AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“That’s hot though, isn’t it?”
“It’s difficult mostly.”
“He’s probably very bossy.” She sighs and leans her head against a pillow. “Tell me he’sreallybossy.”
“You’re being gross again, Robyn.”
“He loves telling you what to do with that deep voice of his, right?”
“Robyn!”
“Okay, fine, you’re no fun. God, if I were you, I’d be jumping his bones because why the hell not? Might as well have a little fun before you get hitched.”
“Sara said something similar. Except she didn’t put it quite like that.”
“Sara’s all buttoned up and serious all the time but she’s a freak on a leash, I guarantee it.”
We talk for a while longer and for a bit, I can forget about my problems. Robyn tells me about her job drama, about living in Austin, and we relive some of our best college stories for the hundredth time. I miss Robyn so much and wish she lived closer, but she’s the kind of friend that no matter how long we go without speaking, we’ll pick right back up as soon as we’re together.
My phone beeps and I check the screen. “Ah, crap, I have to go. It’s my grandfather.”
“Duty calls. I love you, girlie. Reach out again soon, okay? I want to make sure that big hunk you’re marrying is treating you right.”
“Bye, Robyn.” I hang up, still smiling to myself, and take Grandpa’s call. “Hello? Grandpa?”
“Hello, Brice.” His voice sounds tired. “How are you, dear?”
“I’m doing fine.” I haven’t spoken to him in three days, not since I ambushed him back at the manor and he practically told me to buzz off and deal with the violent gangsters myself. “How’s Grandma?”
“She’s well, she’s well.” He doesn’t seem to notice that I didn’t ask about him. “I wanted to touch base with you and say that I got Carmine’s check and it’s going to go a long way to solving some of our problems.”
I sit up straight, frowning at the water, eyes narrowed. “Check? I didn’t know he wrote a check. I thought you weren’t getting any money until after we were married.”
“That’s what I thought too,” he says with a laugh, “but then I got a message that he’d sent an overnight delivery from a courier, and lo and behold, it contained a single check for a lot of money.”
I’m speechless. Carmine hadn’t told me anything about this, and actually, he’s been kind of distant ever since our dinner excursion. I’ve been chalking it up to stress, and he’s been traveling a lot between here and Philly since he couldn’t put that off any longer, and a strange warmth suffuses my stomach.
“That’s… That’s good, right?”
“It’swonderful, dear, very wonderful. I don’t know what you said to him to make him want to write this check, but it was much needed. And I was thinking I could maybe help out with the, ah, problem you mentioned the other day.”
I grip the phone tighter. “ThePanagosproblem?”
“Yes, that one,” he says breezily. “I might be able to reallocate some funds. Not the full sum, of course, but perhaps enough to buy some good will and patience.”
“Grandpa, that’d be amazing. Are you serious right now?”
“I’ll do what I can, you just tell your husband that I’m taking care of you, okay? And that more checks wouldn’t be terrible.”
“Right, uh, I will. Sure, Grandpa. And thank you.”
“No, no, sweetie, thank you, and thank Carmine. We’re going to get through this little rough patch together, I promise. Now I’ve got another call, I’ll speak with you later.”
He hangs up. I stare at my quiet phone and let that conversation sink in. Grandpa’s going to give some money to the Panagos, which means they’ll probably leave me alone, since the money’s not going to come from me. Grandpa’s going to step up and handle this after all.
But a darker thought occurs to me. Grandpa’s only offering to give some of the money to the Panagos family because he thinks it’ll buy more good will from Carmine, and right now that’s the only thing keeping the Rowe family afloat. He probably thinks I’m a good investment, and if he tosses a few hundred thousand over to some vile gangsters, that’ll bring in even more cash from my future husband.
I sip my tea but this time there’s only a bad taste in my mouth. My relationship with my grandfather is so tainted that I can’t even take in some good news without wondering how it’s actually a transaction designed to benefit the family and not at all about helping me. This should be good news—Carmine’s money is coming in handy—but there’s something gross about the whole situation.
