"Surely that term is still around, isn't it?" Granny Gert asked. She parked at the restaurant and turned off the car.

"Yes, we still say player. But what do you mean by a player with a heart?"

"Lambert Wiggins flirts with every lady at that center, every one of them, and he acts as though he could care less whether any of them get hooked on him or not, that it won't change the way he's acting, or make him settle down. But there's a sweet spot in that man, and while he tries to come across like he doesn't care, he does. And I'd venture to say he cares quite a lot."

"You like him?" Babette wasn't quite certain whether she was asking a question or stating a fact. It'd been over ten years since Grandpa Henry had pa.s.sed on, but still, she didn't really think of her grandmother as "available."

"Heavens, no." Granny Gert shook her head and caused her big, bold waves to shift against her temple. "I've had his type before, and while it was good the first time, that isn't what I want again. I don't want to mess up the memory of the original." She climbed out of the car, while Babette's jaw dropped. She'd had his type before? What did that mean?

"You are going to explain that, aren't you?" she asked, following Granny Gert inside.

Her grandmother placed their order, knowing Babette well enough to know she'd want a vegetable plate, and even picking the very vegetables Babette would have selected, creamed spinach, corn, and green beans. Then, ignoring Granny Gert's protest, Babette paid for their food.

"You wait until your money situation is better," Granny said, but Babette shook her head.

"I may not be rolling in it, but I'm not going to have you buying my dinner." Truth was, dinner at Boston Market was the extent of what she could provide her grandmother now, but she wasn't about to take a handout from Granny Gert or anyone else. Besides, she should receive her check for the last Eubanks catalog she had shot any day now, and even though she only took photographs for them a couple of times a year, it still paid pretty well. Or rather, it paid more than most of her part-time jobs, not that that was saying much.

"I asked you a question." She grabbed the to-go sack and followed Granny Gert out of the restaurant.

"Well, I couldn't very well tell you in there, with those people listening and all," Granny said as she got into the car.

"Tell me what?"

"That your Grandpa Henry was like Lambert Wiggins, quite a lot like him, in fact. He was a big flirt, and he acted like he didn't care about anyone but himself."

Babette remembered her grandfather, the way he always looked as if he was on the verge of laughing, and the way he teased and flirted with her grandmother, right up until he died. They would give Sara and Jed a run for their money in the cuddling department, but Henry and Gertrude Robinson had been together for years, where Sara and Jed were still in the courting stage.

"He was a player, you know, kept all the girls hanging around and pining for him, every one of them thinking she was his one and only, when he didn't want to settle down, or that's what he wanted everyone to think."

"But you saw through that."

"Sure I did. I'm n.o.body's fool, and I sure wasn't a fool when it came to Henry Robinson. Sure, the man was hard to get, but I always liked a challenge." She opened her hands on the steering wheel and wiggled her fingers, then held out her left hand and let her tiny diamond catch the moonlight. "And all it took was proving to him that he couldn't live without me. I snagged him that way when we were teens, and I kept him that way until the day he died." She laughed softly. "He didn't want to care about a girl that much-he told me so-but he did, and I can honestly say that I never regretted a bit of the effort it took to make him realize that."

"You said you didn't want that type again again," Babette pointed out as they pulled back onto the highway. "Are you thinking about dating again?"

Granny Gert's mouth twitched a little, then she whispered, "I'd be lying if I said the thought of spending time with a man again hasn't crossed my mind. I mean, living next door to Clarise, and now you, means I've always got someone to talk to, and I do have my visits to Shady Pines to occupy my time, but there's just something different about living with someone, having that person be a part of everything you do. And don't get me wrong, no one could ever take Henry's place in my heart, but I really don't think he'd have intended me to live alone forever, do you?"

Babette heard the concern in her grandmother's voice, as though she were wondering whether Grandpa Henry would have in fact wanted her to stay single the remainder of her life, even though, by all appearances, she still had quite a lot of life left to live. How long had Granny Gert been thinking about dating again? And how long had she resisted admitting it? Did she feel guilty about it? Because she shouldn't; she was right, after all. Grandpa Henry wouldn't have wanted her to be alone, and perhaps he'd have wanted Babette to help her out.

"He definitely wouldn't have wanted you alone," she said. "He wanted you happy, and he'd want you happy now." She paused, then asked, "Is there someone at the center that you're wanting to meet, Granny? Because, you know, my track record with matchmaking there is running a hundred percent." She smiled, and so did Granny.

"Oh, no, child." She waved at Milton in the guard station as she pulled into their apartment complex. "I mean, I haven't got anyone in mind. I've just been thinking that it might be nice, if I happened to run across an interesting man."

"Someone who isn't a player with a heart, this time," Babette said.

"Right. It-well, that was your granddaddy's place, and I wouldn't want to try to have someone compete with him there. There's no way to compete with Henry anyway. He's the love of my life and the father of my kids, you know. But somebody different, perhaps."

"Well, if you figure out who you'd like to meet, and if I can help . . ."

"That's what I was thinking. If I do meet someone, I may actually take advantage of your talent in that area, because you really are good at matchmaking, dear. You've got a way of putting the right people together, whether you realize it or not. And someday, I may just put that talent to use for myself, if I do ever meet a guy who suits my fancy." She parked the car, grabbed the food sack, and climbed out. "But for now, I'm quite content living next door to my granddaughter and letting you keep me company."

Babette smiled, but inside she wondered how Granny Gert would ever handle it if Babette eventually met someone who "suited her fancy" and ended up moving away. Granny had spent a lot of her time visiting with Clarise when Clarise had lived next door, and now she spent that time with Babette, since Babette had moved into Clarise's old apartment. Truthfully, Gertrude Robinson didn't like being alone, at all, and so far, the situation had never required it. But what if it did? What if Babette found the "right guy" one day and settled down and got married, perhaps moving away from here?

Babette blinked. What was she talking about? She hadn't even thought of any guy as "right" before. Usually, she simply thought of all of them as wrong. So Granny's constant need for companionship was covered, for now. Besides, at the rate Babette's love life was going, barely sticking with a guy for a third date, Granny would probably find her perfect fellow way before Babette did.

"You know," Granny said, unlocking her apartment door and heading inside, "I've got a dentist appointment Wednesday, so I won't be going to the center the next time you work, but Maud said she wanted to talk to you about getting together with Lloyd Tinsley, and believe it or not, Lambert said he needed to talk to you about something 'confidential,' too."

"Lambert?"

"I'll admit that he looked like he was up to something," Granny Gert said. "But who knows, maybe he really does have his eye on someone special there. Stranger things have happened." She put the food bag on the table, then gathered utensils. "You want to fix the tea?"

"Sure." Babette soon had two big gla.s.ses of sweet tea with lemon next to their plates. They sat down, and Granny Gert quickly started on her chicken, but Babette didn't have food on her mind. She was wondering about the men and women at Shady Pines, and about men and women in general.

Granny stopped eating, wiped her hands on her napkin, and looked at Babette. "What is it?"

"Why is it so hard for them to just tell each other how they feel? I mean, they've obviously lived for quite a while, and they don't have tons of time to waste . . ."

Granny laughed softly. "You realize I'm in that category."

"Oh, sorry."

"Don't be. You're simply stating the facts." She placed her napkin on the table. "And it's true. Life would be easier if we'd simply find enough gumption to come out and say, 'Hey, I like you, and neither of us is a spring chicken. Why don't we spend some time together?' That'd be easy enough to ask, if we had the nerve." Granny turned, looked at the black-and-white wedding portrait centered on the wall above her mantel, and at the ornate urn beneath it. "But even back then, as crazy as I was about Henry, I was still a little nervous about letting him know how I felt. I don't know if it's that normal fear of rejection or something else, but people are kind of timid about putting their heart out on the line, aren't they? With Henry, though, I simply decided he was worth it, and I cornered him one day in his barn and told him that I had a mind to kiss him, and then after that, I planned to marry him."

Unfortunately, Babette had just taken a big sip of tea and nearly spewed it all over the table. Finally, she managed to swallow and then laughed. "You didn't."

"I most certainly did," Granny Gert said with a nod.

"And what did he do?"

"He asked me what I was waiting for." Her glossy pink lips grew fuller with her grin, and Babette suddenly found it very easy to see why her grandfather had always said he married Granny Gert for her gumption.

"Why didn't either of you ever tell us that story? I just a.s.sumed he courted you the old-fashioned way-you know, spending a little time together, then he asked you out, then you dated awhile, and then, eventually, you got married."

"Why waste all that time, when you know what you want?" Again, Granny Gert's attention drifted to the portrait on the mantel and the urn that held Grandpa Henry's ashes. "I suppose I never mentioned how I caught him because that was our little secret. But now that I'm thinking about perhaps seeing someone again, I realize that it was very hard to put myself out there, and really try to gain Henry Robinson's attention." She shrugged slightly. "I'm not sure that I can do it again, and after hearing the other women at the center talk about how they have a hard time meeting the men they want to meet, I realize that most people never do venture out of that comfort zone. I guess now I feel rather proud that I did it, even once."

Babette pondered the guys she'd dated and tried to determine whether she'd ever ever ventured out of her own comfort zone for any of them. No, she hadn't. Did that mean she hadn't met the guy who was worth that venture, or did it mean she hadn't inherited Granny Gert's gumption after all? ventured out of her own comfort zone for any of them. No, she hadn't. Did that mean she hadn't met the guy who was worth that venture, or did it mean she hadn't inherited Granny Gert's gumption after all?

"I don't think I could do it again," Granny said. "Be so blunt with a man and tell him what I want. I'm thinking most people can't, because if they could, then those people at the center wouldn't need your help, would they?"

"I guess not."

"It's funny, though. I mean, we're all mature-very mature-adults, and you'd think that we'd be able to handle pretty much everything by now. But while I may be seventy on the outside, inside I still feel like I'm seventeen. Still get nervous around men, still get excited about driving a car, still like getting all gussied up with my hair and my makeup and my clothes, still-well-seventeen."

"How old were you when you propositioned Grandpa Henry in that barn?"

Granny Gert laughed. "Propositioned. It sounds so risque, doesn't it?" Then she smiled, and her cheeks turned rosy. "I like that idea. Me, risque and daring and full of gumption." She paused. "I was seventeen."

"You know what's really funny, Granny? I'm thirty-three, and I don't believe I've ever had nearly the amount of gumption that it took for you to approach Grandpa Henry that day in the barn. I've never put myself out there for a guy like that, and I'm nearly twice the age that you were when you did. What does that say about me?"

Granny Gert's grin climbed even higher into her cheeks and she winked at Babette. "I believe it says that it's high time you give it a try."

THE DISH.

Where authors give you the inside scoop!

A Note to Readers from Paige Darlington (s.e.x & THE IMMORTAL BAD BOY).

and Marissa Kincaid (TO CATCH A CHEAT).

Marissa: We want to talk to you about liars and cheats. Wait-no-something more positive. We want to talk to you about liars and cheats. Wait-no-something more positive.

Paige: Oh, fantastic idea! I'm all about being positive. How about being turned into an evil wraith who answers to Satan? Or about being caught in a turf battle between Satan and his sociopathic son, Satan Junior? No? I guess that still isn't very positive, is it? Tell you what, you tell me something positive about liars and cheats, and I'll tell you something positive about being consumed by evil and groomed to destroy the world. Oh, fantastic idea! I'm all about being positive. How about being turned into an evil wraith who answers to Satan? Or about being caught in a turf battle between Satan and his sociopathic son, Satan Junior? No? I guess that still isn't very positive, is it? Tell you what, you tell me something positive about liars and cheats, and I'll tell you something positive about being consumed by evil and groomed to destroy the world.

Marissa: Okay, I've got it. Let's talk about a woman who has been cheated on by every man in her life and is finally going to make them all pay. Yeah, that's a positive spin on it. Okay, I've got it. Let's talk about a woman who has been cheated on by every man in her life and is finally going to make them all pay. Yeah, that's a positive spin on it.

Paige: You sound as if you're speaking from experience. You sound as if you're speaking from experience.

Marissa: Who, me? Who, me?

Paige: Okay, to make them pay, what exactly does she do? Because my idea of making people pay-well, we're probably talking about two different kinds of making people pay. Okay, to make them pay, what exactly does she do? Because my idea of making people pay-well, we're probably talking about two different kinds of making people pay.

Marissa: I-um, she-created a cheater database where women could list the guys who've cheated on them in the past and could also check potential dates to see if they'd cheated before. I-um, she-created a cheater database where women could list the guys who've cheated on them in the past and could also check potential dates to see if they'd cheated before.

Paige: Hmm . . . sounds like a database Satan could use. Brilliant idea. Hmm . . . sounds like a database Satan could use. Brilliant idea.

Marissa: Yeah, it would've been, if the first cheater listed had actually cheated. And if he hadn't retaliated with his own Web site identifying women who lie. And if he hadn't put me-I mean, her-as the liar of the month. Yeah, it would've been, if the first cheater listed had actually cheated. And if he hadn't retaliated with his own Web site identifying women who lie. And if he hadn't put me-I mean, her-as the liar of the month.

Paige: Oh, wow. I'm feeling your pain, girlfriend. Is he hot? Because if he is, I'm thinking maybe you could have fun making him pay . . . Oh, wow. I'm feeling your pain, girlfriend. Is he hot? Because if he is, I'm thinking maybe you could have fun making him pay . . .

Marissa: Anyway, what about something positive about "wraithhood" and Satan? Anyway, what about something positive about "wraithhood" and Satan?

Paige: Well, I guess that it's helping me organize my career goals. I've crossed being an evil being who kowtows to Satan off my list. But I'm thinking I need to hire someone tough enough to handle me and keep me from turning wraith while I try to get things resolved. Well, I guess that it's helping me organize my career goals. I've crossed being an evil being who kowtows to Satan off my list. But I'm thinking I need to hire someone tough enough to handle me and keep me from turning wraith while I try to get things resolved.

Marissa: Got someone in mind? Got someone in mind?

Paige: Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.

Marissa: Then your problems are solved. Then your problems are solved.

Paige: Not exactly. Satan Junior's holding his brother hostage, and Junior won't release his brother until he delivers the goods. Not exactly. Satan Junior's holding his brother hostage, and Junior won't release his brother until he delivers the goods.

Marissa: The goods . . . as in you? The goods . . . as in you?

Paige: As in me. As in me.

Wouldn't it be nice if life (and wraithhood) was easy?

So, readers, let our authors know what you think about liars and cheats, Satan (and Satan Jr.), and the men who complicate all of the above or anything else. They love hearing from you!

Sincerely,

Paige Darlington, of

Marissa Kincaid, of

s.e.x & THE IMMORTAL.

TO CATCH A CHEAT.

BAD BOY.

By Stephanie Rowe

By Kelley St. John