His mustache twitches. Is it a good twitch or a bad one? Sure, Mandy’s mom is firmly on my side, but I can’t get a good read on her dad.
“My daughter makes her own decisions, so you might want to ask her first.” His eyes twinkle.
“I have no reason to think I can’t close that deal, sir, but I’d like to have your blessing.”
“My blessing, eh?” He strokes his mustache.
A car pulls up, brakes squealing. Mandy bursts out, Pepper on her heels.
“You asshole!” she yells at me.
“In my defense, I thought you were asleep.”
Her dad looks like he wants to fade into a bush.
Gale and the rest of the female members of her family pour out of the house.
“Salinger!” Granny Evelyn waves. “Are you here for dinner?”
“Mandy,” her mother tuts. “You’re a billionaire’s girlfriend now—can’t you put something else on?”
“He left!” Mandy shrieks.
“I had a good reason,” I say.
“What?”
“None of your business.”
Mandy’s gearing up to let me have it.
Her father clears his throat. “He wanted to ask me for your hand in marriage.”
“You… oh. Oh!” Mandy mutters to herself, “I should have taken a shower before coming over here.”
“Well, what did you say, Patrick?” Gale demands.
“Didn’t answer yet.” Patrick looks at me. Is that a smirk under the mustache? “What’s your best offer?”
“His best offer?” Granny Evelyn is appalled.
“Like money?” I ask slowly. “You want me to pay you for your daughter?”
“We need to be paying him to take Mandy.” Granny Evelyn huffs.
“No barter.” Patrick shakes his head. “You need to take Mandy’s grandmother with you.”
I keep my expression perfectly neutral.
“Honestly, Patrick.” Gale swats her husband.
“She dumps wine on the grass,” Mandy’s dad says mulishly.
“But I don’t want her dumping wine on my grass,” I complain.
“Give her a shack on a rocky outcropping,” Patrick suggests.
“Woo! I’m living on a private island!” Gran throws up her hands. “High life, here I come!”
