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I mean she isn’t that old; it’s not like she’s feeble or anything, but well, yeah, she’s all I have.”
    He kissed Laine’s forehead. You had to love a man who obviously adored his grandmother. “So, when do I get to meet your grammy?”
    “Tonight?” Laine’s smile was almost blinding. “I can cook us all dinner.”
    “How about I take you and your grandmother out to eat?”
    A forty-something brunette woman stuck her head out of the shop door. “Lainey? Mrs. Barker from the bed and breakfast up the street wants to place an order and she won’t talk to me.” She rolled her eyes.
    “Kookie old woman.” She looked at Dev and held out a hand. “Hi, I’m Serena.”
    Laine waved the hand that wasn’t in Dev’s towards Serena. “This is Dev. He’s my mate.”
    Serena’s mouth dropped open, her eyes widened then she clapped her hands together. “Oh my God.
    I’m so pleased to meet you.” She glanced back at Laine. “Has Grammy met him?”
    Laine shook his head. “Not yet. We were just discussing that. Go tell Mrs. Barker that I’ll be right in.”
    Serena hesitated, gave Dev a wink and hustled back into the store.
    Laine sighed dramatically, but there was nothing but fondness in his expression. “That’s the trouble with working with women who’ve known me since I was two. I bet she puts Mrs. Barker on hold and calls Grammy.”
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    Dev laughed and kissed Laine’s nose. “Go in and get to work. I’ll take you and your grammy to dinner tonight. Do you still have my cell number?”
    “Yup, I programmed it into mine first thing this morning.”
    “Good.” Not that he thought Laine would need him, but he would rather play it safe. Victor was definitely the vindictive type. “If anything comes up…if you need anything , call me. I’ve got a few business meetings, but I should be in the area all day. I’ll be done around three o’clock.”
    Laine nodded. “Okay. So, you’ll meet me here around three?” he asked hopefully.
    Dev winked. “Just try and stop me.” He gave Laine one last kiss and walked down to the real estate office to meet the realtor, smiling the whole way.

    Laine floated into Flower Lane grinning from ear to ear.
    Serena kissed his cheek and held out the phone as he stepped up to the front counter. “I want details, Lainey. And Grammy is on line two, after you’ve talked to Mrs. Barker.”
    “I knew you’d call Grammy. Told Dev you would.” Laine tried to snatch the phone but Serena scoffed and clutched it to her chest.
    “I did not!”
    Beth came from the back, the top of her blonde head peering over a huge flower arrangement that she placed on the counter. “Nope, I did. Lainey, honey, he’s handsome.” She turned the arrangement to face Laine and waggled her eyebrows. “Is he as good as he looks?”
    Laine shook his head, chuckling. Oh brother. “It looks nice, I like the daisies and the tulips together.
    And yes he is, not that that is any of your business.” Laine fluttered his eyelashes devilishly, and held out his hand for the phone.
    Serena mouthed the word “details” and handed it to him.
    Laine pushed the blinking button on the phone that had a number one above it, his gaze never wavering from his employees. “Hello, Mrs. Barker. Sorry to keep you waiting. What can I do for you?” Laine held up his hands, about a foot apart. Okay, it was an exaggeration—Dev was only about eight inches—but Serena and Beth were fun to tease, he couldn’t help it.
    Serena’s eyes got comically wide.
    Beth snickered and ran to the back.
    Laine heard her start talking excitedly and saw the orange blinking light—the one labeled two—on the phone go steady. He slapped his hand to his forehead. Great. Like he really wanted Grammy to know about the size of Dev’s— “Yes, Mrs. Barker. I can have that ready in two hours.” He quickly said his goodbyes and hit the line two button. “Hi, Grammy.”
    “Twelve inches? Good Lord, Lainey,” Grammy said, amusement heavy in her voice.
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    Beth started cackling and hung up the phone. A few seconds later she popped her head around the doorjamb and stuck her tongue out.
    Laine stuck his out right back, giggling.
    “Lainey, tell me all about him. Do you like him, honey? Is he handsome? Does he have a job? What’s his name, dear?”
    He