Meanwhile, Harry was in total flirt mode—wide smile, freshly combed hair, animated talking. Babushka was eating it up, which didn’t bode well for poor Morty.
“You wanna see the room where we’re hosting the prom?” Heather whispered to Jase.
“Will we be alone, and does it smell like mothballs?” His breath played against her ear.
She turned so they were nose to nose. “Yes and no.”
“Then I’m in.” He unlinked their hands and laid his palm on his grandmother’s shoulder. “Heather’s going to go show me some stuff. We’ll catch up.”
“Yes, yes. I’m good.” Babushka brushed off his hand and linked her arm with Harry’s outstretched elbow.
“I’m starting to think this retirement home might not be the best place for her.” Jase glared in Harry’s direction.
“It’s this or Morty’s.”
Jase sighed heavily. “So, this place is looking better and better.”
“C’mon. I’ll show you.” Heather pulled him toward the large rec room with a bank of windows along one wall that led out to a concrete patio with potted plants and benches. An abundance of white-plastic folding tables lined one wall next to a rack of metal chairs. They would set those up with tablecloths for the dance—given that the attendees likely wouldn’t be able to stand for long periods. “I figured we’d put the DJ over there, and the dance floor here, and then snacks and punch right next to the door.”
He took it all in. “You really like doing this stuff, don’t you?”
“Well…yeah.” She did. It gave her something to do and it made people happy. “I’ve got a little dance lesson planned, too. You wanna be my partner?”
“I’m in. Name the day.” He pointed toward the patio. “What about an arch of flowers covering the doorway, and I can bring in some trellises and hang vines. We’ll do it up with lots of flowers.”
“That sounds expensive.”
“We’ll call it a write-off.”
He would do that? Her chest heaved. In a good way. “Still. Maybe stick with carnations?”
Jase made a sour face. “I run a classy shop. We don’t even let carnations in the door.”
“And you don’t mind doing this?” Heather gestured wide.
He tilted her chin up with his index finger. “I’d sell my left nut to have you look at me again the way you just did.”
She leaned up on her tippy-toes and pressed a kiss to the edge of his mouth. “I like your nuts where they are, thank you.”
He moved toward the windows, inspecting the walls around them. “Anything else you want for this thing? I’ll have Elizabeth put together some corsages, and we can bring some single long-stemmed roses.”
“I’m starting to rethink my stance on flowers.” When it was just the two of them, it felt like no one else in the world existed.
He winked at her. “Then my plan is working.”
“Vat are ve doing?” Babushka breezed into the rec room.
“Jase and I…” Heather glanced to him. “We’re…”
And just like that, when another person showed up, she turned into a stammering mess.
“Heather’s planning a prom for the residents here. I’m helping.” Jase strode back, his hand caught hers, and he pulled her into his side.
“I vill live here. I have decided.” Babushka clapped her hands, and apparently, that was that. “I vill start paperwork.” She headed toward the offices at the front of the building.
Jase hadn’t moved his arm, it was still slung around Heather, nestling her against his side.
“Are you good with this?” Heather asked, looking up at him from under her lashes. “Your grandmother living here?”
