Midlife Baby (Small Town Lovers)

She looked at me again with wide eyes and I shrugged. “We talk,” I said again.

Resigned to the fact that there were no secrets between me and my Mama, Margot took the seat and nodded. “They told me that in here,” she pointed at her belly. “Is two babies when I was expecting just one baby.”

It took a moment for Mama to catch up, but when she gasped and smacked both hands over her mouth, I knew what was coming next. An excited whoop. “Twins! That is wonderful y’all, just wonderful!”

Margot is surprised. “You don’t think I’m too old?”

Mama waved a dismissive hand at the question. “That’s for the Lord to decide, and he gave you two babies instead of one, so clearly he doesn’t think you’re up to the task, and that’s what matters.” Mama gave her a sympathetic pat. “You have two babies to worry about Margot, so unless you’re prancing around town in denim mini-skirts and tube tops, stop worrying about your age because it ain’t gonna change. No matter how hard you try, and we all try.”

“Thank you for that Claire. I can see where Grady’s gets his gift for giving advice.”

Mama threw her head back and laughed. “Buttering me up already. I like her Grady.”

That was good to hear, because I was starting to like Margot too. A lot more than I thought was possible.

“Now that introductions are done, how about we go get some breakfast?”

Margot froze and I knew we were still a long way away from being okay.

Chapter 21

Margot

“I guess we know the father’s identity now.” A snide female voice sounded behind me on the street but I kept moving forward, refusing to let her words get to me.

Another sicker sounded. “I certainly wouldn’t be keeping that hunk of man a secret.”

“Right? Like she’s so much better than him. Probably catfished him or something.”

The women howled with laughter and unlike typical Carson Creek gossip, this was mean spirited and borderline cruel. I walked a little faster to get out of earshot of the vultures I suspected were talking loud enough for me to hear on purpose. Apparently I couldn’t move fast enough to get away from the gossip hounds.

“You two ought to be ashamed of yourselves, gossiping like this just because you can’t land a man of your own. Maybe if you worked on being as pretty on the inside as you are on the outside you could catch a man like Grady.” Claire gave the women a dismissive snort and called out to me. “Wait up, girl. These legs aren’t as young as they used to be.”

I stopped and turned to Grady’s mom with a smile. “Claire, this is a nice surprise.”

"Would’ve been if not for those clowns.” She shook her head and sent another glare at the women who had slowed down considerably, probably to avoid another run-in with my self-appointed bodyguard. “Get on out of here before I tell you what I really think.”

At Claire’s words they turned abruptly and did everything but run away in their four-inch heels.

She laughed and looped her arm through mine. “Come on. I came into town hoping to buy you lunch.”

“Oh you don’t have to do that,” I told her, half afraid of what she might say to me in Grady’s absence.

“I know I don’t have to but I want to get to know you and I’ve already made a reservation at Dark Horse. Grady says its owned by some big shot music man.”

I nodded. “Yes and his wife runs the place. They have excellent food.” I was about to suggest that she and Grady go there together but Claire was a force of nature.

“Perfect. You can drive and I’ll pay. Where did you park?”

Knowing there was nothing I could do to stop Hurricane Claire, I pointed in the direction where my car was parked and with a resigned sigh made my way over. “This is me.”

“Classic and classy,” Claire hummed. “Exactly you.”

I flashed a half-smile. “Thanks. I think.”

We drove in silence for a couple of minutes which is about how long it took to get to Dark Horse this time of day. As soon as the car was parked, Claire spoke. “You’ve been avoiding Grady. Or me. Maybe both of us?”

She was one of the most direct women I had ever encountered yet still I was surprised by her question. “Perhaps,” I said vaguely. I wanted to wait until we were seated with at least a modicum of privacy for this conversation. I had been avoiding Grady but only because of the gossip. He’d never strayed too far from my mind even though I couldn’t see him, which was as frustrating sexually as it was annoying.

Devon greeted us with a wide smile. “Good afternoon ladies. Table for two?”

“Yep, I made a reservation,” Claire announced. “Claire McGraw.”