He sighed the same way an older brother would sigh at his annoying little sister. “I’m being a good neighbor, Francesca. You should try it sometimes.”
“It’s not my fault Janice Keegan’s ivy keeps growing into my yard. I’ve told her before to prune it before I do. I give her two weeks’ notice before I go out there. That’s more than reasonable.”
“Yeah, sounds it.”
“Shut up, Mason, or I’ll tell Matt you’re happy with your pensioner friends, and he won’t take you out next weekend.” She punched him in the arm, and I couldn’t help but smile when she winked at me.
I had their relationship down to a tee—despite sharing Maya, they really were like brother and sister. Had they been like that since they broke up, or was it something that had developed over time?
Oh, my God. Why did I care? It wasn’t like the kind of relationship they had was any of my business. It wasn’t going to affect my life. I didn’t need to know.
Yet, I did. I wanted to know. What had their romantic relationship been like to end up like this? Were they really just the kind of people who were better off as friends? Most people who broke up after a child fought all the time, but they seemed to be as close as friends could be.
God. I needed a new hobby. Something that didn’t involve being anywhere near Mason, for a start.
I sat down with them both at the island and listened as Fran told us about their trip to the Maldives. Talk quickly moved to her upcoming wedding and the issues she was having with her future mother-in-law that Matt was now apparently going to sort out.
We talked until we’d all finished our cheesecake and Maya was ready to go. Mason rounded up her things, and after a long explanation about why Dolly couldn’t go with her—Matt was allergic to dogs—she finally said goodbye, even rushing to hug me. I promised I’d give “Mrs. Jen” a hug for her when I went home, and she happily skipped out to the car with a big wave.
Fran said goodbye to us both, and Mason went outside to say goodbye to Maya properly.
I waited awkwardly in the kitchen until Fran’s car had disappeared down the road.
“So, book club,” he said. “I’m really going?”
“You said you were, didn’t you?” I raised an eyebrow. “If I go over there and tell Grandma and you don’t show up, she’s gonna come over here and drag you there.”
He blew out a long breath. “And you’re gonna do that anyway, aren’t you?”
“You bet your ass I am.”
“Fine. What time? Shall I bring Jack Daniels?”
“Seven-thirty, like I said. And if you bring Jack, I’ll beat you with the bottle. They already smuggle their contraband in like it’s the Twenties and it’s illegal.”
“You don’t let them drink?”
“I ration their drinking. Unless you’d like to supervise and then escort them to Main Street so they can flash their bloomers at everyone.”
He paused. “You know what? I think I’ll leave the alcohol here.”
I smiled. “You’re smarter than you look.”
“I take offense at that.”
“Good,” I said, walking toward the front door. “It wasn’t exactly an entire compliment.”
“You’re a pain in the ass, Imogen.”
“Yeah, well, look out for knitting needles, then.”
***
“Don’t sit there,” Lillian instructed Evelyn before she could sit on the chair I’d set up especially for Mason.
Evelyn looked down at the chair. “Why? Will it bite? I might like that.”
“Immy has a knitting needle hidden in it,” Kathleen answered, looking up from where she was tapping at her phone screen with one wrinkled finger. “She’s going to poke Mason in the ass. He’s the guy next door. He’s coming for book club.”
“I’d like to poke him in the ass,” Lillian trilled. “It’s a nice one.”
I tucked my feet beneath my butt on my corner of the sofa and smiled into my wine glass.
Mason had no idea what was heading his way this evening with these crazy old ladies, and I was going to enjoy every last second of it.
It was about time I enjoyed a book club.
“I hear you met his baby mama,” Evelyn said, sitting on the wicker chair.
“Please don’t ever use the phrase ‘baby mama’ again,” I replied. “You’re sixty years too old to even attempt to sound right using it.”
She scrunched up her nose. “It did feel a little strange to say.”
Both Lil and Kathleen nodded slowly.
“Cake!” Grandma announced, bringing in a huge chocolate cake that smelled strongly of Jack Daniels and had a giant flamingo as a decoration. “Ta-da!”
“Where the hell did you get that flamingo?” I asked, staring at it. It was at least eight inches tall and… were those LED lights? Did it light up?
“I found it in my pocketbook!”
“Your purse, Grandma.”
“No, my pocketbook.” She pointed to her purse.
“That’s a purse. It’s not a book that fits in your pocket. It’s a purse.”
“Oooh,” Grandma said, pursing her lips. “Is someone due on her period, or is she a little nervous about a certain gentleman joining us this evening?”
I glared at her. Thankfully, Mason chose that moment to knock at the door so I didn’t have to justify that stupid question with an answer at all.
All three ladies’ heads turned, and smiles that would look innocent to anyone except me spread across their faces. They greeted him with all the hustle and bustle that only a group full of grandmas could.
“Here, take a seat!” Kathleen guided him over to the chair I’d set up the knitting needle in. You couldn’t see it, but Hannah had taken the needle to the ass earlier when she’d stopped by with something for Grandma, so I knew it worked.
“Thanks.” He sank back into the seat with everyone watching him. He opened his mouth to say something, but a hissed curse escaped his lips instead.
I grinned.
“What the hell did you do?” he asked me, jumping up.
“Who said it was me?” I shot back.
“It’s always you!”
“I take offense at that.”
“Oh, Immy, we all know you stuck a knitting needle there,” Grandma said, cutting in. “Stop bickering like children. We all know it’s because you have a crush on each other.”
“Grandma!” I said at the same time Lil shouted, “Jennifer!”
“What?” Grandma asked, looking around the room. “I’m just telling the truth.”
“Ooh, goodie!” Evelyn clapped her hands. “We’re getting started on the gossip portion of the evening early.”
Kathleen plucked the knitting needle from the chair. “Ah-ha! Got it. Sit down, dear. That’s the only one there was.” She pushed Mason back into the chair so he was sitting there. “Have a wriggle, just in case.”
Mason dutifully wriggled.
“Anything in your ass? Nothing poking up it or anything?”
I bit down hard on my lower lip so I didn’t burst into laughter. Her words had gone right over everyone’s head except mine and apparently Mason’s because he was doing his best not to explode with laughter himself.