Page 179 of Heartless Legacy

“Oh, yeah, I know. I just wish he’d get someone else up to speed. Pop is getting too old to be out in the field like that.”

Our grandfather is in good health, and in good shape, but the grandchildren all agree it’s time for him to step back and travel with Gran. I say, “It might be time for the kids to have an intervention. Pops always said he’d retire when he had someone to turn the company over to. He has six someone’s now, so there’s no reason to put it off.”

“I used to think he held on so tightly because he was still waiting for you to come into the family business. Now I know, it’s because he’s a control freak like the rest of us.” Bryan climbs to his feet to go see what his wife wants. My grandmother takes his place and hands me a plate.

“Gran, you didn’t have to make me a plate.”

“Of course I did. Nobody else is here to do it.”

“I was gonna do it myself.”

She waves my comment off. “Please. You know I like serving my family.”

“I know, but it’s too many of us now.”

“No such thing. I’m ready for the next generation.” I shovel some food into my mouth because I know where this conversation is heading next. “When are you gonna settle down and give me some great-grand babies?”

“Gran, you’ve got four grandkids in line before me. From the way Bryan and Cheryl are all over each other, you should be getting news any day now.”

“I’m not talking about Bryan or the others. I’m talking aboutyou. You’ve got your gym, you’re teaching. You’re stable. Are you bad in bed? Is that why the ladies don’t stick around? There are books you can read and they have pictures in them. They’re practically a GPS map to the cli-”

I choke on my cole slaw and wheeze out a mortified, “Gran!”

“What? Why do you look so scandalized? If you can’t talk about sex, then you’ll never get better at it. The girls and I think-”

“What girls?” I ask, arching a brow.

“My poker club. You know the Aces?”

“I know, the Aces, Gran. What I didn’t know, nor did I want to know, is that the topic of conversation at poker is sex.”

“There’s no shame in it, Deacon.”

“I’m not ashamed of sex, Gran. I have no problem talking about it. I just don’t feel comfortable talking about itwith you.”

“Because of my age?”

“Because you’re mygrandmother.And I don’t want to even think about how you know what sex is.”

“If I didn’t know what it was, none of you would be here.” She cackles at my discomfort. When her laughter finally dies down, she pats me affectionately on the knee.

“Can we change the subject now, or will you be traumatizing me some more?”

“You wouldn’t be traumatized alone if you’d have been here last month.” She counters.

“Fair enough.” I kiss her temple and take another bite of food, before saying, “I am ready to settle down, Gran. There’s just a few issues that need to be taken care of first.”

“These things,… are they financial issues, legal issues, emotional issues, moral issues, or security issues?”

“Legal, moral and security.”

“Talk to your grandfather. I’m sure he can help you.”

My gaze swing to where Pop is talking to one of my aunts. “Bryan was just saying Pop should be doing less.”

“He will be, just as soon as he finishes with this job.” Gran smiles and gets to her feet, as my grandfather walks towards us. “You should bring your young lady for the next outing. You’reliving together, so I think we can upgrade to seeing her at in-person events, instead of surveillance photos. Oh, and I set some food aside. Make sure you take it to her.”

Thea

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