She was tempted for a moment to tell her about Madge and Don. But Riley and Harper were close friends, and Harper wasn’t aware her parents were splitting up. No way was Erma going to be the bearer of those bad tidings. “Nothing, just my bum leg.” She pretended to limp a little as she walked to Riley. “It’s bothering me a bit today.”
She’d broken it two years ago sliding into third base while playing on Amazing Grace’s softball team. It had been the first game of the season too. But the accident had brought Riley back to Maple Falls, and her and Hayden together, so it was all worth it. And she wasn’t exactly fibbing about the healed injury twinging, because when it rained it more than twinged. Today was a cloudless, sunny day, though.
Concern crossed Riley’s face. “You should go home and rest, then.”
Erma scoffed. “I only work here two days a week now. I rest enough as it is. If you’ll excuse me, I have some paperwork to organize.”
Riley crossed her arms. “Now I know something’s up. You wouldn’t be organizing something unless you wereavoiding something else.” She glanced at the two mugs on the coffee table. “Who stopped by?”
“Madge,” she said. No reason to fib about that. “She dropped by to pick up the baby booties pattern.” Which Erma had forgotten to give to her. Drat. Well, that gave her another excuse to see Madge, although she’d bring reinforcements next time. Madge Wilson could brush off one Bosom Buddy but not all of them.
Riley smiled. “I think it’s wonderful that the BBs are going to donate to the center.”
“Yep. I can’t wait to start knittin’ those tiny booties and caps.” Erma smirked. “I might make an extra set or two and set them aside. You know... for the future.”
“Oh no,” Riley said, walking back to her studio where her yarn-dyeing equipment was set up. “Not this conversation again.”
Riley didn’t like having the “baby talk,” as she put it, but Erma was willing to bring up the taboo topic to keep her granddaughter from asking about Madge. Riley wasn’t as much of a nosy posey as Erma, but even an innocuous question might require a protective layer or two of revisionist history, and lying about Madge wasn’t on Erma’s list of things to do today. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she said, innocently fluttering her eyelashes.
Riley pulled her medium-length bob into a short ponytail at the nape of her neck. “Sure you don’t.” She turned to Erma. “Like I’ve said many,manytimes, when Hayden and I are ready to have children, you’ll be the first to know. Right now he’s busy with the hardware store and the fall parade.”
“Have I told you how happy I am that you’re subverting Farley Quickel?”
“Numerous times.” Riley shook her head. “Has he always been so unreasonable?”
“Ever since I’ve known him. And now that he’s mayor, he’s been unreasonableandinsufferable. Serves him right that the people of Maple Falls stage a mutiny. For the sake of the town, of course.”
Riley gave her a pointed look. “It’s a parade, not a mutiny.”
“Potato, potahto.”
“It’s not that either.” Riley shook her head, but she was smiling, although it faded quickly. “Mimi, I’m serious about being busy. I have all this yarn to dye by Christmas, and if the fall parade goes well, Hayden has some other plans in the works.”
“I’m intrigued.” Erma raised a brow. “Like what?”
“Don’t tell anyone,” Riley said, lowering her voice. “He’s thinking about running for mayor when Quickel’s term is up.”
“Oh, what a wonderful idea! He’ll be an excellent mayor.”
“He’s just thinking about it,” Riley said. “Don’t go telling the BBs or anyone else, okay?”
“These lips are sealed.” Erma made a zipping motion with two fingers across her mouth.
“Thanks. So you see why we can’t even think about babies right now?”
“Riley,” Erma said, forgetting about her limp and going to the granddaughter she loved so deeply. “When it comes tohaving a baby, there’s never enough time, or the right time, or any other . . . reason.” She almost said “excuse,” but she stopped there.
“Mimi.” Riley put her hands on Erma’s shoulders. “This is between me and Hayden, okay?”
“Fine.” Erma turned and headed up front. Riley was right: the decision to have a child was their business alone, despite how much Erma longed for a great-grandchild... or four. Even five. All right, she’d be happy with one.
She picked up the pattern for the baby cap and booties, then smiled. She’d make an extra set anyway and not tell Riley.
You never know when they’ll come in handy.
Chapter5
“Ah, ain’t it good to be back home.”
