Hailey mumbled, making a frown.
Cori knew that Hailey was lonely for her friends, especially for her best friend, Susan, who she’d spent time with almost every day since they were five. Her decision to quit her job and move halfway across the country to live with Gram for a while was proving to be more of a challenge than she had anticipated, especially for Hailey. Not being able to play with Susan was really hard on her. Once they settled somewhere, Cori felt confident that Hailey would find a new best friend in no time. Till then, the two girls would have to be content to chat on Skype every night.
“I’m sorry, sweetie, I haven’t seen any children at this convention, but when we get back to Grammy’s house, we’ll make a point of getting out there and meeting some. Okay?”
“We’ll go to the Community Center and sign you up for a swimming class or gymnastics and you’ll meet lots of kids your age,” Gram said, trying to assure her.
“But I already know how to swim and I don’t like gymnastics. Don’t they have anything else?”
“As soon as we get back to my house, we’ll walk on over there and see what they offer. You can sign up for anything you want. Okay?”
“Okay,” Hailey mumbled, but Cori could tell she wasn’t the least bit excited about the prospects. All Hailey really wanted to do was go back home to be with Susan and her friends. It was up to Cori to change her mind...which wasn’t going to be easy.
Cori glanced back to see Gage as he approached. Grandma May tilted her head to get a clear view of Gage Remington as he weaved through the group to get to them. A smile creased May’s pink lips and her gray eyes lit up as he approached. “Is that your new friend heading our way?”
Cori turned and threw Gage a welcoming smile. He returned the gesture, and his entire face lit up. He was more ruggedly handsome when he smiled, if that was even possible. Cori didn’t know if her attraction to him was causing his looks to take on an Adonis flair or if he’d had those qualities from the beginning. Either way, her insides had turned to mush, watching him approach.
“Where’d you find him?” Gram asked.
“In the bar this afternoon.”
“He’s a real looker. Is he your boyfriend?”
“I just met him. How could he be my boyfriend?”
“It took your grandpa and me about ten minutes to know we were in love. What’s taking you so long?”
“Love is something that grows with time.” Cori was thinking about Jeremy, her deceased husband. They had known each other for three years before they’d started dating, then another two before they were married, each wanting to be sure marriage was the right move.
“In my day, as soon as you met someone you knew in that instant whether or not you were in love. I think it has to do with smell. Either you like the way he smells or you don’t. What’s he smell like?”
“I don’t know.”
“Sure you do, or he wouldn’t be heading our way.”
Cori thought about it for a moment and remembered how she had caught a citrusy cinnamon scent when they were in the lobby. That couldn’t have been from Gage. Way too sweet to come from a man. Men were more musky, more driftwood and cedar, not lemons and cookies.
“He has no particular scent.”
“Hogwash! And why didn’t you warn me we would be sitting with your new boyfriend? I would’ve worn my red lipstick. I look younger with red lips. You don’t want him to think your grandmother’s old, do you?”
Cori wanted to tell her the truth: you are old, Gram, but she knew better.
“Gram, he’s just a friend.”
Grandma May’s demeanor suddenly changed for the worse as she stared past Gage toward the group standing at the end of the buffet line. “Darn. He’s back.”
“Who?”
“That old coot, Buck Remington. I thought for sure with what happened earlier he’d be out for the entire conference. He’s already back, thinking up ways to aggravate me, I’m sure. Couldn’t you have insisted they keep him at the hospital for at least twenty-four hours?”
“No, Gram. He’s fine. Nothing that a good meal can’t fix. And what do you mean by ‘old coot?’ Buck’s a sweetheart.”
Cori knew what low blood sugar could do to a person’s personality, and Buck was certainly a prime example. Low blood sugar could change his mood, blur his vision, make it difficult for him to concentrate or make a decision, and cause him to be suddenly excessively hungry. If it ever became severe, like it already had, he would faint, or worse, he could slip into a coma.
“Please don’t mention his name in my presence, Corina-May. The man has caused me nothing but grief since the very first moment we met. He’s a thorn in my side, and I want nothing to do with him. Ever.”
Gage angled up beside Cori, sticking out his hand for Grandma May. “You must be Cori’s grandmother. It’s so very nice to meet you.”
May took his hand in hers, her eyes twinkling with delight, but Cori knew this wouldn’t go well once she learned his last name, so she interrupted the name exchange. “Gage, this is my grandmother, May. Gram, this is Gage.”
She purposely left out last names, trying her best to avoid a confrontation.
“Nice to meet you, Gage,” her grandmother said, a warm smile as big as pie on her friendly face.
“And this is my daughter, Hailey.”
Hailey politely stuck out her hand, Gage took it, but Cori could tell he seemed somewhat confused.
“Very nice to meet you,” Hailey told him giving him a firm handshake, pumping his hand twice then letting go. Hailey liked to shake hands with the people her mom and grandmother introduced her to. She thought it made her look more grown-up. Cori didn’t know if anyone thought she looked more grown-up, but they certainly remembered the little girl who shook their hand.
“And you, as well.” He turned to Cori bringing his voice down low under the din of the voices in the room. “But I thought you were...”
“Single? I am,” she whispered. “My husband passed away several years ago.”
“I’m so sorry.” His face turned solemn, as if he was truly saddened by her loss. Cori appreciated his sympathy, but there were other more pressing issues to be dealt with.“Thanks. We need to talk,” Cori said under her breath.
“Where are we moving to?” Gram asked, grabbing her purse off the extra chair.
“Give us a minute,” Cori told her, as she caught the glare on Buck’s face as he stared over at May, then back at Cori. And in that instant, the situation must have registered and he called out to Gage.
Gage held up a finger, asking him to wait. Buck wanted no part of waiting. He headed straight for his grandson, his scowl growing with each step. Apparently, the animosity that had poured from Grandma May was mutual.
“I think we have a grandparent problem,” Cori told Gage as her grandmother finally caught on to the situation. She immediately plopped right back down in her chair, folded her arms across her chest and waited for Buck to approach.
“What kind of grandparent problem?”
“The kind that means we won’t be sharing a meal tonight or most likely any night during this conference if they have their way.”
“Why not? Did I say something wrong?”
“It has nothing to do with you. I think...”
Buck interrupted. “Son, if you want to keep me as your grandfather and not have me disown you completely, you’ll step away from that there table.”
He turned