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I halfheartedly smile at her, not having the heart to rat my grandma out for forgetting to tell me to pick them up. “Got it, Bluehaze.”
Dori laughs and shakes her head. “The nicknames and this guy.” She thumbs in my direction.
“Hi, I’m Clara.” The blonde extends her hand, and my eyes meet hers as we shake hands.
“You’re a volunteer too?” I ask, then turn my attention back to Mandi.
“Noah thinks we’re chaperoning Ethel and her friends willingly,” Mandi says with a smile.
Clara giggles. “Sure, I’ve got a suitcase full of Bengay and overnight diapers.”
“If not just being nice, what gives?” I shouldn’t pry, but I have to know exactly how Mandi is related.
“It’s a Greene family vacation and my grandma”—she points in Ethel’s direction—“invited her two friends to come along. She said she can’t keep up with all our energy, so she needs friends to play cards with.”
“Which really means to gossip and get into trouble with,” Clara adds.
“You two both single?” I point my finger between them.
Mandi groans. “Unfortunately, yes.”
I touch her arm. “I’m sorry. Every available man will know within five minutes of you arriving at the hotel.” Why does the thought of that make me grind my teeth?
“Right?” Mandi cringes. “I could stow you away. We could always pretend.”
We all laugh.
“This was one ride you should have declined, right?” Clara says.
“What do you mean?” I ask.
“You’re their Uber driver, no?”
“No.” I shake my head, realizing I haven’t told them how I fit into all this. “I’m Midge’s grandson.”
“Oh,” Clara says.
As if Grandma heard us, she comes over. “Bend down so I can kiss your cheek.”
I do as I’m asked, and she leaves her signature berry-pink lipstick on my cheek above where my beard line stops.
“Be a good boy while I’m gone. No excursions?”
I glance at Mandi and back down at Grandma. “Not until October.”
“Good. I like you being home.”
“Where’s home?” Mandi is quick to ask.
I want to rush my grandma away, hell, pay a skycap a hundred to take her away right now, but of course she beats me to answering.
“Greywall of course,” Grandma says in a tone that implies Mandi’s stupid.
The two women look at one another and raise their eyebrows.
“We gotta go,” Ethel says from the entrance of the airport, forcing everyone else trying to enter to walk around her. “Thanks, Noah. See you on the flip side.”
“Flip side?” Mandi mouths.
