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I smirked. “Noted. Thanks for the warning.”
My acquiescence seemed to diffuse her anger, and for a half a second I considered bringing up how many deaths had occurred whilewing divingthe last few years, just to get into it with her again. But then Gram started talking about a snorkeling trip they were planning, and the way her eyes lit up made the inside of my chest warm. Snorkeling seemed harmless enough…
“And then once we get the hang of it,” she said, “they start chumming.”
“Chumming?”
Gram nodded. “For the sharks.”
Andthere goes the harmless snorkeling trip. “Seriously, Gram? Swimming with sharks? Why can’t you just snorkel and look at the colorful fish?”
“Why would I do that when I can watch a giant monster with five rows of teetheatall the colorful fish?”
“I completely understand wanting to travel and do things, but why do they all have to be dangerous? You never had a desire to do any of these things before you found out…”
Gram frowned. “Found out thatI’m dying. It’s okay to say it, Beckham. I’m dying. Chances are, in a few months I won’t be around anymore. So why not do things that give me an adrenaline rush and make me fear my own mortality? Lord knows sitting around at home, I’m not afraid of anything. I mean, what’s the worst that can happen? I cross against the light and get hit by a cab? I want to feel alive. And hell, if I go a little earlier than expected because the wings on my wingsuit don’t flap enough, or a shark thinks I’d make a good dessert, at least I’ll have one hell of an obituary.”
I was smart enough to know when to shut my mouth. I’d talk to my grandmother when she was alone and not feeling so ornery. Right now I changed the subject and tried to enjoy listening to her explain all the things they’d done so far. That made for a peaceful remainder of our meal.
After we got back to the hotel, Gram said she was going to lie down for a while. She claimed she’d been too excited about the impending wingsuit dive to sleep well last night. So I walked her to her room and asked if we could have lunch together, just the two of us.
She kissed my cheek at her door. “I’m happy to spend as much time with you as possible. But you’re not going to change my mind, Beck.”
“I’ll come by and get you around noon?”
On my way back to my room, I decided to knock on Nora’s door. I appreciated her keeping what had gone down between us to herself. And I owed her an apology. I also recognized that I’d have a better shot of getting through to Gram if Nora were on my team. As odd a couple as they made, they seemed pretty tight.
Nora’s face fell when she answered. “I hope you don’t think you’re getting a rain check from last night. You lost your opportunity when you stood me up.”
“About that…”
She started to shut the door. “I don’t need an explanation. It’s your loss.”
I stuck my foot in the doorway. “Hang on a second. You might not need one, but I’d like to give you one anyway.”
She rolled her eyes. “Say what you need to say and go.”
“You had six glasses of wine. I saw it when I paid the bill.”
Nora shrugged. “Was that too many for you to pay for? I’m not reimbursing you.”
“I’m not complaining about the cost. But the six glasses are why I didn’t come up, as much as I wanted to. And trust me, Ireally, reallywanted to. I might’ve even stood outside your door for ten minutes trying to convince myself I wouldn’t be a piece of shit for knocking since you’d invited me. But in the end, I couldn’t take advantage of a woman who’d had too much to drink.”
“Only two of those wines were mine. Louise and I met two ladies for drinks before I met the Tinder Loser. I told her I’d pick up the tab. I was perfectly sober, especially considering I’d been sitting there a couple of hours.” She tilted her head. “And by the way,I was looking to be taken advantage of.”
I dropped my head. “Fuck.”
“Worked out just as well, anyway. Obviously I didn’t know you were Louise’s grandson—the one who’s been barking at me like I work for him.”
I raked a hand through my hair. “She’s my grandmother. I’m worried about her.”
Nora put her hands on her hips. “Because she’s doing dangerous things for the first time in her life, right?”
“That’s right.”
“Did you know your grandmother is a certified scuba diver? She was one of the first women to take the certification course in nineteen sixty-seven. Her favorite kind of dive was exploring deep-sea wreckage.”
“What are you talking about?”
