“Actually, I go by Charlie.”
“Charlie? Isn’t that a boy’s name?”
“I just think Charlotte sounds kind of weak. And I’m not a weak person.”
“Hmmm, and I’m betting you like to compete with boys a lot.”
“I don’t compete with ‘em… I beat ‘em.”
“Ha! That’s my girl. I would’ve been just like you in my day, if I’d had the opportunity.”
Anne pictured Gram as a modern day twenty-one-year-old, and laughed. She knew Gram’s small size would never have prevented her from being a daunting adversary.
“Thanks, Gram. I hope I turn out just like you when I’m a grandmother.”
“What do you do, Charlie?”
“I teach ski lessons in the winter and lead rafting and climbing trips in the summer.”
“That sounds like fun. Plenty of time to settle down. Not like me. My Samuel swept me off my feet when I was sixteen.”
“Wow, you got married at sixteen?”
“Yes, and I had my son, Steven’s father, when I was nineteen.”
“Our family’s small.” Emily rejoined the group. “Mom and Dad were ‘only children’ and we’ve lost all our grandparents except for Mom’s father. I think maybe that’s why we’re so close. We’re all we’ve got.”
“And the Best name is dying out now, since we had two girls,” Anne added.
“I don’t know. I might just keep my maiden name. I can’t imagine a guy that I’d be willing to give up my name for,” said Charlie.
“Any guy that manages to catch you, with the fight you’ll put up, deserves to have you take his name.” Emily chuckled at her sister’s feigned indignation.
“Ha-ha, sister. The poor guys can’t even get you to pay attention to them. At least I look at them, over my shoulder, as I leave ‘em in the dust.”
“It looks like you’ve got plenty of work to do after we get Steven married,” said Gram.
This broke everyone up, and they were still laughing when a butler came to announce dinner.
The dining room was so expansive it held three, long rectangular tables. Their dinner was set up on one of the tables. As they took their places at the table, Anne noticed a fifth place setting.
“Dinner is served,” said a familiar voice.
Steven Gherring appeared, wearing an apron and carrying a soup tureen.
“You cooked dinner?” Her heart gave a leap of joy at his presence, despite all her self-warnings.
Gram answered. “Steven is a fantastic chef. And we don’t keep a cook on staff since I’m seldom here anymore.”
“What’s for dinner?” asked Charlie.
Gherring smiled. “The first course is lobster bisque.” He set the soup down and headed back to the kitchen.
“You’re not eating with us?” asked Anne. She kicked herself for sounding so eager.
“I’ll be back in a second. I just need to turn the burner down to simmer.”
When the kitchen door closed behind him, Anne turned to Gram. “When are we going to work on our plan? I didn’t know Mr. Gherring would be here.”