I unfold the simple sheet of white paper and read the printed words. I reread it, before I slip the paper back into the envelope and drop it in the bottom drawer of my desk.
Chapter 27
Bella
“Are you working hard to earn all that extra money Mr. Garent is throwing at you?” Max glances over to where Marti is standing next to a table occupied by six people. All of them have heaping bowls of spaghetti and meatballs in front of them. “Your grandma is beautiful. You see it, right?”
She’s breathtaking.
Her face is heart-shaped with blue eyes that mirror my own. Each fine line on her face is a testament to a life lived with tender love and caring concern.
I sigh. “I hope when I’m her age I look that good.”
“Don’t count on it,” Max quips with a wink. “You’re looking good today though. That dress is cute.”
“Stripes suit me.” I laugh. “We’re twins.”
He tugs on the front of the blue and white striped button-down he’s wearing. “This is one of my favorite shirts because my favorite girl bought it for me.”
It wasn’t me, so I stick out my tongue.
“My mom, Bella.” He laughs. “She still likes buying me clothes. What am I supposed to do about that?”
“Enjoy it.” I smile. “Your mom knows what you like. If my mom bought me clothes, I’d look like a grandma.”
“And that would be a bad thing?” Marti asks as she nears our table. “You’re talking about me again, Dolly, aren’t you?”
“Dolly always talks about you,” Max says with a straight face. “I was just asking her about her work.”
My grandma skims her palm over my cheek. “Work is work. You leave it at the office, and then you live life. You’re living life, aren’t you?”
I glance up at her with a smile. “Every day.”
A tear wells in the corner of her eye. “You’re my treasure. You know that sweetheart, don’t you?”
“I know. I always know,” I whisper.
She shakes off the moment with a brush of her hand over her forehead. “Your dad was here today. He fixed the loose tile on the floor in the kitchen.”
My dad loves helping his mom whenever he gets the chance. He’ll help anyone who needs it.
“You should meet him here for lunch one day,” she suggests with a pop of her eyebrows. “I’ll make linguine wi
th clam sauce. You can invite the people you work with.”
“And me,” Max adds. “I’m all for having lunch with Bella’s new boss.”
“The new boss too,” Marti says as she turns to walk toward the door of the restaurant to greet a group of people who just arrived. “You tell me when. I’ll cook and tidy the place.”
Never.
Barrett doesn’t strike me as the type of man who wants to sit down for a meal with someone else’s family. I’ve never heard him mention his own family other than his dad.
“I’m ready to go if you are,” Max announces with a push back of his chair. “I’m going to hide some money under the napkin to cover our meals.”
“Marti will never talk to you again.” I laugh. “Bring her some peonies tomorrow. She’ll love you forever if you do that.”
“Done.” He reaches a hand to help me up from my chair. “I do want to meet the new boss. If we’re not going to do lunch with him here, at least invite me to the office when he’s around.”