“It’s basically a Prickly Pear—not the fruit, in fact it doesn’t use prickly pears. Some slight adjustments to that, and I’m thinking maybe Pear It Down.”
“Should work. Nell will like it.”
“That’s the hope.”
“She claimed to like your coffee sabotage. It’s nice out here. That frog doesn’t quit. Makes me wonder where I’d put something like that.”
“I need to get up in your attic.”
He sipped his drink, watched her. “Do you?”
“There’s bound to be all sorts of things up there. You could use a mirror, some old piece with an interesting shape, behind the daylilies in the back.”
Conversation equaled distraction. It wasn’t his best thing, but he could manage. “Why would I put a mirror in the garden?”
“Light, reflection, interest. You’ve probably got more than one up there.”
“Maybe. Let’s go look.”
“Now? I didn’t mean now. I should—”
“Go,” Audrey said. “Between the pizza and the cocktails, I feel an early night coming on. You and Miles run along.”
“He hasn’t finished his drink.”
“Good thing.” Setting it down, he rose. “Because you’ve finished more than one, so I’m driving, and you’re not. I rode with Jake, so this solves how I get home.”
Taking her hand, he tugged her to her feet.
“I don’t have—”
“You’ve got stuff at my place. You got your phone now?”
“Yes, but—”
“Enjoy the rest of your evening.”
“Oh, we will.” Audrey shot out a brilliant smile. “We’ll see you tomorrow, baby.”
She held it, held it while Miles pulled Morgan away. Then let it go.
“Oh, Mom. My girl. Our girl.”
Chapter Twenty-eight
“I didn’t clean up the bar,” Morgan complained. “I take cleanup duty.”
“So you get a night off. How big a mirror?”
He took her keys, nudged her into the car.
“What? Oh, I don’t know until I see. Jesus, we had a lot to drink.”
“I noticed. It’s the first time I’ve seen you drunk.”
“Not drunk, but definitely not fit to drive. We weren’t going anywhere.” She rested her head back. “They were having such a good time. We were. I swear, Gram could drink both of us under the table, then under the floorboards. And she was on her way to doing just that.
“She was a complete wild child,” Morgan continued. “Did you know that? I had some sense before, but holy shit, no real idea. They just seemed like, you know, grandparents. She went to Woodstock. She dragged my grandfather to Woodstock. The Woodstock. She claims she smoked pot with Janis Joplin. Maybe she’s making that up, but who knows? And now she lives in that big old beautiful house and runs two businesses and makes roast chicken and pound cake.
“You have to wonder.”
“Wonder what?”
“What twists and turns take a woman like Gram from Woodstock and Janis Joplin to this.” She gestured at the town as they drove through. “To Westridge, Vermont. To starting a business, going to yoga class and book club meetings. To being not just content but happy, satisfied.
“Anyway, we were having a really good time.”
“I noticed.” He’d give her grief about not having the phone with her later.
“You didn’t have to come with Jake, but I’m glad you did. And I hope my ladies do have an early night, and don’t worry about all this too much.”
“You saw that video. And you had it right. He’s lost his edge.”
“My mother was right, too. He’s crazy. You could see the crazy. He’d buried the crazy in Maryland, Miles. I never saw it. No one did. He played darts and trivia, and bought rounds, talked gaming with Sam. No one saw the crazy.”
“Now he can’t hide it anymore.” After he pulled into his driveway, Miles turned to her. “That’s going to make him easier to catch.”
“I hope so. I’m buzzed enough to whine I want it over. I just want it over.”
“I’m not buzzed, and I want it over. And that wasn’t whining. I’ll tell you when you’re whining.”
That made her smile. “You would.”
He got out of the car, came around as she got out her side. And from in the house, Howl howled.
Inside, he greeted Miles with a mild stare, a quick wag. Then greeted Morgan with a rush of adoration.