Page 66 of The Upside of Falling
“Good, good.” He points his fork at a table across the room, leaning in toward me. “See that broad over there with the red jacket and white-as-snow hair pinned to the top of her head?” I follow Gramps’s not-so subtle pointing fork.
“Yeah. Is she your friend?”
Gramps wiggles his eyebrows at me and takes another bite of his fritter. “She’s my bridge partner, has a bit of a crush on me. She’s been flirting up a storm.”
I choke on my water, sputtering on his confession. Not once has Gramps talked about women with me, as he’s always professed his undying love for my grandma, who passed many years ago.
I wipe my mouth with my napkin. “She’s been flirting with you, huh, Gramps? Wow, have you taken her up on the flirting?”
He waves his fork at me as if I’m crazy. “No, but I let her get an eyeful every time we play bridge.” He leans in a little closer. “I undo the top buttons of my shirt for her.”
“Oh shit,” I mutter, chuckling to myself.
“What are you laughing at? I know how to win the ladies. Tell me, are you or are you not seeing that little chickadee after I helped you win her over?”
I press my lips together, hating that he’s about to win this conversation. “I’ve been seeing her.” Fuck, I’ve been more thanseeingher. Been tasting her, kissing her, sucking her, and been so far inside her . . .
“See”—he raises his fork to the air—“I know women.” He takes another bite of his fritter and then says, “Tell me about her.”
Sighing, I lean back in my chair and say, “She’s amazing, Gramps. Gorgeous and funny and so goddamn sweet. She gets me, never pushes me too far, and understands my baggage.”
“You told her about your mom and dad?”
I nod, surprising Gramps. “It felt so natural talking to her, telling her about my childhood. See, uh, she surprised me on my birthday and spent the day with me. We didn’t do much, but it was nice to have someone there on that day, holding me, caring for me.”To not feel completely alone with my grief.
Gramps sets his fork down and grips my hand in his, the veins on the back of his hand defined and blue, bouncing off his aged skin. “You let her in.” He taps his heart.
I nod. “I had no choice. It was like, overnight she wiggled herself under my skin and I couldn’t get her out. Hell, I don’t want to get her out. She’s . . . fuck, Gramps. She’s perfect.”
“She’s the one, huh?”
I rub the back of my neck, our feast forgotten for now. “It’s really early in our relationship, but I’ll tell you this. I could easily see her being the one.”
Gramps nods and squeezes my hand, growing silent for a second. I’m about to ask him if he’s okay when he says, “After you told me everything that happened to you, I felt ill. I’ve never felt more sick in my life. I kept thinking about that sweet boy I loved to my very core, scared and alone.” He swallows hard. “It kills me, Colby. I . . . I’ll never forgive myself for not seeing the signs.”
“It wasn’t your fault, Gramps.”
He shakes me off. “I should have known. But that’s beside the point. Ever since you told me, I’ve only wished one thing for you and it’s not flight school. I have prayed every night for you to find that special someone, for a girl to come around and sweep you off your feet, to accept you for who you are, and to soothe the scars gouged into your heart.” He lifts his hand to my cheek where he grips me closely. Brunch continues around us, but the voices of family members fade, as Gramps stares at me intently. “You’ve found her, Colby, and whatever you do, don’t let her go.”
“I won’t, Gramps. I won’t.” I don’t think I could if I tried.
* * *
Fuck, I’m nervous.
I thought I was nervous when I went to Rory’s apartment for the first time, but this surpasses that by leaps and bounds.
I want nothing more than to meet Rory’s family, to see where she came from, but I’m not . . . shit, I’m not good at this. I’ve never had a girlfriend, let alone had to meet parents. But with Rory, it’s different.
She’s different.
There’s an air about her that makes me want to do things I don’t normally do, like buy presents. And not just for her, but also for her parents and her brother.
Which only adds to the nerves racing through me, because what if they don’t like them? Hell, what if her brother hates what I give him? Is that going to be a deal-breaker for Rory? Fuck, will it? What if Bryan doesn’t likeme? Will she break up with me? I know her brother is her world, so will his view on me make a difference?
I did some reading on autism last night, but there was so much information, I was overwhelmed. There was no hope of preparing myself. I feel like I’m going in blind, and that doesn’t bode well for me. I like to be prepared at all times, because it helps ease the anxiety deep within me.
Taking a deep breath, holding the bag of presents I have in my hands, I knock lightly on the door like Rory told me to do.
