than a few months of texting.”
“What’s the worst that can happen?” Owen asked. “It doesn’t work out and you move back here.”
“That’s…” He really should have finished that thought with crazy. Or ridiculous would have fit too. But Owen had a point. Didn’t he? Mitch could move to Iowa. He wasn’t in medical school. He didn’t own a business he couldn’t move. He had a huge family that he’d miss like hell, but was this thing with Paige at least worth giving some more time to?
“I’m good,” Owen said. “I know.”
“She hasn’t exactly asked me to stay,” Mitch said.
“Well, she can’t really keep you from moving somewhere. You’re a grown man. She can’t keep you out of Appleby,” Chase pointed out.
“That doesn’t seem a little stalkerish?”
“Why do you boys always make this all so difficult?”
There was now a new voice in the conversation. And Mitch would know that voice anywhere.
Ellie. His grandmother. The tough, no-bullshit matriarch of the Landry family.
“Tell her what you’re thinkin’, Mitchell,” Ellie said. “Don’t be weird about it. Just say, I think I’m crazy about you, and I want to find out if this can work out. For God’s sake.”
Mitch could picture her rolling her eyes at them all. He also knew she had her hands planted on her skinny hips.
“You all make this seem like some huge mysterious, magical thing. You don’t have to wait for planets to line up or for some big sign like your favorite song to play just as the full moon comes up over the hill when the scent of lilacs drifts through your window.”
Now she was most definitely rolling her eyes.
Owen laughed. “You and this family are the biggest fuckin’ romantics in the entire universe, Ellie.”
Yes, they all called their grandmother Ellie and their grandfather Leo. Because all of their grandparents on both sides of the family lived in town, so simply referring to them as “grandma” and “grandpa” had never been specific enough.
“Sure, we’re romantic,” Ellie said. “We know when it’s right and we’re willing to go big when that happens.”
It was true that the Landrys were known for their grand, romantic gestures. It was countywide legend, actually. But he supposed that didn’t mean they thought the falling-in-love part was all that complicated.
“Well, I won’t tell Cora that you think her love potion is bullshit,” Chase said.
Cora made all kinds of “potions”. She also made balms and salves and other homemade “cures”. The thing was, even skeptical physician-to-be Chase had to admit the stuff worked. Mitch fully expected Chase to incorporate some of those things into his medical practice when he came back to Autre for good.
“Oh, she knows it’s bullshit,” Ellie said. “Who would believe a love potion? You can’t make love happen.”
“But… wait… what else of hers is bullshit?” Chase asked.
Mitch snorted and heard Owen laugh as well.
“Oh honey,” Ellie said, and Mitch could picture her putting her hand on Chase’s cheek.
“The only stuff that’s bullshit is the stuff that doesn’t work,” Ellie told Chase placatingly.
“But…” Chase was clearly thinking on all of the things he’d tried while in Autre. “All of it worked. Didn’t it?”
“Then I guess it’s all real,” Ellie told him.
“That’s not how science works,” Chase said. He sounded tired.
The Landrys had that effect on people. Chase was still getting used to them all.
Ellie laughed. “Oh well, we aren’t talking about science.”
“Then what are we talking about?”
“Love.”
“Love isn’t science?” Chase asked.
“Is it?” Ellie challenged in return. “You tellin’ me that what you’re feeling for that beautiful accident-waitin’-to-happen over there is all just synapses and endorphins?”
“Well…” was Chase’s only response.
Mitch assumed that Bailey, who was indeed a beautiful accident-waiting-to-happen, was across the room and Chase was now gazing at her adoringly.
Mitch shook his head even though he was grinning.
“Exactly,” Ellie said after a moment. “You’ve probably had your hormones get all stirred up before. Chemistry and whatever. But what you feel for Bailey is different. And I don’t think you can explain it with science.”
“But,” Chase tried again, “science is real.”
“Well, of course it’s real,” Ellie said in her no-shit tone of voice. “Germs and stuff are real. You come out of the bathroom without washing your hands or cough on my bar without covering your mouth, and I’ll slap you upside the head and cut you off from gumbo for a week.”
“So…” But Chase didn’t add on to that start.
“So science and things beyond science can both be true at the same time,” Ellie said.
“Then Cora’s potions and creams do actually work?” Chase