Page 59 of Structure of Love

“Hi, sugar!” She beamed as she came in. “I thought I’d bring you lunch and help with the painting.”

“Uh, well, help with painting I’ve got, but lunch is welcome.” Her visit was unexpected, but I wanted Gage to meet the people important to me anyway, so I guessed this worked out? Hopefully Gage didn’t feel too awkward. I set the brush down and gestured her in closer. “Grandma, this is Gage. We’re dating.”

She took one look at him, and I swear to god, her eyes did that cartoon heart shape thing. To be fair, there was a lot to behappy about, as Gage was one handsome man. Plus he was here helping me paint, so he’d just made a fabulous first impression.

“Hi, Gage. I’m Samantha Taylor.”

His smile was all charm. “Hi. I’d better not touch you, I’ve got paint all over my hands already.”

“That’s fine, that’s fine. I brought lunch, and now I’m glad I brought extra. Can you pause and eat?”

“Sure, I’m almost done with the first coat. Give me two minutes.”

He had worked his way around the room pretty quickly, but then again, it wasn’t a huge room.

“I’ll, uh, just wrap the brush so it doesn’t dry out while we’re eating. Grandma, let me carry the basket into the kitchen.”

The second I gained the kitchen, which was near the front of the house, she seized my elbow.

“Logan! How’d you catch such a handsome man?”

“I legit have no idea. I asked him out on the off chance he might say yes, and for some reason he agreed. He’s fabulous to date, though. I’m hoping we’ll develop a steady relationship.”

I swear to you, my grandmother reverted to a teenage girl in front of my eyes. “What’s he like?”

“Fun, but he’s a great listener, and we have quite a few common interests. And he kisses like a dream.”

She giggled, delighted at this information. “What does he do for work?”

“He’s an architect and structural engineer.”

Her jaw dropped. “Brains and beauty, woo!”

“For a fact. Actually, his company is renovating my bar.”

“Oh, is that how you met?”

“No, we initially met because his younger brother was smashed at my bar. Gage picked him up.”

“And here you said the bar was only good for hookups.”

“To be fair to me, I didn’t ask him out until after I’d met him again for work.”

Gage joined us in the kitchen at this point, looking at the spread of fried chicken, potato salad, biscuits, and corn on the cob—a typical spread for Grandma. She loved to cook but lived alone, so often she’d swing by and feed me. I wasn’t complaining one iota.

He did a double take. “Wow, this smells amazing. It looks great too.”

“Sit, Gage, sit,” Grandma encouraged. “Did you wash your hands?”

“I did.”

She sat next to him. Grandma now had a new toy. “Logan told me how you two met. And you’re an architect? With a company of your own?”

“Well, I’ve got three business partners, and together we own the company. Gay 4 Renovations, if you’ve heard of it.”

“I have, actually! A girlfriend of mine used your company to redo her back patio and stairs to incorporate a ramp for her husband.”

Gage narrowed his eyes, thinking. “The Walkers, by chance?”