I set down the glass in my hand. I was gripping it so tightly I was going to break in.
“Look here, man to man,” Chad said, slurring slightly, the liquor taking effect. “Don’t stick your dick in crazy. And Avery is insane.”
“You watch your language. I raised you better than that!” Dottie yelled.
37
Avery
Ileft Blade to contend with my father and Trevor and hurried after Cassie as she stormed down the hall, determined to find a clue that I was faking the relationship with Blade.
“Oh, are we getting the grand tour?” my grandmother asked, speed walking past me, drink in hand.
In order to get the correct silhouette with my fifties dress, I had put on a girdle, and it had required a bit more sucking and tucking than I was used to. I wheezed as I trotted down the hall.
“We really haven’t fully decorated,” I said, “and the rooms are a mess.”
The first door Cassie flung open led to Blade’s study.
“Blade doesn’t like people coming in here,” I hissed, trying to pull her out. Cassie shrugged me off and perused his study. Even I hadn’t been in Blade’s study. When I’d been marking my territory, the office had seemed so male and soBladethat I hadn’t had the balls to put my stuff in there.
Now I regretted it as my female family members roamed around the study. It felt very Blade; it seemed like he spent most of his time in there. The room was painted a dark charcoal. A leather sofa was next to the wall with two high-end Eames chairs in front of the window. His laptop sat on a modern dark wood desk that was well used but organized, with file folders neatly arranged in a brass organizer. The mahogany built-in shelves held computer programming books and Lego sets that must have come from his little brothers. There were several antique and retro computer parts on display as well. What was not on display?
“Why doesn’t he have any pictures of you in here?” Cassie asked, trailing her hand along the back of Blade’s desk chair. My brain blanked. “Trevor has pictures of me up everywhere in his office.”
“He had one, but it broke,” I lied. “His little brothers were over here a few days ago. They are so rambunctious, and they knocked the frame off of the desk, and it broke. There was a lot of crying, but I’m looking for a new one that’s indestructible.” I smiled brightly and nodded. “Yep, that’s what we’re doing.”
It seemed as if my grandmother bought my story, and that was all that mattered.
“I think we should get out of here. Blade is particular about his space,” I begged.
“Fine by me. I want to see the master bedroom where all the magic happens anyway,” Dottie said.
Cassie’s face was sour as I shooed my family out of Blade’s office. I had barely closed the door before they were down the hall, flinging open doors until they reached the master bedroom.
“Hubba hubba!” Dottie said and wolf whistled.
“I hope you’re using protection,” Cassie told me as she slowly walked through the room, touching all of Blade’s belongings. “Don’t want to give anyone the wrong idea why you two are marrying. Plus you should be a cautionary tale on why people shouldn’t try and trap men with a baby.”
“I would never do that,” I said, seething.
“I mean, of all of us here, you’re the most likely candidate,” my stepmother said, sprawling on Blade’s side of the bed. Some of her drink sloshed onto the floor. I took the glass from her.
“Please get off of there,” I hissed.
Ensley ignored me and buried her face in the pillow. “Yum! Smells like a man.”
“Do you actually sleep with him?” Cassie asked sourly.
“Of course! I sleep right there.” I pointed to my side of the bed.
“Yes, but are you actually sleeping with him?”
“Of course she is!” Dottie yelled from the bathroom, where she was rummaging in the drawers. “There’s a whole box of condoms here, and it looks like a few are missing.”
“There are?” I squawked. “Uh, I mean, yes of course there are, because we are practicing safe sex.”
Cassie stalked in and snatched the box from my grandmother, counting the condoms. “There are only three missing.”
