“Stalled,” I griped. “Bad pun intended.”
“You know I enjoy bad puns.”
I chuckled. “I haven’t had time to go look for another one. Fortunately, I don’t leave the valley much, except to visit Grundy. I can run there, so it’s not a huge deal.”
“Yes, I know,” he said quietly. “I saw your aunt Billie earlier. She seems to be having a good day. She was playing Legos with Paul and Ronnie.”
“She thought they were Eli and Cooper, didn’t she?” I asked.
“Probably,” he said, nodding. “But she was happy and smiling. And at this point, we should be grateful she can have days like that. Alicia told me to thank you again for sending the aunties over to help at night while she bathes the boys and gets them to bed. She says it’s been a big help.”
I shrugged. “That’s why we’re here. Nobody should have to shoulder all that responsibility alone.” Pops smirked at me. “Oh, hush,” I told him. “We’re not talking about me.”
“Alicia also mentioned that you went on a date with her brother the other night.”
“Are we going to braid each other’s hair now, Pops?” He gave me the stink-eye in response, so I sighed and said, “I went out on a date with Clay. And it was fine.”
“And you’re making it sound like a trip to the dentist’s office.”
“Why does everyone want to talk about my personal life all of a sudden?” I grumped, jumping and inspecting a wrench on the other side of the room. “Have you talked to any of those curious souls about your personal life?” he asked. I shook my head. “Are you likely to?” I laughed and shook my head again. He held out his hands and waved his fingers, as if to say, “Bring it on.”
I sighed. “I like Clay. On paper, he is the perfect mate for me.”
Pops nodded. “Clay is a good boy. He’s kind, he thinks before he acts, he takes care of his family—”
“Do you want to date him, Pops?”
Pops frowned. “We should have never encouraged you to speak. So, if Clay has balanced your pros-and-cons list, why aren’t you out there running with him, instead of hiding in this shed?” He smiled at me, triumphant. I never have been able to fool Pops.
I picked at the engine grease under my fingernails. “There’s another man who seems interested in me. And he confuses me, mostly, but I like him, too . . . almost against my will. And I can’t do anything about it.”
“Dr. Thatcher?” he asked, grimacing. “You know, Maggie, there’s nothing wrong with you dating a human. It’s mating with one that’s the problem.”
“Why put the energy into dating someone if you can’t mate with them?”
“The fun of it?” he suggested
“Obviously, it’s been a while since you’ve dated, Pops.”
“I do all right.”
“Ew.”
“You know that we want you to be happy, Maggie.”
“Yeah, but when has telling someone to do what makes them happy ever resulted in a good decision? Remember when we told cousin Todd to do what made him happy and he came home with recently augmented boobs?”
Pops gave me a stern look but was working hard to keep the snickering internal. “As I was saying, we want you to be happy. But you also have to think of what’s best for the pack,” he said. “Do you know why you’re the alpha?”
“Because I got more votes than Samson?”
Pops chuckled. “Because you see underneath. You cut through the layers of . . .”
“Bullshit?”
“I was going to say politeness,” he deadpanned. “And say what you think. It’s an undervalued quality for humans, especially in a woman. But after the initial sting, people appreciate hearing the truth.”
“I have a feeling I’m about to get hit with some of that truth,” I muttered.