GG had her hands on her hips as she stood in the spot where the small table and chairs used to be.
“GG?”
“Dadgummit. They were supposed to leave the table and chairs here.”
“Excuse me?”
“Shoot. It’s probably too late for them to bring ’em back.”
She was babbling. Probably from shock. “Grandma. Can we talk about this?”
“Yep, because the time is finally right.” GG faced them. Her eyes were wet and her chin trembled.
Tobin’s hands tightened on Jade’s shoulders.
GG noticed. Then her enormous smile nearly swallowed her entire face. Tears still fell freely as she clapped her hands and cackled. “I knew it!” Then she bounced up and down as she repeated, “I knew it, I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!”
“Miz G, you need to calm down.”
“I will not. I’ve been waiting for this moment for . . .” She tapped her chin. “Seems like it’s been years, but it’s prolly only been a couple of months. Anyway, it doesn’t matter. What does matter is that I was right.”
“About?”
“About you two being perfect for each other.”
Jade hadn’t moved but she still went completely motionless.
As did Tobin.
“You’re in love, aren’t you? The crazy, hot, ‘I’m wild for you, I can’t live without you’ kinda love. You’re both there, aren’t you?”
He cleared his throat. “Speaking for myself? Yep. That’s exactly where I’m at.”
“And you, girlie-girl?” GG prompted.
“I’m right there too.”
GG dusted off her hands. “Then my work here is done.” She started to walk out of the kitchen.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, there. We’re not done here—bein’s that me and Jade have no freakin’ clue about what’s goin’ on and it sounds like there’s a lot.”
“And we want to hear every single detail of your planning and scheming, GG,” Jade said firmly. “We can sit in here on the floor or there’s still furniture on the porch. Choose.”
But GG’s focus was on Tobin’s hand cupped on the ball of Jade’s shoulder. She sent them both a soft smile. “He’s sweet, isn’t he? Always gotta be touchin’ you I’ll bet. Partially because he loves you and wants to show you, but also because he is thankful for you. That he’s finally got a woman he can love on anytime he wants.” Her chin wobbled again. “That’s all I ever wanted for you two.”
Neither Jade nor Tobin knew what to say after that, so GG jumped right in again.
“My old bones can’t take sitting on the floor. I’ll meet you on the porch.” She patted Tobin’s hand on Jade’s shoulder as she shuffled past them and out the door.
Jade immediately started after her, but Tobin spun her around and said, “Hang on. Let’s take a moment to talk this through.”
“Talk what through? How she manipulated both of us . . . for our own good?”
Tobin groaned, but he wore a resigned smile. “She’s gonna be cocky about this forever, you know that, right?”
“She’s entitled. Nothing she tells us about her stealthy matchmaking skills will change the happy fact that it worked.” She shot a quick look over her shoulder. “But we are entitled to know every tiny detail so we have to keep her on task.”
“Agreed.” Tobin gave her a smacking kiss on the mouth. “The suspense is killing me. We’re both smart and we should’ve seen this coming a mile away.”
She laughed. “I’m pretty sure she counted on us not looking at anything besides each other.”
Outside on the porch, they settled side by side on the love seat. Tobin had nestled his arm behind Jade’s shoulders. GG was right about one thing; Tobin always had to be touching her. It was still new and sweet and thrilling and she hoped the day never came where she took it for granted.
“All right, Miz G. Talk. Don’t leave nothin’ out.”
Garnet folded her arms on the table and looked at Tobin. “Of all the guys around here, Tobin, you’re my favorite. You always have been. Everyone knows it. I’m gonna get into all the embarrassing particulars about why so you’ll just hush up and listen. I liked that you just showed up to check on me—winter and summer—or to watch one of my TV shows with me. You’ve fixed stuff around here. You’ve kept me from getting too out of hand a few times. You never told me to act my age. You never judged me. You’re a hard worker. You’re loyal to your friends. You have a kind heart and a great sense of humor. You’re exactly the kind of man I wanted for my granddaughter.”