“Why didn’t you tell me he was here? I would have come sooner.” I ignored the guilty feeling over what held me up.

“What would be the point? The damage was already done. Your phone call woke me up and when I saw him lying there beside me, last night came rushing back and then he woke up and we— we… Oh God,” she groaned.

That explains her not being dressed yet.

“What do I do, Lake? He will never let me go now.”

“Is that really what you want?”

“It doesn’t matter what I want. We can’t do this. We are from two different worlds.”

“It doesn’t seem to bother him.”

“But he’s using me. What happens when he gets tired of me?”

“Then he would be a fool.”

“I would get Buddy to kick his ass but the little shit has a man crush on him. They’re ‘the bestest buds’ now.” She rolled her eyes and I laughed. We both knew Buddy would never let anyone seriously hurt his sister. He adored her although he gave her a lot of shit. He may be younger but Buddy was fiercely protective.

“Where is he anyway?”

She shrugged. “I honestly don’t know. He isn’t around much anymore. My little Buddy bean is growing up,” she stated using her nickname for him that he hated.

“Well, let’s get you dressed. Grandma is waiting.”

“Yeah, we don’t want to keep that firecracker waiting too long. She will curse us both out.”

“Uh, more like all of us. Keiran is coming.”

She lifted an eyebrow curiously. “Oh, wow. Grandma Lane will eat him alive. I can’t wait!” She rushed out of the room and moments later I heard the shower turn on.

I looked over at Pepé, who was in the corner curled up on his pillow sleeping. I hoped the little guy slept through whatever occurred in this room. I remembered the depth of her screams when I walked in on them weeks ago. Poor guy was probably traumatized.

I left the room and headed back downstairs where I heard two male voices speaking low. I cleared the living room doorway where they were sitting and their talking immediately stopped as they looked at him.

I shot Dash a withering glance before plopping down on the recliner. I felt their stares on me but they remained quiet.

“Are you two done man-bashing already?” Dash joked. I snorted and pulled out my phone to text my aunt rather than answer him.

However when he stood up and headed for the stairs my attention diverted back to him. “Where are you going?” I questioned, hostility dripping from my voice.

“Bro, get your woman out of my business,” he laughed. I ignored his insinuation that Keiran could control me even though we both knew he did.

“Leave her alone.”

“I’ll never leave her alone. You of all people should know that.” His eyes flicked to Keiran and back to me, suggestively.

“She doesn’t want you, Dash.”

“And yet she hasn’t told me no,” he grinned and I hated his cocky attitude.

“You could be the man you claim to be and give her what she wants.”

His entire demeanor changed in a flash. I watched his eyes harden and his jaw clenched leaving behind traces of the easy-going guy.  “I’m not interested in what she think she wants. But I do know what she needs and I’ll be the one to give it to her. The rest doesn’t matter.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

“I still don’t understand why you needed to come,” Willow griped from the backseat. Willow and I were finally on the road, heading to Red Rock plus two.

“Because it upsets you so much. You know…we were friends for a short time but when did you get so bitchy?”

“Right around the time your dick started showing…and I don’t mean the one between your legs.”

“Ssss, ouch. You burn me, baby. You burn me.”

If they kept up the bickering then I was in for a long ride. Keiran had yet to say a word to me since we left my house. I could tell he was pissed but I didn’t know what for and told myself I didn’t care. I peeked at him in the driver’s seat but his face was unreadable.

It was at least an hour and a half drive ahead of me with a bickering couple and a brooding lover for company. I pulled out my iPod and played the first song in the cue.

My favorite song, The Sweetest Thing, flowed through the tiny buds of my headphones. Nice.

* * *

We pulled onto the flowery estate of Whispering Pines an hour later and only then did I remove my ear buds. Sometimes I begrudged my grandmother the peaceful hideaway, although I could do without the smell of Ben-gay and antiseptic.

On these visits, I made sure to keep my appearance as close to the pictures my grandmother had in her room as possible. I was really young when she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s so she still associated me with the image of the younger me. During each visit I brought her a new picture of me to make it easier. She also kept pictures of Willow since she often came with me.

“I need you two to stay away for a moment. She doesn’t know you so I don’t want to alarm her. She likes to take walks so I’ll bring her out so she can feel more comfortable out in the open.”

“Sure thing. I can’t wait to meet you in sixty years. I bet she’s hotter,” Dash grinned.

“You can’t seriously be considering flirting with a seventy-year old woman?” Willow’s voice dripped with disgust and a hint of jealousy.