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Vivian beamed at him before she turned back to me. “Since this was your genius idea, you can be the first mentor.”
I leaned against the counter for support, the casserole dish heavy in my hands. “Me?”
“You’d be really great at it, Aunt Mulaney,” Leona said. Her blind faith in me was encouraging.
“Sure.” I spoke hesitantly, but it had nothing to do with lack of enthusiasm and more to do with what I could possibly teach anyone. “Whatever you need from me.”
Muriella gave me a pleased nudge. “It will mean so much to the women.”
I followed her as she took a dish toward the table. It would mean a lot to me too.
“When am I getting some more great-grandchildren?”
Easton choked on his drink, and Ruby patted his back. His eyes locked on mine as I set the casserole on the table. “We’re working on it.”
Who said that at the dinner table in front of the whole family? Mama reached for my hand and pulled me in. She rubbed my stomach. “Are you?” she asked hopefully.
“Hell no, she’s not,” Ruby said.
“How do you know?” I placed a hand on my hip.
“I can look at you and tell.” She motioned between Easton and me. “You need to work on it. That might fix this attitude.”
“What attitude?”
“That one.” An old, crooked finger pointed in my direction.
“Anything else y’all want to say about me?” I asked, defenses rising.
“You could tell us why you kicked your husband out of here after he told us the truth.” Granddaddy wiped his mouth with a napkin.
“Who said I kicked him out?” My voice reached a fevered pitch.
He turned a hard look to Easton. “Because no man would walk out on my girl.”
Easton held his gaze. “What if she walks out on me?”
“Then you better learn to hold on like hell.”
Chapter Thirty-Three
Easton
I yankedmy tie off and tossed it on the dresser. The Jacobs were some of my favorite people, but they’d worn me out with question after question about the future with Mulaney and touring the apartment they’d deemed ours. The entire time I’d been left hanging, trying to figure out how she’d accused me of stealing the money from Carter Energy. I’d seen the files. I’d seen the offshore account in Dad’s name. Yet, she thought I’d stolen from CE.
She slammed the door to the room we’d shared and kicked off her shoes. Her bare feet temporarily derailed me as I reached under the bed for the suitcase I’d left. My eyes traveled up slender legs until they made it to the point her skirt covered her knees. I’d learned to control my desire for her, but what was the point now? She was right. All we were was a pile of slung mud.
None of that mattered. I sure as hell wanted her.
“Gotten an eyeful yet?”
“Everyone knows you’re my wife. I don’t have to pretend I’m not looking.” I unzipped the bag and pulled out a pair of jeans.
“You never did.” The sides of her skirt gapped where she’d lowered the zipper.
“I’ve always seen you.”
She scooted into the bathroom, avoiding the things she didn’t want to hear. It was the truth. Why hide it? I’d already lost her.
