Total pages in book: 150
Estimated words: 151430 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 757(@200wpm)___ 606(@250wpm)___ 505(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 151430 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 757(@200wpm)___ 606(@250wpm)___ 505(@300wpm)
“You want me to push your food over, Grandma?” I ignore her quip.
“I want you to scrape it into the trash and bring me a milkshake.”
I do a double take. Her smile says she’s serious.
“Grandma, no. You’re on a special heart healthy diet.”
She puffs out annoyance and looks away from me.
“I’d do it for you, son. No hesitation.”
“You’re all we have left,” I try, keeping my voice calm. “You’re doing the dash diet until your doc says otherwise.”
“Nick’s right, you know. You’re a walking, talking, fun-sucking rule book. He’d bring me a milkshake.” Her eyes grow wide. “Where’s my phone? I need to summon my other grandson.”
“Grandma, I’m texting him right now. Not about your damn milkshake,” I growl.
“Buzzkill. Why don’t you at least tell me why you’re really here?”
“I just came to visit.”
“I know that. But what’s wrong?”
Damn her sixth sense. Folding my hands, I put my phone down and try to be delicate. It’s not easy when you’re all iron and no velvet to spare.
“I’m not sure the Winthrope deal’s going to hold up. He asked for time to reassess after we announced your retirement,” I say slowly, delivering the bad news as lightly as I can.
She’s quiet for a minute, then purses her lips and nods. Typical Grandma.
“Well, reassessing doesn’t mean backing out—unless you’ve given him a reason to? Have you boys told him to stop dressing like a rodeo clown?”
“No, ma’am,” I say with a chuckle.
“But?”
“He thinks we’re too scandalous. Not up to snuff.”
Her thin lips pull into a smile. “Well, Nick does make the papers quite often, and you know how Mr. Osprey loves a salacious story. But no one ever gave you kids a fair shake after that dreadful affair on the yacht...”
I cringe when she mentions it. I don’t dare go there, especially not now with her heart.
“Grandma...”
“Let me finish. It’s not fair. Just do the best you can, Ward,” she says, reaching for my hand. “If we don’t snag this deal, the world won’t end. I promise.”
I’m not so confident.
“Nick’s worried that if this contract slips away, we’ll lose a lot more,” I mutter.
“So, what are you going to do?”
“I’ll...honestly? I’m still working it out.”
“And that’s why you’re here.” She smiles, her eyes so kind and bright.
“No. I’m not here to worry you over this. You need to rest,” I say sharply. “Nick says my reputation is salvageable, but his—”
“What reputation? You were in the Army for four years, you worked with us while you were in college, and other than some drunken parties, you’ve never done anything wrong. Unless there’s something I don’t know about?”
Her eyes bore into me. I hesitate.
“The whole Maria thing—”
“Oh, Maria-popea. She’s a snob and a bitch. You’re better off without her.”
I can’t help but smile at her bravado, even if I don’t believe it.
“Everyone thinks I cheated on her after I yelled at that prick from The Chicago Tea. I never bothered to correct them. Osprey called me personally for a comment and I told him where to go.”
She snorts with amusement. “Back in my day, we had a word for that. You want to know what it was?”
“What, Granny?”
“A gentleman. That’s what we called a man who took the fall and never corrected anyone on the details. Particularly a certain anyone who makes his living peddling hogwash and schoolyard rumors.”
“Well, when those rumors are about the rich and famous, a lot of people drink his swill. I just didn’t want to help him brew more.” I sigh, blinking a second too long.
“You’re a good man, Ward. Never let anyone make you doubt it.”
I’m not. If she knew what I did to Paige...
Another repressed sigh.
“Want to hear something funny? Nick thinks I should hire Paige to be my fake fiancée so Winthrope will believe I’m all grown-up and responsible. Like two degrees and a solid decade grinding away at the top of the industry doesn’t prove it,” I tell her.
“Oh, I love it! That boy comes up with brilliant ideas when he buckles down and puts his mind to it.”
What?
My jaw almost dents the floor.
I stare at her. What exactly are they giving her for the pain?
“Come again? Grandma, what do you—”
“Do it!” she cuts in. “Fake marry Paige. Live it up and give the world a show that’ll blow their hair back.”
I cock my head, studying her.
“Why?”
“Why not?” She flicks a hand in midair. “The way everyone judges you boys for what your parents did isn’t fair. Desperate times call for desperate measures, desperate justice. Fake an engagement to Paige, but make it look real, I say. If people don’t think you’re smitten, it will never work.”
Smitten, huh?
“There’s a problem. Actually, there’s a hundred problems, but here’s the big one—Paige isn’t interested,” I say.
“Oh, Ward.” She reaches over and pats my hand again. “I’ve never met a woman disinterested in one of my grandsons.”