“Sorry. Didn’t mean it to sound that way. Especially since you’re the only one who can help.” His voice was quiet, as if he were telling me a secret.
Maybe it was the jet lag, but I was thoroughly confused. Before I could ask more, he pulled into the cutest neighborhood with eclectic houses that made me think of a fairy-tale village. Even at night, it was evident that we were not in the city where I had stayed with Vicky before. Every house was different and had a personality of its own. This was a designer’s fantasy come true.
As Mike drove down a few streets, I had almost forgotten our strange conversation until he pulled up to the sweetest cottage I’d ever seen. It was painted soft white and pale blue and must have been near the ocean. Even with the truck still running as we sat in the driveway, I could hear the powerful waves nearby.
“Ren,” he said, pulling me out of my reverie. “I did something tonight.”
Giving him my full attention again, I nodded for him to continue. His throat bobbed with a hard swallow, and he gripped the steering wheel like a life raft, staring straight ahead.
“Mike, you’re kinda freaking me out,” I said jokingly, trying to calm him. “And I don’t know you well enough to know whether to call someone for you.”
He took a deep breath and, on the exhale, spewed out words that I never could’ve seen coming. “I told my ailing grandmother that you were my girlfriend.”
My stunned face, wide eyes, and gaping mouth made him turn towards me. No, that wasn’t it. It was the gasp that could be heard from space. I was pretty sure I’d dropped my purse on the floor. Or maybe it was my jaw. Hard to tell.
“Ma che dici? Sorry. What are you talking about?” I asked loudly, my hands in the air.
“Ah. P-please, let me explain,” he stuttered.
“I think that would be a good idea,” I whispered, trying to calm down when my mind snagged back to the words ‘ailing grandmother.’
“My Grammy, she’s the most important person in my life. I owe her, well, I owe her everything. She had an accident last year. Honestly, I think there’s more about her health that she’s holding back from me, and I can’t get her doctors to be open with me about what’s going on.” He rubbed the back of his neck, showing how upset he was.
“Oh, Mike, I’m so sorry to hear that. She’ll be in my prayers,” I said softly, reaching out and touching his arm. His eyes followed my hand and remained fixed.
“You’re a believer.” It was a statement, not a question.
“Yes, I am. And I lost my grandparents at an early age, so I understand how worried you must be, especially if no one is being honest with you. That must be incredibly tough.”
The muscles in his jaw twitched, and I had the overwhelming urge to reach for his hand next. Mike turned back to the front and seemed to be having a war within himself as I watched his face darken and his forehead wrinkle.
“I can’t lose her. I just can’t.” He looked at me again, and tears were brimming in his light brown eyes. We were strangers, caught up in a moment neither of us imagined would be happening, but I couldn’t look away.
“You, you said I was the only one who could help.”
He smiled weakly, “Yeah, it’s just like Princess Leia, right?”
“Um, are you talking about Star Wars?” This conversation just got weirder and weirder.
His eyes lit up. “You know it? I love Star Wars and have always wanted to weave that into a conversation,” his shaky voice betraying his attempt at being jovial.
Shrugging, I said, “Not really, but I kind of get the reference. Watched a lot of American TV. Anyway, you told her I was your girlfriend. Could you elaborate? I mean, why lie and why me? We literally just met. When would you have told her that?”
Mike shook his head again, his frown returning. “I was with her tonight. She’s been relentless about me settling down. Been after me for years to get married before she…before?—”
“She wants to see you get married before it’s too late.” My voice was just above a whisper, my heart aching for him. Knowing that neither of my grandparents would ever see me walk down the aisle brought about a long-forgotten ache.
“Yeah. And she wants to be there, to see it. Problem is, I haven’t felt that way about anyone, well,ever. Someone I’d be willing to be that vulnerable, that open with.” The way he said it made me believe there was more to what he was admitting, but I didn’t push. The conversation was awkward enough.
“Tonight, she tried once again to set me up with someone she thought would be a good match,” he said, laughter bursting out of him at the thought. He wiped his hand down his face. “Candlelight dinner and everything. I was completely blindsided.”
I couldn’t hold back my laughter at the visual of that. “You’re kidding me?”
“Nope. She and the Granny Squad are like mercenaries. Every time I visit them, they’re up to no good, including trying to find me a wife. Knowing them, they were all in on it. Not to mention candles aren’t allowed in her apartment building.” His eyebrows raised as if he hadn’t thought about that before now.
“Okay, now I need to hear more about these grannies at some point. I’d love to meet them,” I answered, laughing again. They sounded like my nonnas. My grandmothers had been best friends and ruled our neighborhood with an iron fist.
His face became solemn as he said, “That’s kind of what I was hoping. You see, Vicky had just called about picking you up when I got to Grammy’s apartment, and when she started crying for shooting down her efforts, again, I panicked and said I had a girlfriend. She was so excited that she demanded a name.”
