“Did you make it?”

She nodded once. “Don’t think I’m doing this because you brought me home. I’m actually not happy about that at all.” She winked again. “But I am trying to bribe you into the bookshelf.”

“Duly noted, ma’am.” I grinned. “I’ll bring this back tomorrow for you.”

She tapped the side of her nose with an exaggerated smile and shut the door in my face.

Of course.

That woman was an enigma.

CHAPTER TWELVE – HANNAH

The Night Before The Morning After

“No, Lil. If you leave your house tonight, I’m going to lose my mind.”

The leather pants clad pensioner got out of my car with a sigh. “You used to be fun. What happened to you? Is it that British boy? He’s a cutie.”

“Goodnight, Lil,” I drawled. “I’ll see you soon.”

“Ooh, do you know if my paint is in the store yet?”

“Being delivered before noon. Come in in the afternoon for it.” I smiled. Despite the fact my grandmother and all her friends drove me crazy, I had a soft spot for Lil. She was a little crazy and a little wild, but she had the best stories known to mankind.

I wasn’t sure they were all true, but it sure was fun hearing about them.

That said, I’d had my fill for tonight.

Lil was my last drop-off, and I was glad to turn off the radio and dial Immy’s number for the call to connect through Bluetooth before I pulled away.

“Hey, what’s up?” she answered.

“Did Mason tell you that the book club crashed the sports bar?”

“Mmm,” she replied. “Hold on, let me put you on speaker. I’m sorting the canvases.” Crashes and clunks and an “oh, shit!” came down the line before there was a moment of silence. “Sorry about that. The canvases are rioting.”

“Why? Have they gone all Toy Story on you?”

“May as well have. Did the book club behave themselves?”

“Only because we were there!” Mason yelled from somewhere on the other side.

“Basically,” I replied, hitting the blinker before I made a turn. “How did they even get to the bar?”

Immy sighed. “They asked me to take them to Bingo before I came here, and I said sure, I’d pick them up when the night was over at nine. I guess they played a round and went to the bar after.”

“Yeah, but how? There’s no way they walked.”

“Called a cab, I guess. I don’t know. I’ll speak to Johnny and make sure his guys know to call me if Grandma calls and wants to go to a bar again.”

“Not a bad idea.”

“Where is Grandma, anyway? Did you drop her off already?”

“No, Isaac took her.” I turned onto my street. “She clamped onto him like a limpet and that was the end of that.”

“Sounds about right. I bet she’s bullied him into putting up the bookshelf I won’t go and take her to buy.”

“Probably. Hey, he’s sitting on my porch. Give me a minute and I’ll—he’s eating Grandma’s cake.” I sighed and rolled down my window. “Is that Grandma’s?” I called.