Page 90 of The Grump

“I know about things like that. Sometimes I spy on Dad and Scarlett when they kiss. I don’t know why they’re trying to hide. I like that they love each other. It makes me happy.”

Her explanation completely put me at ease. I wasn’t touching Bailey inappropriately, or doing anything more than kissing. Granted, I would’ve preferred Bella not to see us at all, but it never occurred to me that seeing adults show affection could make a kid feel happy and safe. I tried to think back to my own childhood and realized Mom and Dad were always like that with each other—a quick peck on the lips or a hug were daily occurrences. We’d grown up like that.

After depositing everything in the dishwasher, we went to the living room. “Do you know if Netflix or Prime has the Potter series?” Bailey asked.

“Dad bought the movies for me on Prime, so I have all of them even though I’m not allowed to watch them.”

If I wasn’t careful, she was going to start her propaganda again forGoblet of Fire. “Chamber of Secretsit is.” I immediately started the movie, and Bella hopped into her favorite armchair next to the couch. Bailey and I were sitting next to each other. I put an arm around her waist, pulling her as close as possible to me.

“Don’t you dare fondle me,” she whispered in my ear.

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” I whispered back. Only now that she’d put the idea in my mind, all I could think about was ways to do that without Bella catching on. I was like a teenager, figuring out ways to grope the girl I liked, which was completely unlike me. I couldn’t even remember the last time I’d felt like that. But then again, being around Bailey brought out this side of me, and I wasn’t sorry about it. Not in the slightest.

I’d spent the past few years focusing on numbers and numbers alone. Sure, it had paid off—the Orleans Conglomeratewas far more profitable than it had been before I dug into the books—but I’d let a lot of things slide in the process.

Some of my brothers, like Julian and Zachary, not to mention the younger ones, had found a balance. Their businesses did fantastic, and they also had fun. But I’d denied myself that for too long. No more.

As the credits popped up on the screen, I scrolled through my emails. Ron Trudeau sent me one about the confectionery, but I didn’t want to open it right now. I made a mental note to reply first thing Monday morning.

“See, I’m already starting to get mad at the Dursleys,” Bailey said when the first scene came on, and I realized on the spot that she knew her Potter stuff and hadn’t been faking the interest earlier for Bella’s benefit.

“They’re such mean people.”

She totally enjoyed chatting with Bella, and I was so caught up in the passionate way she defended Harry that I wasn’t even paying attention to the movie. I just wanted to watch Bailey.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Xander

It was past midnight when we left Chad and Scarlett’s house.

“I loved this,” Bailey exclaimed. “Just putting it out there, but whenever Bella gets the green light that she can watch the next Harry Potter movie, I volunteer to watch it with her.”

I pulled her close to me, laughing. “You really mean that, don’t you?”

She nodded. “Oh yeah.” Then her eyes widened. “I mean, I wasn’t implying that... Oh, shoot.”

“What is it?”

“Well, that could take a while.”

“Probably. Knowing Chad, he’s going to make her wait another year or two.”

Bailey was still looking away, and then it dawned on me. She didn’t know what was going to happen in a year or two. Frankly, neither did I, but the thought of coming here with her to watch the next installment of that godforsaken movie franchise sounded good. I could do anything with her and would be totally fine with it.

“It would be my pleasure to watch the next one with you. If anything, you’ll make it more enjoyable.”

She looked up at me with a smile as we started to walk again.

I held her hand, interlacing our fingers. Neither of us was wearing gloves, and the temperature had dropped. But that wasn’t the only reason why I was holding her hand. I liked this contact.

“So, that thought doesn’t scare you?” she asked.

“What?” I was doing this on purpose because I wanted to hear her thoughts first.

“Oh, why are you like that?”

“Because I want to know what’s going on in that pretty mind of yours.”

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