“Glory, you know you can’t fib to me. There’s a sister code or something, I’m sure of it.”
“We’re cousins.”
“You only say that when it’s convenient.”
From the other room, they both heard Shara say, “Why is Miss High and Mighty hanging out here?”
In a tone rife with irritation, Tanner said, “She’s my wife’s cousin—”
At that, Glory raised a brow as if to say,See, we’re cousins.
“But they’re more like sisters.”
Callie gave a muffled, “Ha!”
“And they’re both lovely women,” Addie insisted, her own voice bordering on hostile.
“Fine, she’s nice,” Shara said to Addie without much conviction. “Do you honestly think she’s interested in Kam?”
“Why wouldn’t she be?”
“She comes from money, that’s why. She walks around with her nose in the air as if she’s better than us.”
“Us?” Tanner repeated, his tone flat. “Glory likes me just fine.”
“And me,” Addie said.
“Ha! She’s up to something, I tell you.”
The strangest thing happened. Glory didn’t mean to intrude, and in fact, she hadn’t wanted to. But anger propelledher to the dining room, and suddenly, she was there, face-to-face with Shara, and she heard herself say in silky menace, “Are you somehow insinuating that this family is beneath me?”
“Beneathus?” Callie said, as she slipped her arm through Glory’s in a show of solidarity.
“Because you couldn’t be more wrong.” It took a lot to get Glory riled, but insulting this wonderful family, in any way, certainly did it. “I’ve never met finer men or a more beautiful, generous woman.”
Surprised by the direct confrontation, Shara moved closer to Kam.
Folding his arms over his chest, his mouth tipped in a very small smile, he waited. So did Tanner and Addie, and they all three looked... pleased.
Oh, Lord.Glory couldn’t believe she’d started this.
“Well,” Shara said. “I guess you’re slumming, then?”
“Slumming?”Glory was right back to being enraged. “I doubt I deserve to be here with them, not the other way around!”
“So you’re... what?” Shara sneered. “Genuinely interested in Kam?”
Put on the spot like that, Glory floundered.
Callie, unfortunately, did not. “He’s staying with her.” She dusted her hands, as if that settled it.
“I... That is, Kam and I are friends.”
Curling her lip, Shara suggestively asked, “Friends with benefits?”
Glory took a step forward. “How dare you be so crude in front of his mother?” She turned to Addie. “I’m so sorry for her insensitive remarks.”
“Oh, um...” Addie blinked over the defense. “Yes, you’re right.” She tried, and completely failed, to look shocked. Overall, she appeared fascinated by the entire clash.
