Page 84 of Damien
“Oh, honey,” his sweet grandma guffaws. “You’re only a guest for the first time in this house. You’re welcome to stay, but you can just sit and visit with us. The next time you come—you’re on your own and are expected to help. Do we have a deal?”
Ohmigod. I love her.
“I think I can handle that, Ms. Beatrice. But know I’ve got two working hands if you need them.”
“I meant what I said, Vanessa,” Beatrice warns. “You may as well call me Grandma, too.” Her warm smile melts my heart. “Everyone else does.”
“I think I’d like that.” Then I admit, “My grandparents passed when Vince and I were little, so we hardly knew them.”
“I’ll never try to take the place of your kinfolk, but if our Damien’s bringing you around, you’re more than welcome to join my fold. He’s special, that one—and if he likes you, I’m fairly certain we all will. That girl of yours is just precious.”
“Damien mentioned you attend the university he’s working at, what are you studying?” his mom asks after putting an enormous casserole into the oven.
“I’m in nursing school at the moment. I’ll graduate next year.”
“Where will you go from there?” Beatrice asks.
Shrugging, I admit, “Wherever a job takes me. Though I can’t imagine living far from my brother Vince.”
“I’m glad you’re close to your brother. Family is everything.” Beatrice nods as she finishes peeling one last potato.
“Maybe it’s because we’re twins, but we’ve always had a special connection.”
“Damien mentioned he attends CRU as well?” Daisy prompts as a question.
“I don’t know what I would’ve done without him.” I nod. “After graduation, our parents died in a car accident. He and Julia are the only reasons I survived it. He was supposed to go to an Ivy League school back East but changed his mind and transferred to CRU with me, so I’d finish school in four years.”
“I’m sorry for your loss, but that’s commendable,” Beatrice sighs, and Daisy nods in agreement.
Gah. My emotions get the best of me as a lump forms in my throat from trying to hold back tears. I don’t mean to dump everything on them, but I’d rather get the elephant out of the room—with Jules putting it out there so matter-of-fact.
“Thank you,” I manage. Then I swallow back the rest of my bubbling emotions. “It certainly hasn’t been easy. But like I said, with the help of Jules and my brother, we’re doing more than just surviving now.”
“I can certainly see why our Damien is so smitten with you,” Beatrice says.
Smitten? Wow… I guess… but how would she know that?
Daisy must read the confusion on my face. “Of course he’s smitten with you, sweetheart. The fact that you’re here in the first place is enough proof for us.”
Before I can say anything, his grandmother interjects, “That poor boy hasn’t brought a girl round in ages. We know you’re special to him. Please don’t fret over anything. If he’s happy, we’re happy for him.”
Wow. Okay. I guess there’s just one more elephant to get out of the room. “And you don’t care I come with a five-year-old?”
“Should we?” Daisy smirks as if she knows the answer. “Last I checked, single moms are a package deal.”
“Besides,” Beatrice interrupts. “I’m getting old, and none of these grandchildren of mine are bringing me great-grandbabies anytime soon. She’s just one more person I get to love. One thing I’ve learned in my old age, darlin’—there’s always room to love more—your ticker is the one organ that expands without you even being aware.”
Holy crap. I think I love this woman already. Raw emotions return in an instant as I blink back unshed tears that rapidly form.
How can they make me feel so welcome in such a short amount of time?
Of course, this is how Damien finds me.
“You okay, Van?” he asks, rushing to me. Once he’s by my side to put himself between me and his family, he looks to his mom and grandma as if he’s deciphering who he needs to protect me from first.
Gah. His adoration is the final act that breaks the dam. Tears flow freely as I explain, “I’m fine, Dame. Really. Your grandma just said something very touching, and I got emotional.”
Suspiciously, he looks between his mom and grandma with a raised brow.
