Page 45 of Get A Fix

“Excellent,” I said excitedly, and she laughed.

“I feel like I talked to you before.”

“Maybe on the phone earlier in the day?”

“Oh, right. Mr. Davis. You were nice then, and you’re nice now. How many with you?”

“Just the two of us.”

“Perfect. I’ll find you somewhere to sit on the main floor.”

“What’s your name?”

“Kendra.”

“Thank you, Kendra,” I said, then left her.

“Five more minutes,” I told everyone I passed in line but didn’t spoil the surprise about the lack of heat. What would be the point?

When I reached Ash, he was speaking to an older woman who was holding on to his arm. Her thick platinum hair was pulled up into a loose chignon, she had large diamond studs in each ear, a thick, oversize white turtleneck sweater with a black pashmina over that, and wide-legged black dress pants. The heeled black-sequined boots finished the outfit. She was both stunning and stylish.

The woman smiled at me and said, “Oh, darling, are you one of Orson’s groomsmen?”

“No, he’s not, Mrs. Walder,” Ash answered for me. “He’s my plus-one.”

Her smile was daring. “Is he really?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Well, I’m his grandmother, Sophia,” she informed me, quickly slipping her arm into mine, leaving Ash.

“Lovely to meet you, Mrs. Walder.”

“And you, but please, call me Sophia.”

I grinned at her; I couldn’t help it. Her smile and the eyebrow waggle, along with the wink, were enchanting. “Thank you.”

“And what is your name, you gorgeous thing you?”

“Cooper Davis.”

Her eyes flashed with excitement. “Do people call you Coop? I’ve always wanted to know a Coop. It sounds like you should play baseball.”

Okay, so yes, I was a sucker for grandmothers. I adored my own, my mother’s mother, who had lived with us since before I was born. It was a no-brainer that I would like Ash’s, even though I doubted he thought of her that way. She was, by blood, as she was his father’s mother, but there was no familiarity there. I had to wonder how she knew him at all. “Most people do call me Coop, so I would love it if you would as well.”

“Wonderful,” she said with a sigh. “Now, sweetheart, do tell Ashford he must call me Gran as all the others do. It’s ridiculous that he’s always so formal.”

He glanced at me and gave a quick headshake.

“Mother,” a woman said as she reached us just as the line started moving. “We’ve all been looking everywhere for you.”

“Oh, Elaine, I’m right here with Ashford and his…” She turned to him. “Do you say boyfriend these days, or friend like they did when I was young?”

“Partner,” I answered before he could. “We say partner and then husband once the ring goes on, just like everybody else.”

“I love that,” she said, still holding my arm as we began to walk.

“Mother,” Elaine said, glancing at me, “we need to get back to the table and⁠—”