Secrets of the World's Worst Matchmaker - Piper Rayne Page 0,3
lowers her voice. “I heard they’re all pretty much settled now except for three of them. Even that Phoenix lives with some hotshot music producer from LA.”
“My daughter was telling me something about her…”
Greta’s expectant eyes on me cause me to stop eavesdropping on the women who think my family is their business.
“Two of those and three of those.” I randomly point at the case of cookies. “And fill the rest with those.”
Greta’s eyes follow my finger, then she grabs a box and tissue to get to work.
“What is the big news around here now?” the second woman asks.
“Colton Stone is engaged.”
My heart squeezes. Who are these women and why can’t they see I’m right here in this small shop?
“Leta Stone’s grandson?” the one asks.
“You know she passed, right? Ten years ago now.”
That fall day flashes through my mind. The flowers I stared at the entire time so that I didn’t have to think about my parents as the pastor preached about what a great person Colton’s grandma was and how we should keep her memory alive.
“Oh, I forgot. It’s been so long since I’ve been back,” the second woman says.
“He’s engaged to some French veterinarian doing her internship with Dr. Murphy.”
There goes that fist squeezing my heart again. French, beautiful, intelligent, and has a helluva lot more going for her than me. I’m sure she would’ve been up in time to get the donuts.
Before I can turn around for a better look at them, the bell above the door rings and Grandma Dori enters the small bakeshop and cafe as though she owns the place. One of the things I love most about her is that she does what she wants, damn the consequences. The woman’s been hurt just like us. She’s lost her husband and her son, yet she lives for her nine grandchildren.
“Juno!” she says with excitement.
I turn around fully, glancing at the women to my right. Their faces pale like gossiping church women who got caught by the preacher.
“Hi, Grandma,” I say.
She hugs me tightly. She’s been hugging me tightly ever since Colton announced his engagement six months ago. She, along with all of my family and probably most of this town, thinks I’m heartbroken. Well, I might be, but I have a doctorate in denial and know how to smack on a smile and assure her I’m fine.
“I was going to go see you after I had a morning coffee with my friends.” She gestures to the women. “Come say hello.” She drags me toward them, but I stop.
“Let me pay Greta first,” I say.
She releases me, and I head to the cash register while Grandma Dori goes to the table. I hear all their exchanges of, “it’s been too long” and “I missed you.”
“Thanks, Greta.” I accept the small box from her.
Grandma Dori is busy, and I might be able to sneak out of here. I’d suffer the consequences later, but they might be worth it. Then again, do I want Grandma Dori busting into my meeting with a potential new client? The answer to that would be hell no. So instead of dodging her, I figure a polite hello and goodbye will be sufficient.
“Juno!” Grandma catches me in her peripheral vision like the hawk she is.
“Hi, Grandma.”
The first woman looks familiar, but I don’t know her name. The second woman looks at me with scrunched-up gray eyebrows.
“This is my dear friend, Nelly, from Fairbanks. She grew up in Lake Starlight but moved away when you… well.” Grandma Dori looks to Nelly for confirmation.
“I think you only had a couple grandkids then.” They all laugh.
“Yeah, I suppose you have been gone for decades, not years,” the other woman says, putting out her hand. “I’m Willa. We were all high school friends.” She twirls her finger between them.
I shake her hand. “I’m Juno Bailey.”
“Are you the one who married the tattoo artist?” Nelly asks.
“No, that’s Savannah.”
She nods. “The one who’s married to the New York millionaire?”
Grandma Dori giggles and her chair screeches across the floor, her hand reaching for me before I bolt. “Juno’s our matchmaker.”
She wouldn’t be the proud grandmother with her arm around me if she knew I’m late on my rent this month.
“That’s interesting,” Nelly says in the same tone I’d expect if my grandma had told her I’m the tarot card reader with the giant neon sign off the highway.
Meanwhile, Willa keeps staring at me with a puzzled expression. “I never would’ve guessed that you were a Bailey. Dori, where does