Page 74 of The Grump

“Thank you. Let me just turn off the music.” I grabbed my phone and bag, which I’d strategically placed next to the entrance with my coat. “Now I’m truly ready.”

“You’re happy,” he remarked.

“Of course. Christmas is approaching, and I’m attending the LUNA Ball for the first time ever with the sexiest man in New Orleans. How could I not be happy?”

He pulled me close to him, his eyes darkening. “You smell absolutely delicious.”

“Yes, I forgot to tell you. This week I went to your grandmothers’ store.”

Xander stopped in the act of buttoning my coat and looked up at me. “Go on.”

“It was a bit bizarre.” Maybe he could tell me what was going on, as I still wasn’t quite sure. “They called Avery out of the blue to say they were in the mood for pralines, and then when I asked which ones they wanted, Isabeau insisted that it didn’t matter. And when it comes to your grandmothers—”

“It always matters,” the two of us said together.

“Exactly. Anyway, when I showed up at the shop, they had this custom-made perfume for me. Let me tell you, it’s perfect. I. Love. It! But the whole thing still felt a bit strange.”

The corner of Xander’s mouth twitched upward, and he shook his head.

“You know what’s going on?” I asked.

“I have an idea.”

“Can you fill me in? Because I’m starting to feel like I’m missing something.”

He sighed, still looking amused as we walked outside. I closed the door behind me, locking it up, and buttoned the rest of my coat.

“Did they tell you what it contains?”

“Bergamot, orange, lilac, freesia, and peach, I think.”

He nodded triumphantly. “They have a whole story behind lilac. They believe it’s responsible for my parents getting together.”

“Oh, I see.” I laughed, but then panic started to crawl up my neck. “Wait. Does that mean they know? Because they asked if you’ve been giving me any trouble.”

“I’ll tell you more in the car.”

“Thereismore to it?” I was panicking even more. “I played it off as if there was nothing going on between us.”

“Bailey, relax,” he said into my ear just before he opened my door.

“I can’t. It feels like I’ve been lying to them.”

He kissed my hand and pushed my legs into the car before closing the door.

Oh, this man!He was so infuriating. Why wasn’t he just telling me what was going on?

Once he got in the car, he said, “Don’t worry about anything. My grandmothers adore you. And they totally know what’s going on.”

I groaned. “How will I face them the next time?”

“With your head held high.”

“How do you know that they know?” Was I even making sense? I wasn’t sure anymore, but the guilt was eating me up. I looked up to Isabeau and Celine immensely. They’d been a huge influence in my life, and I didn’t want to let them down.

“Because Isabeau called me and, in no uncertain terms, told me that she’s very fond of you and doesn’t want me to hurt you.”

I was too stunned to reply, so I just stared silently out the windshield.

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