“Was last night too terrible?” Emma asked, gauging Harriet’s face.
Harriet’s responding smile was genuine. “I had a great time. Elton was just spot on as the mayor, and we had a chance to talk about so many things.”
Wow, she’d brought up Elton without even being prompted. Emma couldn’t help the excitement building within. “Would you want him to call you? Hypothetically speaking, of course.”
Harriet shrugged. “Well, I wouldn’t say no to a date.” She smiled and picked up a drying towel. “But don’t you be telling him that now, you hear?”
Emma raised her soapy hands in surrender. “I have not said a word to him. However, I could maybe text him this week and ask if he can return the gardening shears he borrowed. You’ll be home, you two could chat at the door…”
Harriet giggled. “Okay, deal. I think that’s subtle enough. I took your advice and finally called Mama, and I told her all about Martin, and you, and Granddad, and Elton. She thinks I should stay and build my life here.”
“It sounds like wise advice.” Emma checked the time and quickly dried off her hands. “I have to go. Don’t feel like you need to finish all this up. Just enjoy your day with Granddad.”
He came shuffling into the kitchen right on cue. “Quite the racket you were making in here, Emma. You could wake the dead.”
Emma took off her apron and kissed his cheek. “Good morning to you, too. I’ll see you this afternoon.”
She left the house with a much lighter heart. Things were moving slowly but promisingly between Harriet and Elton, as they should be. All that worry on George’s part was for nothing. She couldn’t even tell him, because that would be gloating, and he’d probably lecture her for that as well.
***
Jane and Lois were staying late at the office to cross-train on billing, and George was happy to leave a little early and let Dr. Perry referee that. It gave him an opportunity to stop in and check on Betty and Mrs. Bates without breaching the coworker-only agreement he and Jane had tentatively worked out.
Mainly, he wanted to make sure he and Emma hadn’t damaged Betty’s self-confidence with their stupid fight. Someone with so little to her name didn’t deserve to lose her cheerful outlook on life, too.
Betty answered the door right away. “Oh, George. I’m glad I caught you. Jane and I tried our hand at baking yesterday and we’re just overflowing with pumpkin bread. Do you like pumpkin things?”
“I love pumpkin.”
Betty ushered him inside and over to their little kitchen counter, all the while talking about roasted pumpkin seeds, and her baking adventures, and how the grocery store was selling cans of pumpkin for seventy-five cents.
“Seventy-five cents!” Betty threw her hands into the air. “Can you imagine that? It’s like they’re giving it away.”
George stealthily turned a can around and checked the date on it. Giving it away, indeed. But all was well for another six months. He almost hated to bring up Emma’s dinner since Betty was completely distracted with happy thoughts of pumpkin sales. “So, you got home okay after the party?”
“Of course. I had a feeling you and Emma had some things to work out, and without an interfering audience like myself.” She looked ashamed, as if it was her fault she’d overheard them.
“You weren’t interfering, you were trying to herd us back to the party, where we should have been.” He tapped the Formica countertop. “There were a lot of things wrong with that night, and none of them were your fault.”
“I’m not used to all these young people and their dramas. Everywhere I turn someone’s fighting or kissing, or both. I thought that only happened in soap operas.”
“Kissing?” Was she referring to the party? Did she think he and Emma… or was she referring to someone else?
Betty raised an eyebrow. “I went to check on Jane before I went to bed that night. She and Finn stayed up late talking on the porch, and I walked out on them in full embrace. You won’t tell her I said anything, will you?”
“Of course not.” George wished he hadn’t asked her to elaborate. Was that before or after Jane had called to apologize? No, it was better not to know.
“She was so embarrassed, though I’m not sure why. It’s not like I’ve never seen kissing before. I mean, Jane and I watch that showCooking with Strangerstogether. It’s amazing they get any cooking done with all the romance and nonsense.”
George laughed. “Emma likes that show, too.”
“It’s a bit fluffy, but it’s entertainment.”
Betty didn’t need to play a character, she was quite the character all by herself.
He looked in on Mrs. Bates, who opened her eyes and chatted with him for a few minutes before dozing off again.
Taking his pumpkin bread gift, he said goodbye to Betty and went home.
