“Young man?” She didn’t think of Ian as young. “He’s in his mid-thirties.”
“Everyone is young to me. I’m ancient.”
Her mouth twitched. “So, Ian is worried?”
“Yes. He was ready to tear the place apart when they told him only family was allowed back.”
“Hmm.”
“You know, I often worried you wouldn’t make any friends when you went out into the world. Not because there was anything wrong with you, mind you. Still, when you experience trauma at a young age like that…I worried you wouldn’t want to make connections. But then you met the twins. I always thought you and that Elwood might make a good coupling.”
She made a gagging noise.
“Delilah, really.”
“He’s like a brother to me.”
She nodded. “That’s important. But I wanted you to have something more. You deserved more than just hunting for the person who killed your family. It’s my fault you spent years doing that.”
“No. I would have done it with or without you.”
Her grandmother nodded, as she stepped closer and took Lila’s hand. “I’m very happy you are safe, child.”
Tears filled her eyes. She blinked, not even trying to hold them back. It had to be the medication they’d pumped into her, because she didn’t mind the tears falling down her cheeks. Her grandmother squeezed her hand. She was the one person in the world Lila had always counted on. Well until she’d met a very stuffy MI-6 agent with a chip on his shoulder.
“I might not come back to England.”
“Is that a fact?” Her grandmother did not sound surprised.
“I like Hawai’i. I’m not sure what I’ll do for a job, but right now it feels as if it suits me.”
Her grandmother’s small smile caught Lila off guard. “I think it does, but I think it is more about the man.”
“I don’t even know…we never talked about anything past making sure I don’t die.”
She set Lila’s hand down on the mattress and patted the top of it. “That man is not about to let you slip away without a fight. I’ll go get him.”
“They said only family.”
Her grandmother sniffed. “As if I’d let some idiotic rule get in my way.”
That was Judith Eddington. She didn’t give a damn about anyone’s rules and regulations but her own.
“I love you,” she said.
Her grandmother’s smile faded and she nodded as she blinked rapidly. “I love you too, Delilah.” She leaned forward and hugged her gently. The scent of Chanel No. 5 clinging to her. “Your mother would be bloody proud of you.”
Another rush of tears filled Lila’s eyes. She tried to swallow, but the knot in her throat made it difficult. Memaw seemed smaller, more fragile. But, when she pulled away, her spine of steel was in place.
“I’ll be right back with your young man.”
Then, she pulled away. With a smile, she left Lila with her thoughts.
Ian was ready to smash something.
“Calm down, bro,” Autumn said. Yeah, his sister was starting to get on his nerves. He would yell at her, but since she’d found out she was pregnant, Seth had been overly protective. It was annoying.
“Autumn, stop trying to irritate your brother,” his father said, who still looked stunned.
