“Mr. Grant,” one of the guys said, standing patiently next to him while he showboated for Mattie. “Mrs. Harrington told us to expect you.”
Tucking her close to his side, Grant handed his keys to the worker and smiled. “Thanks, Freddy. How are the girlfriends and the kids?”
“Shhhh. Don’t cramp my style,” Freddy responded, winking. He was a tall, lanky guy, cute and blond but quite average in comparison to the boys in her family. “Family number one is fine, but I’m going on vacation next week.”
“To spend time with family number two.”
“You know it, bro.”
Mattie scrunched her nose, not understanding how either Grant or Freddy thought this was acceptable behavior.
Grant snickered. “Better you than me, dude.”
“It keeps me on my toes.”
“Remember that when you’re found out.”
Freddy nodded. “You’re right, but I don’t want to hold you up.”
Too late.
After greeting the four other valet guys, Grant guided her into the restaurant. It was already 1:25,so the restaurant crowd was thin with only two tables of diners remaining.
“Mrs. Harrington wants to know if you want a table on the floor or a private room, Grant?” the hostess asked coolly.
“When did you get back in town, Prissy?” Grant asked, instead of answering.
Like,what? Prissy? Who had a name like that?
Prissy looked like a model, even in her all-black attire that consisted of a shirt and slacks with pearl jewelry. “A week ago.” She glanced from Mattie to Grant. “Talked to Cassidy recently?”
“Nope,” he said. “Not in the last month since she withdrew from school and hightailed it to the chalet.” He nodded to Mattie. “This is my cousin,” he said. “Matilda Donovan. Mattie, this is my ex-girlfriend’s sister. Priscilla, though everyone calls her Prissy.”
Mattie preferred Priscilla, but what did she know? The girl didn’t seem particularly friendly, so Mattie nodded. “Nice to meet you.”
“Likewise,” Prissy said, just as polite and about as friendly. She looked at Grant again. “Cassie never mentioned cousins before. And she’s your recent ex.”
“Cassie never met my cousins,” Grant said.
“All related by blood?”
“No, Prissy.” Grant held up his hands. “Before you have a fit on your sister’s behalf, she neverwanted to meet my extended family. I offered to introduce her several times.”
Prissy looked ready to detain Grant for the next thirty minutes and Mattie was getting hungry. He was being so nice to her. She didn’t want to get him in trouble with Prissy or Cassie, but she felt like a third wheel, not entirely foreign yet still very uncomfortable.
She cleared her throat as delicately as possible. “If you can show me to the table, I would really appreciate it, Prissy.”
“Matilda, what in God’s name are you doing here when you should be at school?”
Grandmother’s question mortified Mattie and she flushed, turning to meet the icy eyes of Charlotte Redding. She and her brothers referred to her as ‘Grandmother’ because of her importance to Mama.
“I didn’t go in today, ma’am,” Mattie said, shifting her weight.
Irritation crossed Grandmother’s face and she glared at Grant.
“Mrs. Redding,” he said, abandoning Prissy’s side to go to Grandmother and kiss her cheek. “How are you?”
“Annoyed! I expect such behavior fromher—” She pointed an accusatory finger at Mattie, her nail painted a boring nude color. “You should know better than contributing to the delinquency of this minor.”
