I love your hair.” Gabriel reached up and fingered one of Serenity’s newly done braids. “I didn’t know hairstylists made house visits.” He’d arrived home as the woman was leaving, and he couldn’t resist coming over.

“She usually doesn’t, but because I rarely have a day off during the week and her Saturdays are always booked solid for weeks in advance, she made an exception. I threw in lunch, so…” Serenity shrugged.

“The food would’ve gotten me, too. Does everyone in town know how well you cook?”

She shook her head. “They know I bake, but that’s about it. A couple of years ago, I contributed three cakes for the Fourth of July celebration fundraiser. Before the evening ended, the women in charge asked me to do it again. Speaking of the Fourth, you should plan to join the festivities.”

“I just may do that. Oh, I wanted to give you my number in case you needed something.”

“Funny, I thought about the same thing. I told Andrea I’d be available to help you and totally dropped the ball. Let me run inside and get my phone. Or better yet, you can just come in.”

Gabriel debated for a few seconds. “I should probably wait out here. Nana’s on her way over, and I don’t want to miss her.”

Serenity smiled. “Good thinking. I don’t want to get in trouble with Ms. Della.”

His eyes were glued to her shapely backside in her snug shorts as she walked away. The woman looked good from every angle. The sound of a car approaching caught his attention, and he saw his grandmother park in front of his house. Pushing away from the porch column, he went to meet her. “Hey, Nana,” he said, opening her car door and helping her out.

“Hi, honey.” She wrapped him up in a hug. “You waiting for Serenity?”

“Yes. She went inside to get something.” Gabriel didn’t think she needed to know they were exchanging phone numbers.

“Good. Flora sent her a box. Can you get it out of the back seat?”

He went around to the passenger side and retrieved a box of fresh vegetables and fruit twice the size of the one the woman had packed for Nana.

“I told her Serenity would put it to good use.” Nana closed the door and followed him over to where Serenity was just coming out of the house. “Hey, Serenity.”

“Hi, Ms. Della. We missed you at dinner last week. How was the wine train?” The women embraced.

“We had such a good time. You really need to go.”

“I keep saying I will, but I haven’t gotten around to it.”