Page 72 of Hello, Summer
Conley sat down on the sofa, ripped the wrapper off a granola bar, and began chewing nervously.
What was going on between Tony and Grayson? She and Tony had never been especially close, but she’d always thought Tony, whom Grayson had met during her last year of law school at Stetson, was a good match for her sister. G’mama approved too, especially after Tony had been so understanding about moving back to Silver Bay to allow Grayson to take over running the paper after their grandfather’s death.
Tony was corporate counsel for a software company based in Texas,so he traveled a lot for business, and since, according to Grayson, he wasn’t into “family stuff,” Conley seldom saw him outside of major holidays and family funerals.
How like Grayson not to say a word about whatever was going on in her marriage. In addition to being a snack hoarder, as a child, she’d been so secretive, Conley never knew what was going on in her sister’s life.
Whatever it was, Conley decided, it would be up to Grayson to decide when to reveal the details of her personal life. She finished off the granola bar and swept a few telltale crumbs from the sofa before tiptoeing back to the outer office.
She’d just settled herself in front of her laptop again when her cell phone pinged with a text message. It was from Skelly.
Mama’s having a good day. Want to come over for lunch?
The half-formed idea in her head suddenly blossomed.
Sure thing. How about a drive in the country after that?
Conley watched the little bubbles that meant he was typing a reply.
Okay. What are u plotting?
25
“Sorry,” Conley said when she arrived on the Kellys’ doorstep at noon. She gestured down at Opie, who was already straining at the leash to go inside the house. “When you invited me, I neglected to say I had a plus-one.”
“It’s fine,” Skelly said. He leaned down to scratch Opie’s ears, and the terrier immediately rolled onto his back to allow for a thorough belly scratch. “Mom loves dogs. She misses Buford something awful.”
“Awww. Buford. What a good boy he was,” Conley said, smiling at the memory of the Kelly family’s golden retriever. The dog had been their constant companion in their childhood. “But he’s been gone a long time, Skelly.”
“I know. But Mama doesn’t,” he said. “C’mon in. Lunch is ready. Nothing fancy.”
Conley followed Skelly down the hall and into the dining room. Miss June was seated at the head of the mahogany table, which was covered by a grand damask tablecloth. Three places were set with fine bone china, crystal, and slightly tarnished sterling silverware. A cut glass bowl in the center of the table was filled with a riot of colorful zinnias, cosmos, and sunflowers, and pink tapers burned in the silver candelabras.
“How pretty you look today!” Conley exclaimed as she leaned down to kiss Miss June’s cheek.
The older woman wore a bright blue housedress with snaps up the front and had tucked a sprig of pale blue plumbago behind one ear.
“You look nice too, Sarah,” Miss June said diplomatically.
“Whoops! I’m sorry to show up at your beautiful table dressed like what G’mama would call aragamuffin,but I didn’t know I was going to be the recipient of such a lovely lunch invitation,” Conley said.
“And who is this?” Miss June cried, spotting Opie, who was busily sniffing her ankles.
“This is G’mama’s dog, Opie,” Conley said. She scooped the dog into her arms and held him out to the older woman, who beamed, letting the dog lick her chin and face.
“That’s enough now, Opie,” Conley said, trying to sound stern. “I’m going to put him in the backyard for now, or he’ll be pestering us for food all during lunch.”
“Oh no, let him stay,” Miss June protested. “He can sit on the floor right here by me. And he’ll be a good boy, won’t you? What did you say his name was, Sarah dear?”
“Opie,” Conley said. She touched the rim of one of the dinner plates. “This is so elegant. Much too elegant for the likes of me.”
“Seanny did all this. Just for me,” her hostess said happily. “I do like things to look nice, especially on Sundays.”
“It’s beautiful, Seanny,” Conley said teasingly.
“Donotcall me that,” he said under his breath. “She’s been so excited about having company for lunch. Do those flowers look familiar?”
She turned and scrutinized the centerpiece. “Are those…?”
