“It’s okay, Pooh.” Grandma pulled me into a quick, reassuring hug. “There’s a lot you don’t know. I want to tell you everything, but I don’t have time right now.” She shot Granny Joyce a strange look before extending her hand to me. “Come on.”
I slipped my hand in hers. “Where are we going?”
She led me toward her bedroom door. “You’re going home. It’s past my bedtime, and I’m sure you have work to do.”
“But—”
“No buts, Pooh. Besides, I have business to discuss with Joyce.”
When I looked back at Granny Joyce, she grinned. “Are you okay?” I asked.
“I’m fine,” she assured me. “By the way, have you made any progress on that crazy Ms. Tea?”
I shook my head. “I haven’t.”
My hesitation about the job intensified after I’d run into Wes at the café—until I received an overdraft alert from my bank in the middle of that tense conversation. I still wasn’t convinced, but I was still broke.So, there’s that.
“Albany?”
I blinked. “Huh?”
Granny Joyce approached me. “Are you okay?”
Nodding, I said, “Yes. I should probably get going.”
Another glance passed between my grandma and Granny Joyce. Something didn’t feel right. I heard what Grandma said, but …Is she really okay?
“What’s wrong?” I asked, shifting my gaze between the two women. “It feels like there is something you’re not telling me.”
“Oh, baby girl”—Granny Joyce waved a dismissive hand—“we’re fine. I did have something I wanted to talk to your grandmother about. Business. But that’s all.” She flashed a smile. “Do you need anything from me? I want to be sure that you have the necessary support to settle this assignment quickly.”
The subject change would have been jarring had I not expected it. Granny Joyce was like my grandma in that neither of them could be swayed to have a conversation they didn’t want to have.
Deciding to let this go, for now, I gave her a hug. “Thanks for asking. I’ll let you know if I need something. For now, I’m good.”
“Great,” Granny Joyce said. “I’d like you to attend the fundraising event tomorrow. Everyone will be there, so it’ll give you a chance to observe.”
“I’ll be there.” Turning my attention back to my grandmother, I gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. “Love you, Grandma. I’ll check on you tomorrow.” I waved at them both before I left.
As I made my way back to my car, I thought about the interaction upstairs, the questions that didn’t seem to have good answers. It was clear to me that something was off, and I was determined to figure it out.
Decision made, I grabbed my phone and typed out a text:We need to talk.
Chapter 6
Wesley
“Did you hear the latest Ms. Tea blog?”
“Such a shame … I know Joyce is mortified.”
“He should be ashamed of himself seducing that poor, innocent woman.”
“Disgrace.”
“I always knew he’d turn out like his father.”
The moment I stepped into the Batchelor estate, the stench of White Diamond perfume mixed with cigar smoke and a healthy dose of judgment destroyed any small sense of peace I’d had a few minutes earlier. I was used to being the subject of conversation when I walked into a room, but damn …
