Page 30 of Secret Sins

Jay said, "I'm just going to tell you to be safe and give you two a minute."

I couldn't blame him for ducking out. Going back to stand beside Mama, I pushed escaping strands of hair behind my ears and tried to form coherent words out of scattered thoughts. "He's scared. Running from bad decisions."

Silently stirring, she gave me the space to collect myself.

"I like him a lot. He seems to like me. And what he did in the past, he's not that guy now. He's sweet, thoughtful, and has an amazing memory for quoting literature."

"But?" she prompted when I went silent.

"That fear he holds onto freezes him. He spends more time running from me than talking to me."

Riley clucked her tongue. "What's your next move?"

"Good question." I sighed. "It feels like I'm the one always making a move. If he does get up the nerve, he shuts down minutes later. I don't want to be the one to have to push him every time."

Nodding, she gave everything a stir, fishing out a carrot and stabbing it before letting it fall back into the broth. "But you don't wanna give up entirely." With that statement, she dropped pieces of dough into the boiling broth, watching them float and spin. "You like him, and it would be a shame if nothin' came of that attraction."

"Right."

Nothing else could be said for the time being. She would think about it while dinner finished cooking, and I would hope she could give me some ideas. Jay came back into the room, kissing my temple and then pouring me a glass of juice.

"Thanks," I murmured.

When dinner was ready and we sat down, Riley asked, "Think you'll need me at the store Friday?"

"I sure hope so. The warmer it gets, the more tourists come over."

"Good, good."

I saw the gleam in her eye, and it didn't even bother me. If Van stopped in, he'd get a big ol' dose of Mama Riley. Maybe it was the kick in the ass he needed.

"What are you planning, Riley Jean Mathis?" Tsking, Jay scooped up dumplings and plopped them in his bowl. "You can't go meddling in everyone's business just so you can get your way."

"Can't never could do nothin'. But I can." Clear in her determination, she took a bite and chewed while staring dead into Jay's eyes.

"Lord save us," he muttered, and I grinned.

"Mama, it's okay with me if you give Van a full dose of you, southernisms and all."

"The good Lord willin' and the creek don't rise, that young man will find his way into Bookish while I'm there, and we'll have ourselves a sit-to."

"You'll run him off, and then Bailey won't stand a chance." Grumbling, Jay wiped his mouth on a cloth napkin.

Raising my brows, I gazed steadily at him. "A chance at what?"

"Grandbabies, honey." He sighed. "We're two old coots rambling around this house all alone. We'd love a baby to dote on."

"Then have your own," I said crossly.

"I don't mean to pressure you, sweetheart. This is the first man you've shown real interest in since that Jeremy fellow in high school."

"I'd give you what you want if the other half of the equation was willing." I drained my glass. "But he's not, so you should focus on something else."

"Well, never mind about that." Riley pushed the carafe of juice in my direction so I could refill my glass. "I'll see what's what with that boy, and we'll go from there."

As it turned out, Van didn't come by on Friday. We were busy, though, so it was great to see my earnings remain in the black on the ledger. Riley's friends stopped in to chat and then left with armloads of books they didn't realize they needed. She was excellent at subtly nudging people in the direction she wanted them to go.

Sometimes she was as subtle as a freight train, but it worked out.