Page 57

“The rest?”

I was fooling nobody, and we both knew it. It didn’t stop me from fighting it for a few more seconds before her unblinking gaze made me give in to the inevitable. “He was supposed to be a mark.”

“Supposed to be? What happened?”

A smile slipped onto my face before I could stop it. “I found I’d met my match. And then he saved me when he didn’t have to. Mind, I’d already saved him first.”

Caroline’s eyebrow arched. “Mutual saving. It’s what all love stories are made of.”

“I didn’t say anything about love. We’ve only known each other a week.”

“Yet, you brought him here.” Caroline laced her fingers together over her abdomen, no sign of a tremble in them despite her age. “How many men have you brought here, August?”

“I brought Barclay here.”

“You brought Barclay here because he has some medical skills. Granted, they’re fairly rudimentary. But some skills are better than no skills. And he proved useful when Daisy was sick.”

“Daisy’s a cow.”

“Like I said, his skills are rudimentary. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be grateful for them when we have tea with milk in it.”

We shared a smile. Caroline’s only lasted a couple of seconds. “Anyway, don’t change the subject.”

“I wouldn’t dare.”

“How many men have you brought here as guests before today?”

“None.”

“None,” she repeated with an air of grandeur. “Zero. Zilch. Nada. Zip.”

“Sometimes I wish you’d gotten dementia,” I muttered.

She leaned forward and poked me in the ribs. “Well, I didn’t.” She left a dramatic pause. “So… the rest?”

“He’s… We’re… Yeah.”

“You like him?”

“We barely know each other.”

“But you like him?”

“I guess I must.”

A slow smile spread across her face. “He’s certainly got some muscles on him.”

I shot her a disgusted look. “Grandma!”

“What? I’m not dead yet, and I have eyes in my head.”

I shook my head, but there was no stopping the twitch of my lips. “You should have more decorum at your age.”

“I gave up any sense of decorum years ago. It’s a waste of energy.” She leaned forward slightly. “And you’re not only not going to talk him out of this plan for vengeance, you’re going with him, aren’t you?”

I grimaced. “I told him I’d help him.”

“You’re not usually so bothered about changing your mind.”