“Because you want to know how he’s doing and he’s in no mood to talk about himself. He did say he’s feeling better by the day, but other than that he ignored my questions. Are he and Caroline over their fight?”
“I don’t think so. Vi, Caroline’s granddaughter, told me she’s beside herself and will probably stay in her own unit.”
“Living in the same building is bound to get awkward,” Whitney said. “Let’s hope they mend the fences enough to be okay with that. I swear, they’re as bad as high schoolers. I really miss my students. Last weekend, a group of them stopped by to visit.”
“You have a knack with teens.”
“I care about them, and they know it. Tell me more about Vi. Grandpop says you two keep poking your noses into his business.”
“That’s true. We don’t want them to get married so quickly. But they’re both so miserable we’re rethinking that. Vi’s good people. She saw you once with me when we had lunch with Grandpop one time and thought you were my wife.”
“That’s funny. I’d like to meet the woman whose grandma might marry our grandpa—if they make up.”
“I wouldn’t count on that.”
“Still, I could use the company.”
“She’s real busy at work, but I’m sure she’d be happy to stop by.” As long as she understood that Whitney had suggested it. He didn’t want her getting any ideas about a long-term relationship. “I’ll let her know.”
“Okay. Any idea when?”
He shrugged. “I’ll ask next time we talk to each other or get together. Or I’ll text her.” Enough talking about Vi. “I think I’ll stop in and see Grandpop when I leave here. When I did that last week, he was grumpy and let me know he wanted me to leave. If he doesn’t like it this time, too bad.” First, he’d get hold of Vi and let her know. Maybe they could meet there and spend more time together.
“If I wasn’t confined to bed, I’d go see him. Do he and Vi get along?”
“I don’t think they’ve seen each other since the night of the accident. He seemed to like her well enough then.”
“What about you, Blake? What do you think of her?”
Whitney stared hard at him as if trying to suss out his feelings. As close as he and his sister were, his love life was none of her business. “What kind of question is that?”
“Call me curious.”
He was more than familiar with her tenacious stare and knew she’d hound him until he answered. “The more I know her, the better I like her. Satisfied?”
“Not yet. Do you see a lot of each other?”
Not as much as he wanted to. “We’re both busy, but we get together when we can. She likes me, but I’m more interested in her than she is me.” Although last night, she’d seemed open enough. He really liked being with her, wouldn’t mind seeing her again tonight. “For now,” he added so his sister didn’t getany ideas. “I don’t know that anything will come of it. Don’t tell Grandpop.”
“I won’t. Nice that you’re interested in Vi. I never for a second thought much for Daisy. I couldn’t figure out what you saw in her.”
“Right there with ya. If she hadn’t ended things, I would’ve.”
He heard a car pull into the driveway. “James is back. I’m taking off.”
“Come see me again, okay?”
“I will. Bye-bye, niece and nephew,” he told her bulging belly. “Take good care of your mama.”
He left to go home, shower, and change out of his cycling clothes. That done, he called Vi.
She answered right away. “Hi. I was about to phone you.”
“Yeah?” He smiled at that. “I enjoyed last night.”
“Me, too,” she said with a sweetness in her voice.
Good that they were on the same wavelength. “I want to see you again.”
