Page 51 of Give Me Perfect Love

I nod. “Yeah. I need to go to the hospital and check on Mary.” I toss the bag of peas onto the counter and head toward the steps to change clothes.

I hear Lou sigh. “Okay. I’ll just get my grocery list together and be on my way.”

Stopping at the rail, I turn around. I watch Lou go about looking in the fridge before she makes her way to the pantry. She’s been doing this for God knows how long now. And me being a bachelor I let her. I don’t have time to go grocery shopping and worry about that kind of shit.

It’s been nice, but things are changing now. Kat will move in with me.

Eventually.

And she isn’t the type of woman to let someone do all of this for her. She’ll want to do it herself. I inhale and grip the handrail. “You don’t need to do this anymore, Lou.”

She looks over at me, stopping in her tracks. “Why? Did something happen?”

I sigh and rub the back of my neck. “No. It’s just… I want Kat to move in with me.”

Her eyebrows lift. “Ah.” She looks around. “Have you asked her?”

“Yes, before all that shit went down.”

“And she’s ready for that?”

I tilt my head slightly. “Not exactly, but I’m hoping things have changed between us.”

“Bryson, she just left here upset.”

“I’m aware of that.”

“So, it doesn’t seem things have changed that much.”

I exhale, getting frustrated. I had a workout this morning, and now I need another one. All these women in my life are driving me nuts.

“Lou, I need you to stay out of this. I’ve got to get to work. Finish up if you’d like. If not, don’t.” I turn to leave.

“Now you listen to me, Bryson Grant. You may talk to Mary that way, but you aren’t going to speak to me like that.

“I understand what goes on between you and Kathrine isn’t my business and I get why you want me to stop coming over here, but I’m still your aunt and I’ve been here for you two boys since you stepped into Lee’s house. I deserve a little more respect than what you just gave me.”

Fucking hell.

I turn around. She’s hands on her hips and giving me a stern look. The same one I used to get when I used to sneak into her house because I was too drunk to go all the way out to Grant Ranch.

She’s right, though.

I was a dick.

“I’m sorry, Lou. I was an asshole.”

She nods. “Yes, you were. I just care about you, is all. I see how much you like the girl. I don’t want you messing this one up. But I’ll stay out of it. As for the helping around the house part…” She exhales. “I should have quit this a long time ago. I just don’t have much else to get into.”

I feel horrible. All this time, I thought Lou was helping me out because she felt like I needed it, but I’m not sure that’s true.

I believe she’s the one who needed it.

“It’s not that I mind, Lou. I just know Kat. She’s stubborn and independent.”

She smirks. “Sounds like someone else I know.”

I roll my eyes. “Yeah.”

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