I inwardly cursed, then glared at Jasper Whittaker, the board member who'd apparently run like a crybaby to my grandmother.
“So that’s what you were up to?” Max said, raising his glass of bourbon to his mouth like he was sipping on cola at a dramatic movie. “Man, that’s cold, bro.”
Sunny, who'd never met Jasper, just looked confused.
“Nora,” I said, keeping my voice level. “We’ll talk about this in private.”
I glanced at Sunny. “Sunny doesn’t need to hear this.”
“Oh, I think she does, grandson of mine. I set her up with ye, thinking she'd melt yer cold heart!" Nora chided with a scoff, her Irish brogue growing thicker. "Hah! Joke's on me, it seems! Clearly, I didn't reckon yer heart had already turned to stone. It'sSunnyneeds saving from ye, not the other way 'round!"
“Nora, you didn’tset me upwith her!" I exploded. "Youthreatenedto take away my company—the one I’d worked like a beast to save after your son left it in shambles—if I didn’t marry her.”
Sunny gasped. “What?”
“Well, I had to figure out some way to get ye to take me seriously, didn't I?"Nora swiped a hand in the air, as if threatening to hand over the company I’d rebuilt to my derelict brother was a minor thing."And is it my fault the only way to get through to you is to make it about business?”
“Wait a minute,” Sunny said, looking between the two of us. “Nora, obviously something has been lost in translation. If Cole’s ousting you from the board, it’s because he knows it’s what’s best for you. I know you want to live your last few months on earth fiercely, but it’s important that you rest and take care of yourself.”
Too late, I realized that Sunny had reverted to her old habit of assuming the best of everyone.
"Oh, shit!" Max exclaimed, as if voicing my unspoken thoughts. "This is so bad, bro. This is so bad."
"Sunny, can we talk in private?" I asked between clenched teeth.
“What do you mean my last few months on earth?” Nora asked Sunny. “I’m healthy as a horse.”
Max bugged his eyes and made a little explosion sound behind his teeth. “Well, that secret’sblown.”
I bunched my fists at my side. “Max, I swear, if you say another word..."
“You’re not sick?” Sunny asked Nora before I could finish my threat.
“Course I’m not sick,” Nora answered with an offended jerk of her chin. "My primary doctor says my liver must be made of tank material. I’ll most likely outlive all of you."
“But at that dinner before the Benton Girls show we went to—you were hobbling.”
Nora sniffed. “Okay, dearie, I’ll admit to needing a wee bit of upkeep these days to maintain this fine figure. But do ye think I would've been cleared for so very many nips and tucks if I were on my last days?”
Sunny covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes widening with horror.
“Sunny, let’s go into the house,” I said, feeling desperate and urgent inside. “I’ll explain everything in private.”
“You told her I was sick?” Nora turned on me. “Why?”
“Apparently, to get me to pose as his fiancée while he worked on getting you kicked off the board,” Sunny answered.
No more benefit of the doubt. Her voice rang bitter with discovery.
Nora gasped. “You didn’t!”
“You left me no choice,Nora.” I glared down at my grandmother. “Benton Worldwide is my life, and I won’t have it threatened. Not by you or anyone else. You tried to manipulate me, and now you’re going to get exactly what you deserve.”
“I can’t believe you would use poor Sunny like that."Nora shook her head at me. "How could you?”
My grandmother didn’t give me a chance to answer before turning back to Sunny. “I won’t let him get away with this. I’ll call my lawyer and get the shares transferred before the meeting tomorrow.”
Max smirked. “Looks like I’m going to be the new power player at Benton Worldwide after all.”
