Page 30 of Smolder

He groaned. “Fine. Come to the house.”

“On my way,” I replied, then hung up.

I’d probably just interrupted some kinky-sex shit they were doing, but he had about thirty minutes before I got there. They could wrap it up.

•Eleven •

He was going to see soon enough that I was a hassle.

Royal

Dad’s barreling into the house last night had surprised me only for a moment. Honestly, I should have expected it. Amory was the one to fix everything else yesterday. He had been thorough.

Grams had been in bed already, so she’d missed his cussing and accusing me of spreading my legs like a whore to get him out of jail. I took it, knowing he’d calm down soon and go to bed. When he stopped with the threatening to kick me out—because we both knew that he’d never do that, that he needed me here—I was free to go back to the bedroom I shared with Grams and send Amory a text, promising I’d pay him back as soon as I could.

He said that if I tried, he’d use the money to have groceries delivered weekly until it was gone. I wanted to argue, but I was too tired, and for once, I could close my eyes without worrying about the bar calling me to get Dad or how we were going to afford groceries after I paid the bills and got Grams’s medication.

Merce had claimed to love me, but not once had he done anything close to even one of the things Amory had done for me yesterday. It was as if someone had dropped a fairy godmother on me, but they’d made it a hot, sexy male.

I had taken the time to go to campus today to deliver the papers I had, but I wasn’t ready to face a class just yet. I was still waiting to see if Amory had really stopped Professor Brereton from turning me in.

My Vespa was running smoother than ever, even when I’d bought it. The slight pull to the right in the steering was gone, the jerk when I sped up after stopping was no longer there, and the wheels made the road smoother. What all he had done to it, I didn’t know, but it wasn’t just new tires.

Amory was going to be picking me up in an hour, and Dad had already left with a friend to go to Miller’s. When I had asked if he’d stay home tonight, he had yelled at me about going out to spread my legs and that he wasn’t helping me do that. If Amory had planned for my dad to stay with Grams, then this date wasn’t going to happen.

I took the slice of pie I hadn’t heated up in the oven out, then placed it in a bowl before adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Grams was in the living room, watchingWheel of Fortuneand complaining about Ryan Seacrest again. She’d called out answers twice, then asked me where Pat had gone and if he was on vacation.

Just when I reached the living room, the doorbell rang, and I paused to glance at it, then went on in to give Grams her pie.

“Here, Grams,” I told her.

“What’s this?”

“The apple pie we made together, remember?” I replied, heading for the door.

“Oh, yes. Well, it sure smells good.”

I checked out the window to see an older lady outside. That was odd. I unlocked the door and opened it up. The lady was petite with a white bob and kind eyes. I hoped she wasn’t here to sell me something or tell me about the Lord. I didn’t want to be rude to her, but those folks were often hard to get to leave.

“Can I help you?” I asked.

“If you’re Royal Shelton, you can,” she replied.

I nodded. “That’s me.”

“Wonderful. I’m at the right place,” she told me, then held out her hand. “My name is Maeme. Amory is one of my many grandsons.”

Oh. OH! Why was his grandmother here?

I shook her hand, waiting for her to explain why she was at my house. My head was spinning with reasons and the fact that I might have to let her come inside. I’d not straightened up yet today. And she was probably as rich as Amory.

She looked around me. “He says you need a little help tonight,” she began as she shifted her eyes back to me. “I’m here to meet your Grams and stay with her while the two of you have a night out.”

He’d sent his grandmother to sit with mine. I didn’t know if I wanted to hit him or hug him. It was incredibly sweet, but he’d seen this house. What was she going to think? She’d tell his parents, and that would be the end of that. Just like Merce’s parents didn’t approve of me. I didn’t care if Amory was a grown man; he wouldn’t want to date someone his family disapproved of. But then wasn’t I, just yesterday, trying to get out of going on a date with him? Perhaps this was for the best. End it before I got attached or started feeling things for him.

I stepped back and motioned for her to come inside. “That’s very kind of you,” I said.

She came inside and smiled brightly as her gaze drifted over the place.

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