"OK. You're still my grandma," Rico told her.
"What do you think of this color, Sammy," his grandmother asked her just as Mitch came over to join them.
"It's pretty," Sammy told her.
"I bet you tried to talk her out of it," Rico accused Mitch. He leaned close to Mitch so he could whisper before he remembered that he should be keeping his distance.
Mitch didn't react, only confirmed Rico's accusation. "I did, but she put her foot down."
"You got your way with this other stuff. This lavender is for me and Sammy," Grandma told him.
Mitch wheeled out what he bought and Rico went to help him load it into the back of his SUV. Away from his grandma and Sammy, they worked in silence, and Rico wondered if he should speak up now. He wasn't sure what he would say plus having Mitch so close was distracting.
Leaning into the back of his car next to Mitch brought back memories of what happened yesterday and made him tongue-tied. It also made him want another taste or maybe just a touch, a brush of his hand against Mitch's skin.
Great. He was worried that Mitch would never want to be near him again. And then as soon as he got within inches of him, Rico wanted to maul the guy.
"What's next?" Mitch asked, and what a good question that was. But it was meant for Grandma.
"Let's just walk around a bit and see if anything catches my eye. And maybe we'll grab some drinks. Shopping is thirsty work," Grandma said and pointed toward a shopping plaza not far from there.
They headed that way with Sammy walking with Grandma, which left Mitch and Rico to walk side by side. Wondering if that made Mitch feel weird, Rico was antsy, but not so much that he wanted to give up his spot next to him.
While he and Mitch walked in silence behind them, Grandma was chatting with Sammy. "How do you like it here? It's bigger than Peach Tree, that's for sure."
"Maybe," Sammy said like she would have to take some measurements to be sure. "But this is just a regular place."
Grandma looked at her questioningly. "Regular?"
"Not like Peach Tree. Peach Tree is special," Sammy said.
"Listen to this wise child," Grandma said turning back to Rico and Mitch then giving Sammy an approving smile.
"You used to hate it," Rico reminded her.
"That was before. It used to be a real small-minded little burg. It's not like that now," she said and stepped back so she could put her arm through his.
Rico could guess that someone like him wouldn't have been welcome in the version of Peach Tree that his grandma had wanted to escape when she was young.
"Should we grab something to eat?" Rico asked seeing a few places ahead of them where they might grab something to eat on the go.
"Let's have a proper lunch. My treat," Grandma said and then turned to lead the way back to their cars. "And I know just the place. The Stone Creek Inn. Mitch, you should meet the owner. Andy is sure to have some work for you."
Rico should have guessed she wanted to go someplace like that considering how she had dressed up. Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at Mitch to see how he felt about them all having a sit down lunch together. He couldn't tell. Not being able to read Mitch was driving him nuts.
Chapter 9
The Stone Creek Inn was halfway between Ashbury and Peach Tree. It was a stocky, old building surrounded with meticulous grounds with benches throughout. Walkways encircled the perimeter. Stone archways held up trellises with flowering vines to shade the stone paths.
Sammy was instantly in love with the place, and Mitch could tell eating here wouldn't come cheap. The elegant interior of the restaurant confirmed his impression, and he hoped Mrs. Del Rio wouldn't be offended when he insisted on paying.
Though Mrs. Del Rio had said she wanted to introduce Mitch to the owner of the inn, it turned out he wasn't there. The food was very good though. From what Mitch could tell, the inn's restaurant catered to tourists who wanted something more upscale than what could be found at the Peach Tree Café. He preferred the food at the café, but Mrs. Del Rio seemed in her element.
"How is your food?" Enrico asked Sammy.
She was picking at the salad that Mitch insisted she have with her fancy looking sandwich triangles.
"Salad is good for you," she said, quoting Mitch, then she sighed over her next tiny nibble.
