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We? I glance over at Leia who’s scowling at us. She doesn’t appear to have missed me the way I missed her.
I kiss Isla’s cheek before setting her on the ground. I meet Leia’s gaze as I say, “I missed you both, too.”
Her scowl deepens. And I’m supposed to be the grumpy one.
“Come on, Isla. Fender has better things to do than hang out with us.”
“No, I don’t.”
Leia opens her mouth but before she can give me a piece of her mind – and there’s no doubt she’s ready to give it to me – Sage hollers her name from across the street.
Leia glances toward the heavens. “You have got to be kidding me.”
“How is our little girl today?” Feather asks as she approaches with the rest of the gossip gals trailing behind her. Except Sage, of course. She’s vying with Feather to be at the front of the group. These ladies crack me up.
“Do you want to play carnival games with us?” Petal asks Isla.
“Carnival games?” Isla asks.
“Darts, ring toss, those kinds of things,” Clove explains.
“We even have a whack-a-mole, except the mole is an oil rig,” Cayenne says.
Isla tugs on Leia’s sleeve. “Can I, Mom? Can I?”
Leia sighs. “Let me give you some money.”
She reaches into her pocket but Sage stops her. “It’s on us.”
Feather holds out her hand. “Come on, Isla.”
Isla grabs her hand and with a wave, she’s gone.
“I should have known,” Leia mutters as the gossip gals lead her daughter away.
“Known what?” I ask, although I don’t think she intended for me to hear her.
She throws her arms in the air. “Apparently the gossip gals are matchmakers and guess who they’ve ‘matched’ me with?”
My brow wrinkles. What the hell? The gossip gals are matching Leia? “Who?”
She points to me. “You, grumpystiltskin.”
I cough to hide my amusement at the situation. This is what the gossip gals are up to? Matching me with Leia? This is the best news I’ve heard in a while.
“Hmmm….” I pretend to consider the matter. “Maybe we should go out on a date.”
She fast blinks. “What? Did you not understand what I said?”
Oh, I understood her. And I’m taking full advantage of the situation. This is the perfect opportunity to initiate my plan to make Leia mine.
“I understood,” I grumble.
She crosses her arms over her chest and taps her foot. “And yet you asked me out? You might as well throw lighter fuel on the fire. Boom!” She mimics an explosion with her hands.
I shrug. “Maybe the date will be a disaster and then they’ll leave us alone.” It won’t be. I’ll make sure of it.
She snorts. “I don’t know those women well, but I know they’re not leaving us alone until we’re either married or I’m pregnant.”
