“I like to fish. Need to pull the boat.” Bud opened the passenger side door.
I stepped up into the truck, sitting and enjoying the plush leather. Who could’ve known Bud liked luxury? It was too warm outside to use the heated seats, but I was tempted anyway.
“What is the plan for today?” he asked after getting inside and starting the engine.
I plucked my phone from my purse and scrolled through the calendar. “I’m working in my office until ten and then have client meetings for two hours. Then I have a lunch meeting just down the hall with Cousin Wanda.” I swiped farther up the screen. “More client meetings afterward, a brief sit-down with Clark, my law partner, and then just paperwork for the rest of the day.”
“Sounds simple,” Bud said.
“Is that doubt in your voice?” I asked.
He didn’t answer.
Fine. I quickly texted Donna and asked if she wanted to meet for coffee at my office around three. She said sure and that she’d bring the coffee, which was what I had hoped. I turned and smiled at Bud.
“What?” he asked, not looking away from the road.
“Nothing.” It was time to see if he was going to fish or cut bait. He and Donna had seemed to have a connection when they’d met, and I was tired of waiting for Bud to make a move. Or Donna to make a move. Might as well give them both a little shove. “Turn left there. Tessa is meeting us in front of the diner. She lives above it.”
Bud turned and pulled to a stop where Tessa stood with Zena in front of Smiley’s.
I opened my door. “Hi, awesome sister who loves me,” I said.
“You have got to get Nonna off my back,” Tessa burst out. “Please. I can’t take it.”
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. The whole situation had started out as my idea, and guilt heated my face. “What am I supposed to do with Nonna? She’s determined, and I think Gerty is still on board. I guess we could engineer another very public food fight, and that might make Gerty back off?”
Tessa sighed. “I don’t want to get into another food fight. What I want is to be left alone.”
“I understand,” I said. “How did the ride home go, anyway? Did you and Nick get a chance to talk?”
“Not you, too,” she whined.
Now I rolled my eyes. “Oh, stop it. You’re not a whiner. I can tell that you’re attracted to him, and he’s attracted to you, so what’s the freaking problem?”
Bud cut me a look and I ignored it.
“We’re not a good match,” Tessa said, petting Zena’s head. “Forgetting the fact that I can find my own dates, Nick and I don’t make any sense. He’s probably going to be the governor or a US Senator or something.”
“So?” I really didn’t understand her problem with that.
“So? Can you see me at a governor’s ball? Senate confirmation hearing, or whatever they have? Come on.”
I focused entirely on my sister and tightened my grip on the inside door handle. “Yes. I see you wherever you want to be. Stop being stupid.” Sometimes the gentle touch just didn’t work. “You’re one of the smartest and classiest people I’ve ever met. You belong anywhere you want.”
“I haven’t even gone to college,” she said.
“Who cares? If it matters to you, go. If not, stop worrying about it. That doesn’t mean anything and you know it.” I stretched out my ankles. How were even my ankles sore from the mattress hockey with Aiden the night before? “I mean it. If you don’t knock this off, I’m going to tell Nonna.”
She was quiet for a second and her face paled slightly. “That’s just mean, Anna.”
I chuckled. “I am mean. Honest. Now that we’re locked in for the Elk’s Holiday committee, Nonna will back off a little bit and let you breathe.” That was the good news. “However, you might as well get on board because we’re going to meet at least once a week. Why don’t you explore the idea? What did you guys talk about when he took you home?” Yeah, I was nosy.
Bud’s curiosity obviously grew because he lifted an eyebrow and leaned forward to see Tessa beyond me.
“Nothing. I mean, we talked about what pains our grandmothers were,” she said. “That’s about it.”
“He didn’t ask you out?” That was disappointing.
