“What do you think?” I ask Grandma, turning my head so she can see both earrings.
She smiles slowly. It clearly costs her effort. But her joy is genuine. It’s like Dom’s here, andhe’sthe one making her smile.
“Beautiful,” she whispers. “Oh, what a picture you make! How did you afford those? They look expensive.”
I shift awkwardly in my chair, picking at the fabric on the arm. “They were a gift, actually.”
“Agift?” She perks up, though her eyelids are heavy and much of her old light has gone. “From who?”
I shrug. “Just a guy. It’s nothing serious. But today, he sort of stood up for me. And I liked it, Grandma. A lot.”
“But?”
I laugh quietly. “How do you always know when there’s abutcoming?”
“It’s one of my superpowers,” she says, voice growing quieter. I’ve almost exhausted all her energy.
“But it’s complicated,” I say. “Very, very complicated.”
Grandma’s eyes glaze over. Sometimes she gets this look like she’s going to—gulp—go. But the doctors have said she has a year, at least… but what will her life look like? She’s already getting weaker, slower, less like herself.
“Sorry?” Grandma murmurs. “Did you say something?”
“No,” I say, gently patting her hand. “Get some rest, Grandma. You deserve it.”
I wait until she falls asleep, then kiss her on the forehead. In the parking lot, I sit behind the wheel of my car, knowing I have to call Aaron back. He’s called me four times this evening, and he’s showing no signs of stopping.
I remember how Dom stood up for me earlier. He told me no one else is allowed to touch me. Which is insane. We’re strangers. And I’m going to ruin his life.
Wiping tears from my eyes, I call Aaron.
“You’re starting to make me mad, girl,” he spits. “What have you got?”
I have a copy of what was on the drive, not thatI understand its significance. What if I gave him the files that show the offshore accounts, the possible tax avoidance, or fraud, or whatever else it is?
“It’s only been a week,” I reply. “You can’t expect me to produce gold likethat.” I snap my fingers.
“Silly girl,” he hisses. “I could call the hospital this very moment, tell them to end the care. Is that what you want?”
“Grandma asked about you,” I lie. “She said she misses you and wants you to visit so you can play Scrabble. She knows you let her win, but she doesn’t care. She likes you, Aaron. Shelovesyou.”
There’s a pause. For a moment, I think he’s going to soften up a little. But then he laughs nastily. “Don’t try to pull on my heartstrings. I don’t have any.”
He hangs up without barking another order at me, so maybe he does feel bad. A little. As much as he’s capable.
At home, I debate sending Dom a text. I want to thank him for the earrings, but I’m also aware that I’m giving him the wrong message. As far as he knows, he’s involved in a risky, fun romance. Or the beginnings of one. I never planned on seducing him when Aaron forced me into this role. It’s just so easy to like him.
I’m staring down at our message thread when I see three dots appear, meaning he’s typing a message. Butterflies swirl in my belly. The dots disappear, then reappear.
I’ve always tried to be independent. Never relied on a man. But I can’t ignore the fact that I felt special when he came to my defense.
The dots vanish and don’t come back. Just send the message, Dom! Maybe he thinks he’s gone too far or that he’s just as bad as Kenny. Maybe, maybe, maybe…
I pull my hair loose from its bun, remembering what he said about it being messy and sexy. Tussling it a little, I tuck it behindmy ears, then go to the nearest mirror, snapping a selfie before I can think better of it. I send the photo to him with the message.
Izzy: These are beautiful, thank you. But I do kind of wish they were sticking a little, so you had to put them on for me.
He sees the message immediately, then replies.
