a big smooch.”
“Nettie.” I laughed. “You’re impossible.”
“Call me whatever name you want, but you’re young and in love and should say hello the right way. Now go.” She pushed my arm.
Unwilling to get her worked up, I left her sitting to go to Roe, who’d remained standing behind the semicircle of club chairs facing the couch. I put my hand on his shoulder, and when I leaned in, he stiffened.
“Stop acting like a fool. She’ll see something’s wrong if you don’t return my kiss.”
Before he could tell me to shut up, I kissed his half-open mouth, and though I only intended it to be a quick touch of lips, I wrapped my arms around Roe and pulled him close, cheering inwardly when he responded by cupping my cheek. We broke apart only because the buzzer sounded.
Breathing heavily, Monroe gazed at me, his eyes clouded with a myriad of emotions I knew were the ones racing through me as well: doubt, lust, fear.
“Th-that must be the groceries.” I touched my tingling lips and caught Nettie’s satisfied smile in my peripheral vision.
“Groceries? What’s going on?” Roe gave me his back as he went to greet Nettie, but not before I saw the flush across his cheeks and knew he was as affected by that kiss as I was.
“I’m trying to take the burden off Deborah and Nettie, so I had some groceries delivered as well as dinner for them tonight. Plus,” I said, smiling at Deborah, who managed to look both worried and pleased at the same time, “I arranged for my housecleaning service to come by and clean the apartment twice a week and do the laundry. This way all the attention can be focused where it should be. On Nettie getting well.”
Roe, however, was clearly displeased, his eyes narrowing to slits. “Do you think I’m slacking in my duties? I’ve been helping them as much as I can.”
“Of course you have, honey.” His mother ran to him and gave him a hug, but he remained unyielding. “You’ve always been here for us. But this was so nice and unexpected of Ezra. He’s trying to show us how much he cares.”
“Yeah, by flinging his money in my face. He knows we can’t afford all this. We’re just ordinary people.” The doorbell rang, and he picked up his coat. “I’ll let them in. I’m going to my apartment. Grandma, I’ll come by a little later.” He let the delivery people in and left.
Deborah directed them into the kitchen while I remained rooted to the spot where I’d kissed Roe.What the hell just happened?I rubbed my face with my hands and let out a sigh.
“Well, don’t stand there. Go after him. My grandson is an idiot sometimes. I love him, but he’s got a stubborn streak. Just like my father did.”
“I think I should leave him alone.”
“He’s alone enough. He needs you. That’s what you do for your boyfriend. Be there even if they think they don’t want you. Because that’s when they need you most.” Her wise, bright gaze met mine, and I read a lifetime of memories in her face.
“Okay. I’ll be back later, and I’ll make sure he comes with me.”
“Good. Take your time. Don’t rush on my account. Love isn’t on a schedule.”
“Nettie.” I picked up my jacket. “Are you sure you’re not a matchmaker?”
“God forbid I should be like thoseyentas.” She cackled. “But it doesn’t take a matchmaker to see when two people belong together like you and Monroe.”
I wondered what was going on in that mind of hers. Obviously, nothing else except Monroe and me. “I’ll see you both later,” I said and left their apartment. I’d stumbled, and if nothing else, I wanted Roe to explain what I’d done wrong. I rapped on his door.
When Roe opened it, he rolled his eyes. “What? Did you come to tell me you bought my mother a car? News flash, Ezra, she doesn’t know how to drive.” He pushed the door to shut it in my face, but I put my shoulder to it, and after glaring at each other for a second, he relented, letting me in.
“What the hell is wrong with you? What crawled up your ass?” I dogged his heels as he walked to the kitchen. I pulled him by the shoulder to face me. “At least look at me when I talk to you.”
“Stop insinuating yourself into my family’s life. You’re buying them all these things they can’t afford and don’t need, and what’s going to happen when this farce is over and you leave?”
“Who says it has to? And I’m happy to help them. It’s not about the money.”
“It is for me.”
“Roe, it’s not a contest to see who can afford to give them what. I have more than enough. I love giving to my friends and people I care about. I’m not doing this for any other reason than I care about Nettie and your mom and want to help them through this. I’m not trying to worm my way into your family or make you feel bad. It doesn’t mean that.”
His brow creased. “Of course it does. We’re not together. This is all a charade. Once my grandmother’s memory is back, you’ll ease out of the picture. Making yourself a fourth in the family will only hurt them more.”
