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Brendan stepped forward, trying to salvage this situation. “So nice to meet you,” he began with a bright smile, extending his hand. Then he remembered where it had been and pulled it back. “I’m Brendan O’Brian. And you are—”
“Why are you hiding in my kitchen?” the woman demanded.
“Grandma, leave him alone,” Sonia yelled.
Grandma.Brendan’s mind reeled. Sonia lived with her grandmother? And they’d just had filthy, intense sex all over the house. He hadn’t been to church in years, but he suddenly had the urge to go back.
He coughed. “It’s a pleasure, Sonia’s grandma.”
“Call me Adrienne.” A spark of humor lit her eyes. She raised her voice. “Sonia, you should have told me you were entertaining a gentleman caller. I would have stayed out later.”
Now Brendan remembered where he’d seen this woman — at Diana’s graduation from Yale. Sonia had been graduating too, but she didn’t have a crowd of family around her the way Di did. There was only Adrienne.
“Whyareyou hiding?” Sonia asked from the deck.
Brendan had a few questions of his own, starting with why Sonia was so comfortable hanging out in the nude in front of her grandmother, but he just shook his head and beckoned Sonia inside.
Huffing out a breath, she rose from the lounge chair and grabbed a crimson silk robe from a hook by the door. She slipped it over her shoulders as she stepped into the house.
“Okay, what’s going on?” she asked, closing the door.
Grandma Adrienne showed no signs of leaving. Instead, she went to the fridge, took out a beer, and leaned against the counter, all interest.
Brendan smiled self-deprecatingly. “I hate to say it this way, but it’s an image issue.”
The two women stared at him.
“I work for a senator who’s in the public eye. I’m moving up” — he shrugged — “if you want to think of it that way. I have to be aware of what I say and do, and what other people see. Your backyard is visible to the neighbors.”
Adrienne’s eyes widened. “You’rethe Senate staffer. The one Sonia referred to as ‘dirty laundry.’” She turned to her granddaughter. “They’re the same damn man!” She paused dramatically. “Or are they?”
Sonia rolled her eyes. “Apparently, everything is top secret around here. Yes, they are.” Turning to Brendan, she folded her arms. “And hanging out with a woman in her own backyard doesn’t fit your public image.”
“You were naked!” Brendan protested.
Adrienne sipped her beer. “We could cover the backyard,” she said thoughtfully. “Put up a tent.”
Brendan grinned. “Don’t do it on my account.”
“Why not? Sonia likes you.”
Sonia’s face darkened. “Grandma, I swear this is the last time I’m bringing someone home. What did you say about giving me space?” She whirled to Brendan. “Stop laughing.”
He chuckled. “You’re cute together.”
“See?” Adrienne pointed to Brendan with satisfaction. “He’s the only person in the world besides me who thinks you’re cute. I like him already.”
“Of course you do,” Sonia huffed. “It’s his job. He’s a fucking professional at getting people to like him.”
“Then they should give him a raise.” Adrienne patted his shoulder. “I’ll leave you two alone. Sonia, don’t embarrass the poor boy. He has his image to consider.”
She walked out with a click of her high heels.
Sonia rubbed her hands over her face. “Well, that’s my grandma. Want a drink?”
Brendan exhaled. “I’ll take a beer.”
He sat down at the kitchen table. Sonia handed him a bottle and put the teakettle on to boil, then curled up in the seat opposite him.
