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“I wouldn’t sell it, anyway. I’ll treasure it and save it to give to Daryn someday.”
Her grandmother nodded. “Do what you want with it, it’s yours now.”
Kim swallowed hard, knowing her grandmother would not appreciate an excessive show of emotion. “What are we going to do now? Should we just go out there and tell everyone the truth, and let Mom handle the fallout?”
“Let me think about that awhile. Don’t say anything to her, you just carry on the way you have been for now. I’ll decide what to do about Betsy. The truth will come out. And I’ll make sure she’s the one who confesses to the others. But perhaps we won’t do it today. Frankly, I don’t want this gathering to end on such an unpleasant note.”
“Um, Grandma?”
“Don’t worry, I’m not going to disown her or ban her from my house. Frankly, I need her—well, I need Bob. That fine man has been very helpful to me during the past few years. I only hope she keeps him around until I’m gone. Maybe she will. It won’t be that much longer.”
Kim felt a lump develop in her throat. “Don’t say that, Grandma.”
Her grandmother merely shrugged matter-of-factly. “We’re not going to get maudlin, but you and I are the kind to face the truth, Kim. I’m glad you decided to come today.”
She pushed herself up to clutch the walker, nodding to Tate as he rose ultracarefully with Daryn. “Despite the circumstances, I’m glad you came, too, young man. Kim is fortunate to have such a good friend.”
“I have to admit I’ve had a great time,” Tate confessed with a grin. “It’s been—interesting.”
Grandma gave a rusty chuckle and winked at Kim. “This one’s got a mischievous streak.”
“Yes, he does,” Kim agreed with a smile that was still a bit shaky.
“Reminds me of your grandfather.”
Grandma moved toward the door with a hint of spryness belied by her halting steps. Transferring Daryn to Kim, Tate moved quickly to open the door for the older woman. She nodded her thanks to him, then glanced over her shoulder at her granddaughter as she left the room.
“You’d be foolish not to consider turning this make-believe romance into a real one,” she said with characteristic bluntness. “You’re no fool, Kim.”
Her cheeks warming, Kim stuffed the ring box into her pocket with her free hand and followed her grandmother out of the room without looking at Tate.
* * *
Most of the others were preparing for departure when Kim, Tate and Grandma rejoined them. Patty supervised as her girls and Lucas packed away their toys. Stacks of leftovers in covered plastic dishes sat ready to be dispersed. Bags and purses were stacked on a table by the door. No one had yet slipped out, since doing so without saying goodbye to Grandma Dyess was sternly frowned upon, but several were notably impatient to be on their way.
Despite all the earlier squabbling, obligatory hugs and kisses were shared all around.
“It was very nice to finally meet you, Tate,” Treva said as Kim and Tate took their leave. “Let us know if your little book ever finds a publisher. I’m sure the garden club would love to have you come for a signing.”
“I’ll let you know,” he replied, a smile in his eyes.
Treva kissed Daryn’s cheek, though the sleepy child barely stirred in response to the contact. “Be sure and call if you have any questions about toddlers, Kim. My Patty is quite the expert with that stage now. Of course, both my granddaughters were crawling by nine months, and Harper walked by eleven months.”
Kim had always refused to put herself in competition with her cousins, and she certainly wasn’t going to do so with her child. “It was nice to see you again, Aunt Treva,” she said, ignoring the comments about the girls.
“Maybe you’ll come see us again before Daryn starts school.”
Even that was a little dig, but Kim answered politely, “I’ll certainly try.”
Treva nodded. “And Tate, I hope you’ll still be around to come with her.”
He merely chuckled with a wry shake of his head at Kim.
“Your aunt is so going to love it when your mother’s deception is exposed,” Tate observed when he was back behind the wheel of Kim’s car a few minutes later. “I could almost feel sorry for Betsy.”
Seeing that Daryn had settled into her car seat with Mr. Jingles, awake again now despite having missed the long nap she usually took in the afternoons, Kim turned back to Tate. “She brought it on herself. However Grandma decides to handle it, Mom deserves any consequences she gets.”
“That’s true, but it will still be embarrassing for her.”
