He stared the bride down, her face flushed, but he didn’t care. If he was forced to come in here amidst this chaos, he was going to make his opinion known.
It wasn’t just his position as the grandson, but the one who was the wealthiest in the family that he was positive Courtney was aware of.
“I’m trying,” Courtney said. “It’s a little nuts, but I’ve got it under control. I told Sophie to relax. The caterers will be here soon and then I’ll start getting ready. My parents will deal with the rest.”
“Got it,” he said. He went about getting their coffee ready, snagged the package of treats his grandmother liked, then walked back to the front of the house.
“Did you meet the bride?”
“I did,” he said, setting the coffee down. “After she verbally chopped my neck to find out who I was.”
His grandmother laughed. “She’s nervous. I understand, but it comes out as rudeness.”
“She backed down fast enough.”
“I don’t need to know why. Back to Natalie.”
“I didn’t want her to witness this mess and I knew you’d want to talk to me privately.”
“It’s not as if you’re going to give me what I want. You never do.”
He sipped his coffee. His grandmother’s eyes were laughing. “I give you more than most. She’s very sweet. Politically correct. She is the Director of Customer Relations at The Bond Retreat and used to dealing with rich uppity people whose noses get out of joint when their toilet paper isn’t folded in a triangle.”
His grandmother snorted. “She should be able to handle your parents well. And maybe could have pulled this circus under control.”
“She’s not here to work anymore than you are. And thankfully she’ll only have to deal with Dad.”
“And Brandi. Don’t forget the bimbo.”
“Grandma,” he said. “Have you met her to know that for sure?”
“I don’t have to meet her to have an opinion of someone who dates a man who is older than her father. That no one lasts longer than six months at least lessens the worry he’s being taken advantage of.”
He coughed into his coffee. “No one takes advantage of Dad.”
“Your mother got the most.”
“Because it’s her job to nail people’s asses to the wall. Sorry, but after what he did to her, she deserved it. What they’ve done after, that’s all on them. She’s an equal opportunity instigator.”
“Yes, she is. I’m sure she’s reached out, knowing you’re here.”
“She did. She called me before I left yesterday. When I told her I didn’t have time to see her before the wedding today she hung up on me. She got in that I could visit at Easter.”
“Are you going to?”
“Nope. The only peaceful family holidays I’ve had in the past several decades have been with you. I’m old enough to not need to have a ham with my mother and her new boyfriend.”
“She only wants to show you off.”
He lifted his coffee in agreement. “There you go.”
“Easter is next weekend. Will you come back?”
“Sorry. I’m not planning on it. I thought you were going on a cruise anyway with some of your friends.”
“I am,” his grandmother said. “I wanted to make sure you weren’t left on your own with either of your parents.”
He grinned. “I’ve got Natalie. Don’t worry there. She won’t be subjected to them that close together either.”
