Page 84 of Fast Justice

“Pops, Malcolm tells me you’ve preached for over forty years here in Detroit,” Rowan said, tactfully changing the subject as she took two slices of meatloaf.

Pops lost the scowl, his expression brightening. “That’s right. Same two churches the whole time.” He shook his fork at Malcolm, his expression full of pride. “Raised this boy right. Church every week, and Sunday school on top of that when he was little. Our Malcolm’s a good Christian man.”

“Yes, he is,” Rowan agreed, her eyes laughing at Mal, who was back to stroking her inner thigh now.

After that, the conversation flowed easily around the table. They answered questions about how they met, Rowan talked about her family and her job.

“I think it’s wonderful that God’s brought you two back together again after all this time,” Gram said, her expression delighted.

Pops nodded in agreement. “He works in mysterious ways.”

“That he does,” Rowan said. “But I’m grateful for it.”

With that, his grandpa was utterly and completely charmed. As the conversation progressed his expression turned from curious and speculative to one of admiration and enthrallment. Then Rowan helped clear the table and insisted on serving dessert—homemade banana cream pie, Mal’s favorite—winning Gram’s heart forever.

After coffee he and Pops started on the dishes while Gram took Rowan into the living room to show her some photo albums of Mal when he was little. Pops shot him a look out of the corner of his eye as Mal washed a serving platter and handed it over. “Been a long time since you brought a lady friend to meet us,” he said slyly.

Mal nodded, enjoying the game. “Long time.”

“This one’s as smart as she is beautiful.”

“She is.”

“Smart enough to make you buy the cow instead of giving the milk away for free.”

Mal couldn’t help but laugh as he turned to face the man who’d raised him. “The cow analogy, Pops? Really?” He already planned to ask Rowan to marry him. But it was fun watching Pops get all worked up, so he didn’t tell him.

Pops’s gray eyebrows snapped together. “I’m just saying, you don’t wanna lose her, then do something about it. None of this modern living together crap before you decide to make an honest woman out of her. We raised you better than that.”

“For heaven’s sake, John, hush your mouth and leave the boy alone,” Gram muttered, coming up behind them to get the magic bars she’d baked earlier. “Here, have this,” she said, popping a little square of one into Mal’s mouth, and patting his cheek. “It’s so good to have you here, sweetheart. We’ve missed you.”

Pops frowned at her. “Where’s my bite?”

“In the pan, when you finish interrogating him and come into the living room where you’re going to act like a civilized human being and watch what you say,” she shot over her shoulder.

“Forty-eight years,” Pops muttered, shaking his head at her. “Forty-eight years of devotion and fidelity to her, and that’s what I get.”

“Who’re you trying to kid, you love her sass,” Mal said.

Pops didn’t answer as he went back to drying dishes, but a grin was tugging at his mouth.

They all visited for another couple of hours, Pops on his very best behavior. But Mal was anxious to get Rowan back to the hotel.

Wrapping his arm around her, he made their excuses and pulled her to her feet. She hugged his grandparents at the door, and Mal could tell by the gleam in his Gram’s eyes that she knew Rowan was The One. She stopped him on the doorstep. He gestured for Rowan to go on to the car and faced his grandmother.

“I’m so happy for you, Malcolm,” she said, her eyes shining with tears. “She’s wonderful.”

“Wonderful,” Pops echoed, settling his arm around Gram’s shoulders.

“I’m glad you both think so,” Mal said, his heart overflowing with love for them all. “And I’ll tell you what, though I hated every minute of it, she was worth the wait.” He hugged them both, kissed Gram’s papery cheek. “I’ll call you in the morning. Rowan and I would like to take you both to dinner before we fly out.”

“We’d love that,” Gram said, leaning her head on Pops’s shoulder, her smile dreamy.

Malcolm was halfway to the rental car when Pops called out to him. “Malcolm. Just remember, milk isn’t free!”

“John,” Gram admonished, and Mal didn’t have to look back to know that she was delivering another jab to the old man’s ribs. Grinning to himself, he raised a hand in farewell and kept walking to the driver side door.

“They’re amazing people,” Rowan said to him as he drove away, her fingers laced tightly through his.

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