“What’s all this?”Maya stood in the doorway, a box from the bakery down the street in her hands, an angry scowl on her face.Even irritated, she was stunning.Still, this wasn’t quite the reaction I’d been hoping for.
“Oh, Maya, dear.You’ve met Liam, haven’t you?”
Maya’s face softened as she smiled kindly at Nana.“Yes, Nana.I’ve met Liam.”She shifted her focus to me.“I was asking about the pizza.What about the casserole we prepared last night?Weren’t we having that for dinner?”
Maya pulled up a chair, shooting me a look I couldn’t quite decipher as she slid the bakery box onto the table.She was trying to tell me something, but I couldn’t for the life of me figure it out.Was it about the pizza?
“I thought it would be a nice surprise to bring pizza for dinner.Or don’t you like Tony’s?”I paused, concerned.I might have to rethink my growing attraction if she didn’t like Tony’s.Some things a man could not overlook.
“Of course I like Tony’s.You can’t trust people who don’t like Tony’s.”She huffed before directing another pointed glance at me.“But Nana and I eat casserole on book club days.It’s part of her routine.”
Okay, she was definitely hinting at something.I wish she’d come right out and say it, though, because I was lost.She liked pizza, so what was the problem?The casserole wasn’t about to get up and walk away.
“Well, I think we can dispense with the routine this one time, don’t you, Nana?”
Nana nodded, making a noise that could be construed as a yes.In reality, it was hard to tell what she said with her mouth full of pizza, but the closed-mouth grin she gave me was all the confirmation I needed.
“See?”I grabbed a slice and tossed Maya a wink.“Spontaneous pizza parties are always a good thing.”
Maya leaned forward, tipping her chair to reach for a slice.“Let’s hope so,” she muttered before taking a massive bite.
Let’s hope so?What did she mean by that?
“That’s it.I fold, I’m done, I’m out.”I flung my cards onto the table and crossed my arms.“I never thought I’d see the day when my own grandmother hustled me.”
Nana and Maya both laughed and dropped their cards.Maya gathered them and put them back in their box.
“She’s not cheating,” Maya said with a laugh.“She’s really that good.And no matter how gorgeous your eyes are, they’re really easy to read.”
I snorted.“Nah.I know when something suspicious is going on.Nobody has that many good hands in a row.But please tell me more about how gorgeous my eyes are.”I folded my hands under my chin and batted my eyelashes, making her huff a laugh.
“I’m not the one you need to watch out for around here,” Nana said with a grin.“That damn Alexander Allen is the dirtiest cheat I ever met.I’m surprised he didn’t try to weasel in on our game.He can smell a sucker from a mile away.”She glanced around.“Where is that old bastard anyway?He normally joins us for poker.”
Maya’s face fell.“Oh, Nana,” she said, her voice soft.She rested a hand on Nana’s shoulder.“Mr.Allen passed away last month.”
Nana blinked, confusion blanketing her features.“Oh.Oh, yes.That’s right.”
Maya stood and wrapped Nana in a hug.“Why don’t we get you ready for bed?Can you believe how late it is already?”
“‘Night, Nana.”I kissed her cheek, confused at this turn of events but trusting Maya knew what she was doing.“I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”
She patted my face and smiled weakly before shuffling to the bathroom, her slippered feet scuffing against the floor the whole way.She was so subdued compared to how animated she’d been a few minutes before.I was missing something, but what?Was something going on with Nana?Whatever it was, I bet Maya knew.
When Maya joined me in the living room moments later, her shoulders slumped under the weight of something I didn’t understand, no matter how desperately I wanted to.Without another word, she grabbed her coat and walked out of the apartment.
“Hey, wait up.”I jogged after her.I needed to know what had happened with Nana, and I was pretty sure Maya had the answers.“Can we talk?”I stopped her at her door.
She glanced back at me, rolling her eyes.“We should talk.But it’s late, and I’m exhausted.Come to the shop tomorrow.We can talk then.”She hustled inside, shutting the door before I could do much more than nod.“And lock up on your way out,” she yelled through the closed door.“See you tomorrow.”
Tomorrow couldn’t come soon enough.
“Well, look who the cat dragged in.”Sierra greeted me as I walked into the bookstore first thing in the morning.She leaned back, elbows on the counter, sipping some kind of iced coffee monstrosity that she raised in greeting.“I didn’t think you’d have the guts to come back after that book club meeting yesterday.”
“You’re evil, you know that?”I shook my finger at her.“I can’t believe you didn’t warn me Nana would be here.You told me about the alien porn.How much harder would it have been for you to give me a heads-up about Nana?”
Her face scrunched up, and she shook her head.“The thing about that is, if I’d told you, none of us would have gotten to enjoy the way your face distorted in horror every time she spoke.”She straightened.“It was hilarious, for your information.I did not know faces could get that red.”
“Ha, ha.Hilarious.”I glanced around.“Is Maya here?”
