Page 104 of Wardrobe Malfunction

“How old are you, if you don’t mind me asking?” I hear Charly ask.

“Thirty-five,” Sasha groans, her voice trailing off as they head upstairs.

A cell phone starts to ring.

“Ooh, that’s me,” Gran says, picking up her phone and disappearing out of the kitchen.

I suspiciously eye her. I wonder if that’s her boy toy on the phone.

It’s weird, Gran having a boyfriend. She’s not had anyone since my granddad passed ten years ago.

“Charly seems really nice,” my mom says.

“Yeah, she is.” I sit up on a stool and start picking at the grapes in the fruit bowl. I pop one in my mouth and chew.

“And so damn pretty,” my mom adds.

“Yeah.” I smile.

She’s more than pretty. She’s beautiful. Stunning.

“So, you guys are dating?”

“Mmhmm.”

“Well, she must be good for you. You look a lot better than the last time I saw you. You look happy.”

My mom…well, my whole family was worried about how I was dealing with Cain’s betrayal, which obviously wasn’t well.

“I was hurting back than. I needed to get it out of my system.”

“And it’s out now?” she checks.

“Yep.” I put another grape in my mouth.

“Good.”

I watch my mother move around the kitchen, chopping up vegetables, which I’m assuming are for tonight’s dinner.

“So, you brought Charly home; that’s a first,” she says.

I was wondering how long it was going to take her.

“She must be special.”

“She is. But don’t go getting carried away, Mom.”

“What? I’m not,” she protests innocently.

“Sure you’re not.” I laugh. “Charly and I are having fun together. I like her a lot. But I’m not looking to get married anytime soon.”

“That’s good. But you don’t fool me, Vaughn.” She points her chopping knife in my direction.

I put my hands up in surrender. “I have no clue what you mean.”

“I was watching the way you looked at her.”

“And how do I look at her?”