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Natalie was all business. “I’ll help get all the accounts and things transferred to you. We just needed you to be here to sign everything. What do you say? We’ll take the week to get everything up and running on the backend, then start scheduling for you.”
I gave my head a shake, trying to absorb everything. “Um, okay,” I squeaked. “Are you sure about this?”
“Absolutely. We’ve been making it work with temps, but I finally decided we had to have a plan.”
“Youare the plan,” Georgia interjected with a firm nod.
“Wow,” I finally said. “Well, I guess, let’s get going.”
I was ready. Or I told myself I would be. I had left my job behind and moved back home. I really had no choice but to dive in and make this work.
ChapterSeven
Jonah
A few days later
I had settled into a rhythm at my house, but I didn’t realize how much it would affect me to have Alice next door. I kept telling myself it was ridiculous. Hell, I had my nosy grandmother on the other side. Nosy as she was, she also left me to my own devices. And, of course, I didn’t think about her the way I thought about Alice.
One of my habits was to stop by to check in with my grandmother every few days. After work one day, I walked through the trees to her place, knocking lightly on the door and calling, “Gram!”
I heard giggling and then someone shushing someone else. I laughed to myself, just about to turn away when the door opened. My grandmother was there, and her cheeks were pink.
“Hi, sweetie,” she said.
My grandmother was the only person who’d ever called me sweetie.
I smiled down at her. “Oh, I thought maybe you were busy.”
“I was, but I’m not now. Come in.”
“No need. I just wanted to check in and see how you were doing.”
“I want you to come in,” she insisted as she swung her door open wider and stepped back.
I wasn’t going to argue that point with her, so I walked into the kitchen, glancing up to see Dennis seated at the counter.
He smiled over at me. “Good to see you, Jonah.”
“You too, Dennis.”
My grandmother closed the door behind me and walked over to the counter, lifting something wrapped in foil. “Here, this is for you.” She handed it over to me.
“What is it?”
“My brownies with a caramel swirl,” she said, leaning forward as she spoke in a conspiratorial tone.
“Oh, wow,” I replied. “I haven’t had these in years.”
“I know. Seeing Alice reminded me I haven’t made them in a while. She used to love them when she was a little girl. Just like you loved them.”
“She made two batches,” Dennis said. “I told her there was no way I wasn’t gonna have any.”
I chuckled as I grinned over at him. “That’s a must. Well, thank you.” I turned my attention back to my grandmother.
“You can go now.” She walked back over to the door and opened it.
I smiled down at her. “You didn’t have to let me in,” I added.
