“Well, it’s only seven a.m. in Huckleberry Hill.”
“Why are you in Huckleberry Hill?” he asked in surprise. “The baby shower for Hadley and Salem isn’t for another week at least, right?”
I smiled even though he couldn’t see me. “Yes, you’re right.”
“Then why?—”
“I quit my job,” I blurted out.
“You quit your job?” he repeated slowly.
“Yes. Almost a week ago. I just couldn’t do it anymore.”
He was silent for a moment and then he said, “I’m buying you a ticket.”
“A ticket for what?”
“To come to England,” he said. “After the baby shower. You’ll come to England, and you can be on sabbatical with me.”
My heart melted in my chest. “You’d do that?”
“Of course. I miss you, sweet pea. And now that you don’t have that anchor of a job weighing you down, you can finally travel with me. We can go to Italy, if you want. See Bard’s band play.”
It was an incredible offer. Gallivanting around Europe with my grandfather for several months . . .
Why would I say no?
A key entered the lock of my front door, and I sat up, phone to my ear as the door handle turned.
And then Brooks walked in with a to-go coffee cup and a Sweet Teeth bakery bag.
“Poet?” Grampy asked. “You still there?”
“Yeah, I’m here,” I said, not taking my eyes off Brooks, who’d come to a stop when he realized I was awake.
“Think about it, yeah?”
“Yeah,” I murmured. “I’ll think about it.”
He paused for a moment and then said, “They’d love to see you, too.”
“Right.” I sighed. “Okay, well, I love you and I’ll talk to you later.”
“Bye, sweet pea.”
I hung up with my grandfather and set my phone aside. Brooks closed the door behind him.
“Who was that?” Brooks asked.
I ran a hand down my face. “My grandfather.”
“Oh?”
“I told him I quit my job, and that I’m in Huckleberry Hill. He was a lot less shocked than I expected him to be.”
I was suddenly aware that Brooks was dressed in a cowboy hat, jeans and boots, and I had bed head, morning breath, and probably looked like a swamp creature.
I reached for my glasses, and his fuzzy outline became crystal clear. I scrambled out of bed and all but ran to the bathroom.
