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"James Adler is no boy!"

Beth Bowen

My awkward half-naked encounter with Aaron didn’t repeat itself this morning, but I was still glad to leave for work early. Marissa and Aaron are touchy-feely in the privacy of their home—as they should be—and I feel like I’m intruding on their lives. Actually, I know I am.

When business is slow, I spend every spare second on my laptop, trying to find an apartment to rent, but so far, nothing meets my pre-selection criteria. They’re either way too far from work or way too expensive.

At two o’clock, I leave Marissa solo for the rest of the day and take the subway to Golden Age Nursing Home to see my grandma.

Once I check in at the reception desk, a staff member leads me through a corridor and into a large living area with sofas and tables. A TV is mounted in one corner, and several lively conversations are taking place.

“There she is,” Grandma says, standing up from her chair. She’s at a table with a man and two other women, about to start a game of cards.

Warmth radiates through my chest. “Grandma!” I hustle toward her and squeeze her tight against my chest, her strong floral perfume filling my senses. “I missed you.”

We break our embrace, and she scrutinizes me. “You look well.”

“I am. What about you?”

“Same old, same old,” she says with a cheeky smile. “Still alive and kicking, but some of the joints aren’t as well-oiled as they used to be.” She rubs her lower back.

“Your sciatica giving you trouble again?”

She rolls her eyes dramatically. “Longest relationship of my life.”

I laugh, following her back to the table where she introduces me to Martha, Esther, and Bill. They seem like a friendly bunch, and I’m glad my grandma’s good luck hasn’t scared them away yet.

“Do you want to play with us?” Bill asks. “Lois says you’re even better than her so we’ll play with chips, not real money.”

I chuckle. “Works for me. And I’ll only ever be as good as her. She taught me everything I know.”

“I wish my grandkids would play,” Martha says, shuffling the deck. “They’re always glued to their video games.”

She deals the cards, and we start playing.

In a way, it feels like old times, playing cards with Grandma, laughing—and definitely not letting her win.

But it’s also the start of a new era, one where I come to visit her here and we play with her friends.

Being here is for her own good, I know that.

But even if she’s still fairly young, it’s a stark reminder that she’s aging and won’t be around forever.

“Hey,” Grandma whispers, elbowing my stomach as we’re taking a small break, since Martha and Esther needed to use the restrooms. “Look. There’s Janice.”

I frown, peering at the woman she’s subtly gesturing to. She’s wearing a white cardigan over a light blue dress. “What about her?” I whisper.

“Don’t you notice anything suspicious about her?”

I glance at her again. She looks even younger than my grandma. Her hair is tied up in a neat bun, and she looks very classy. “I don’t know. Is she famous?”

Grandma’s brows furrow. “I don’t know. Is she? I don’t really keep up with that stuff. But there’s something off about her.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Don’t you see how youthful she looks? She doesn’t wear glasses, doesn’t have a walking aid, a hearing aid, or any apparent disability.”

I blurt out a laugh. “Is that a crime?”

“In this place it is.” Her eyes narrow. “I’m telling you, there’s something wrong here.”

I tilt my head to the side. “What are you getting at?”

“Maybe she doesn’t really belong here. Maybe she’s been sent here, either by the government or a foreign country, and she’s on a secret mission. Haven’t you seen the Ted Danson show Man on the Inside ?”

My forehead wrinkles. “Um, no, I haven’t. But I don’t think—”

“Shh!” She suddenly sits up straight. “She’s looking at us. Act normal.”

I offer the lady a polite smile, then let my eyes drift off to the side, worry gnawing at me. There’s a strong possibility my grandma is losing her marbles in this place. I need to call more, and I’ll tell my parent s to visit her on their next day off.

Movement near the door catches my attention, and I almost choke on my own saliva when I see who’s walking in.

Jumping up from my chair, I hurry over to James. He’s wearing jeans, a dark blue sweater that matches his eyes, and a pair of black-framed glasses that bring his hot meter through the roof, to my utter annoyance. “What are you doing here?”

He frowns in confusion, then smiles. “Hello to you too, Elizabeth.” He shrugs. “I like to come here. My way of giving back to the community.”

I cross my arms. “Really?” Okay. I’ll admit his one-liners and unapologetic flirting are flattering, but this is just plain weird. “I have a hard time believing that.”

He blows out a breath. “Why else would I be here?”

“You’re following me.”

He looks taken aback, then laughs. “Absolutely not. I’ve never seen you here before, and I’ve been coming for years.”

I blink back, stunned. Is this for real? “Wait. Years? What is this, some kind of a mandatory charity thing you do for the team?” Or community service to pay for his constant outrageous flirting. But I keep that one to myself. No need to throw the dog a bone.

“What? No. My grandma used to be a resident here. What are you doing here? If anything, you’re the one following me .”

I scoff. “My grandma is a resident here. Lois Bowen,” I say, nodding toward her.

His eyes light up. “Oh, you’re Lois’ granddaughter! I knew there was something familiar about her. I’ve heard you’re a good poker player, Elizabeth. We’re going to have some fun today.”

He walks over to the table where Bill and Grandma are still sitting, and they both greet him like a long-lost friend, hugging him in turn. What on earth is happening?

Grandma stands up and shuffles over to me. “Do you know James? He’s a great kid. Ah, Martha and Esther are back. Let’s get back at it. James can join us.”

“Wait. How do you even know him?” I ask, my eyes still trained on James, who’s now chatting and laughing with Martha.

“He’s the boy I told you about. Apparently, he visits quite often.”

My eyes stretch wide. “ Boy ? James Adler is no boy! He’s a,” I stammer, sputtering. “He’s a hockey player!”

She waves a hand in dismissal “Anyone under forty is a kid to me, sweetheart. And is he really a hockey player? I didn’t know that. Is he friends with your ex?”

I set my lips in a tight line. “Nope. Quite the opposite, actually.”

“I knew there was a reason we got along so well,” she says with a chuckle, and I can’t help but smile.

Grandma was never a fan of Lucas, and being as outspoken as she is, she never hid it from me—or him, for that matter.

Frankly, it’s a mystery why I stayed with him for so long when literally everyone around me disliked him.

But in my defense, I was in love. Or at least, I thought I was.

“So, it’s really over with him this time?” she asks.

I nod, wringing my hands. “It is. I moved out. Living with my friend Marissa for now.”

“Good,” she says, taking my hand and squeezing it. “Now, let’s go play some cards.”

We walk back to the table, and I end up sitting between Grandma and Martha, right across from James.

The fact that he’s a regular here becomes immediately clear. He knows everyone by name, he talks with them like they’re old friends, and he even asks them about their doctor’s appointments.

Even through his glasses, his eye s seem to see right through me. I have a feeling it’s going to be tough to fool him with my poker face .