“What do we do now?” I asked, my body aching from physical and emotional exhaustion.
He grabbed a tissue and blew into it. “I don’t know. But we’ll figure it out together, okay, Birdy?”
I sniffed. “Don’t call me that.”
“Make me.” Matt ruffled my hair.
I batted his hand away. “Jerk.”
“Brat.”
We both chuckled and then glanced at Nana, hoping she’d sit up and scold the both of us for acting like children. Her still figure looked so much frailer underneath the covers.
“Did you at least have a good time with Mason?” Matt asked, distracting me from my worries.
I nodded. “It was a great trip.”
“By the look of your bare left hand, I’m guessing he didn’t propose.” Matt took hold of my hand to prove his point.
I yanked it out of his grip. “Why would he?”
“That’s what everybody thinks happened. It’s why we didn’t bother you,” he explained.
Maybe that was why Flint yelled out his congratulations when I drove away from the guardhouse. And if all of Honeysuckle thought Mason was asking me to marry him, then I’d be spending the next week or so disappointing a bunch of people.
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Great. Just what I needed on top of this.”
“So, if he didn’t propose, why would Nana insist that something important would happen between the two of you?” Matt pushed.
Since there was nothing else for either one of us to do for Nana, I gave him the short version of Mason’s and my trip together. With heated cheeks, I explained the last night together.
“Big Willie’s gonna be shorthanded without the detective and me,” Matt said.
I hit his arm. “Is that what you took away from what I just told you?”
“I’m your brother. I don’t want to focus on the fact that your boyfriend, my colleague, declared his love for you. It’s just…”
“Not your business?”
“No. It’s icky.” Matt scrunched his face up like he used to when we were younger.
“Oh, grow up.” I bumped him with my shoulder. The small sense of sibling normality chased away my fears for a brief second.
My brother nudged me back. “Did you say it back to him?”
“Uh-huh,” I admitted, allowing myself to feel the joy again even for a second.
“Does he make you happy?” Matt asked in a quieter voice.
I thought about the question and my night together with Mason. Touching the pendant still resting against my skin, I smiled. “He does.”
“Then, I’m happy for you, Birdy.” My brother hugged me tight and let me go. He held Nana’s hand in his, squeezing it. “She was, too.”
“How does she always know?” I raised my hands in the air, asking the same question my brother and I had wondered all of our lives.
“She just does,” Matt sighed. “How about I take the first shift in watching over her and you go home and take a shower. You stink.” He held his nose.
I rolled my eyes. “Fine. You want me to run by the cafe and bring you back some food?”
“That’d be great. Now, go before your stench disturbs Nana.”
Flipping him the bird, I left the room. I made it halfway down the stairs before I heard Matt call my name.
“I forgot to say this. You might want to tell your lover boy when you talk to him that I don’t care if he outranks me,” Matt warned. “If he hurts you, I’ll kick his behind so hard, he won’t be able to sit again.”
“I’d like to see you try,” I challenged.
“Hey,” he said, stopping me one more time. “I’m glad we’ve got each other to get through this.”
It had been just me, Matt, and Nana against the world ever since both our parents passed away. We’d suffered enough loss. Life owed us.
Holding onto hope with everything in me, I looked up at my big brother with renewed determination. “Me, too.”
Chapter Eight
I called in an order to the Harvest Moon so I could pick it up and go back to Nana’s house. Pulling up to the curb, I cringed at the large number of customers inside I could spot through the windows. No doubt all of them knew about my grandmother’s condition and would want to offer their support while pestering me for information. The thought of cooking in Nana’s kitchen without her turned my stomach, so I pulled up my big girl panties and resigned myself to brave the masses.
The second the bells on the door jingled, all eyes turned in my direction. The buzz of conversation died to faint whispers. Swallowing hard and trying to maintain some dignity, I took a step forward towards the counter.
Henry, my business assistant and loyal friend, popped out of his seat and barked an address to the whole cafe. “Y’all stop your gawkin’. Charli accepts your well wishes for her grandmother and will pass them on to Vivian on your behalf. Now, get back to your own conversations and let her get her food in peace.”
Knowing that many of them wondered if I was engaged, I whispered the truth to Henry. He nodded once, announcing the news to everyone present, and reiterated for them to mind their business.
Stunned silence followed his defense of me, but most of them tipped their heads in respect and obeyed his orders. Relief swept through me, and I squeezed his hand in thanks. If I actually attempted to say the words, I might start blubbering, and the last thing I needed was to make a big scene an even bigger catastrophe ripe for the gossip vine.
Sassy wiped down the counter, waiting for me. Instead of her usual snarky banter with me, she offered a sympathetic grin after glancing at my naked ring finger to satisfy her curiosity. “Your order will be ready in about five minutes. It’s taking the new cook a little while to get used to the job. If you want to sit down, I can pour you a glass of sweet tea.”
I blinked with shock, not used to such politeness coming out of the fairy’s
