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As Eli drops me to the ground, my eyes swing around the property with as much casualness as I can muster, but both Eli and Hudson notice.
“He’s not here,” they tell me in unison.
Disappointment clutches my soul, but I cast it aside, refusing to let Connor’s absence ruin the moment.
“Are we going to stand on the driveway all night, or is there a beer waiting inside for me?” I jest, ushering them toward the door as I open the back door to grab my bag.
Eli instantly reaches back for it, and I smile at him gratefully, heading after Hudson and my grandmother.
“You look good, Gran. Have you been taking all their money in cards again?” I joke, opening the screeching screen door to let them in first.
She scoffs loudly and eyes Hudson. “Are you snitching on me, young man?”
Hudson snorts with amusement.
If Gran looks refreshed, Hudson appears exhausted, and Eli, defeated.
What the hell happened when I was gone?I’m afraid to ask the question in front of my grandmother. I’m not sure the men will answer, anyway, but it pains me to see them in pain themselves.
Hudson finds me a beer, and we regroup in the living room, Hudson flipping off the television with the remote control, Eli leaving my duffel on the steps before padding in after us. He sinks heavily onto the sofa and rubs the bridge of his nose.
“I can’t tell you how fancy that hotel was,” I offer, hoping to lighten the mood for the boys. “Really, Eli? It’s five stars! It must have cost a fortune!”
“It was nothing.” He smiles at me.
“It was so much more than I needed. Thank you. I didn’t get to use the gym—or the sauna.”
“You’re in good enough shape, Rosie,” he replies, eying me appreciatively. “You don’t need to use the gym.”
“I’m sitting right here,” Gran grumbles.
I blush furiously, chugging back my drink. I still feel hot as they look at me, the naked admiration making me heady.
“How are you feeling, Gran?” I ask, shifting my attention toward her.
“No.” She holds up a hand to stop me. “We’re not doing that. I’ve had enough of this constant attention. I’m recovering well. I’m attending my appointments and watching my diet. I’ve done everything I’m supposed to do. We need to discuss what’s important here: MVP.”
I purse my lips and take another swig of beer, unsure of how much to disclose.
“Don’t tiptoe around it, Rosie,” Gran insists. “You went back to Washington for a reason. Hopefully it was more fruitful than Eli’s day.”
My head jerks up to stare into Eli’s green eyes.
“Nothing happened today, Miss Katherine,” he counters. “I don’t know why you’re saying?—”
“You might think you’re clever, whispering behind my back,” my grandmother interjects. “But I know full well that you went to meet with lawyers today, and I can see by your face that it didn’t go as planned.”
I sink to the sofa, tearing my eyes away from Eli. “We’re not trying to hide anything from you, Gran,” I tell her quickly before either of the men can speak. “Eli and Hudson are just trying to keep you safe. You’ve been under enough stress, and until we can give you some solid answers, it didn’t feel right giving you more problems.”
“I’m tougher than I look, Rosie,” Gran chides me,
I nod, but I flip my gaze toward Eli. “You went to meet with the lawyers today? What did they say?”
“Absolutely nothing,” Eli blurts out. “They refused to talk to me.”
Hudson leans forward in his chair, his jaw slacking. “What? Why?”
Eli’s lips twitch, and he makes a steeple of his fingers as if he’s trying to calm his nerves before he explains.
