“Here she comes,” he grumbled.
Paige gripped his hand tightly. “Oh no,” she whispered.
It took a moment, but Mrs. Fulton finally approached them. She gave him a hug. “It’s so good to see you boys. Your mama is in hog heaven with you all here.” She reached a hand out to Paige. “I’m Mrs. Fulton.”
Paige gave the woman a quick hug, but kept her eyes low when she said, “I’m Pa . . . Perel.”
Now it was Andrew’s turn to laugh.Where the hell did she come up with that name?
Mrs. Fulton divided her gaze between him andPerel. “Aren’t you a cute couple? Do you work together? Andrew has done us all proud here. I remember when he would be running around in his underwear. He used to flash everyone in the neighborhood.”
Aw, man. He sighed. Mrs. Fulton told that story every time someone new came around. It didn’t have to be anyone they knew, either. She’d tell it to the mailman if he gave her an ear.
“I tried to get him to keep his pants on,” the older woman continued. “But he liked to be free.” Lowering her voice, she added, “We used to say he would make some woman very happy one day.”
What the. . .?
Paige burst out in a fit of giggles, falling against him as she cracked up.
“Mrs. Fulton,” he said. “We have to go inside and see Mom.”
“Oh, I know. I’m glad to meet you, Per . . . What did you say your name is again, sweetheart?”
Clearing her throat, Paige said, “Perel.”
“Alright, Perel. I better get back over to my house. My story is coming on any minute. ThatAll of Our Livesis something else.”
Paige choked, and he smoothed his hand over her back.
“Are you okay, baby?” Mrs. Fulton asked, concern in her eyes.
Nodding, Paige said, “Yes. I’m fine.”
Mrs. Fulton tilted her head and stared at Paige. “You look so familiar to me. Did you go to Mt. Mary Baptist Church on the East Side?”
“She’s not from Detroit,” Andrew answered quickly. “We better get inside. Talk to you later.”
He unlocked the front door with his key and ushered Paige inside. Once they closed the door, he leaned against it and let out a sigh. “That was close.”
Pulling off her hat, Paige fanned herself. “This baseball cap is hot. I thought I was going to die out there.”
“It might have been all that laughing you were doing,Perel. Where did you get that name?”
She shrugged. “I was thinking about how I forgot my hand sanitizer and that’s the only thing that came to mind.”
Andrew laughed, tugging her to him. He kissed her. “That’s some quick thinking right there.”
Paige dropped her forehead on his chest and wrapped her arm around his waist. “If you don’t mention it to anyone, I promise not to tell another living soul about your stint as a stripper.”
He squeezed her, until she laughed. “You think that’s funny, huh?”
Peering up at him, she said, “It’s hilarious. I’m wondering if you’ll come out of retirement and give me a show.” She winked. “I have dollars.”
“I’ll do it for you for free.”
“Tonight,” she said, rising on the tips of her toes to kiss him. “At the hotel.”
Andrew had booked a room at a hotel about forty miles outside of Detroit, in case he didn’t feel like making the three-hour drive back to South Haven. “That can be arranged,” he said, nuzzling her neck with his nose.
