Page 10 of Love in Mission City

“Seth is a police officer.” Beverly said the words with exaggeration.

“Right. Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Good salary and benefits.”

“Traumatic job. Denise needs someone who can take care of her, not someone who’ll need to be taken care of.”

“Just because he’s a police officer—”

“Ladies…” I gently cut Mary off. Something told me this argument had been going on long before I’d come into the picture, and would continue on long after I left.

Beverly turned to me. “I know you came here with your husband who left you, sorry about that, the guy’s obviously a jerk, and now you’re eyeing Henry, and—”

“I’m not—”

“Hush.” Mary, of all people, was shushing me.

“And we both figure Henry’s gay, but he’s also, likely, inexperienced. I know he has a cell phone, but I’d be shocked if he’d ever used a hook-up or dating app.” Beverly gave methelook.

“Well, I haven’t either—”

Beverly glared.

“Okay, not because I didn’t want to. I met my husband in university before they were really big and, well…”

“Jerk,” Mary supplied.

“Best years of my life,” I sighed.

Beverly leaned over and smacked me. “Smarten up, young man. Good Lord, you’re what thirty-three?”

I rubbed the spot on my arm where she’d hit me. Hard. “Thirty-five.”

“Well, that’s ten years younger than Henry.”

“A more acceptable age gap,” Mary pointed out.

“I’m not—”

“Is he coming to your house?” Beverly narrowed her eyes.

I didn’t dare lie. “Yes. I’m going to show him my orchard.”

“And is that the only thing you’re showing him?” Mary crossed her arms.

“Yes.” Perhaps a small part of me had hoped for more, but clearly the women had good reason to warn me. I’d seen Henry as a healthy, sturdy, if a little quirky, man. Possibly gay. Okay, probably gay. And not because of the figurines. He just…the way he’d looked at me when he’d thought I wasn’t looking. The way he’d reacted to Denise’s touch.

Beverly stepped forward and beckoned me to duck my head.

Given the foot of height difference, that was pretty necessary.

She grasped my cheeks in her hands. “Don’t mess around with him, and we won’t have to mess around with you.” Then she kissed my cheek and pushed me back.

Her words stayed with me for a long time after I’d loaded all the crates into my truck and headed home.

Chapter Three

Johnson

I’d assumed Henry would take his time on deciding when to turn up. I’d also assumed he’d call first.