Page 48 of Fairy Tale Lies
“Blake, you keep hinting to Grimm’s past. Rest assured, I’m aware of it. I check potential clients’ backgrounds. I’d be a fool not to. Hell, I probably know more about Jacob Grimm than his father.”
Blake was astounded. “None of it bothers you? His past or the fact he’s dating your daughter?”
“First he was assaulting her, and now they’re dating.” Charles massaged his temples. He lowered his hands and seemed to study Blake. “Listen, I hoped you and Greta would marry. I like you, and your family; however, who Greta dates isn’t my choice. She’s a grown woman and will make her own decisions.”
“Even when her choice is a lowlife with a record?”
“Greta’s a smart woman, and if she’s dating him, then I trust he’s a decent man. And no, his past doesn’t bother me. What matters to me is how a person decides to fix their mistakes. From what I’ve gathered, Mr. Grimm’s doing an outstanding job.”
Charles turned back to the file on his desk. “Now, do you mind if we return to work and out of my daughter’s personal life?”
“Yes, sir,” Blake stood to leave, managing to hide his contempt.
He conceded outwardly, but the topic was far from finished. One way or another, he was getting rid of that white-trash thug.
Chapter Nineteen
“I don’t know what time I’ll be home,” Jacob said into his truck’s Bluetooth while also scanning the parking lot at Swift. Finding an empty spot, he pulled in. “Listen, Will, I’m not by the house and have a couple stops to make. I have no idea what time I’ll be home.”
“You’re not stopping by first? You’ve been gone all week. Why not drop off your crap and have something to eat?”
Jacob sighed and turned off the ignition, grabbing his cellphone on the passenger seat. He spoke into it, stepping from his black Ford F-150. “No. My drive back took me by Swift. I’m meeting Greta for lunch.” After a slight pause, “Okay, Mommy?”
Will laughed. “Kiss my ass, little brother.”
Jacob spotted Greta across the parking lot. She was sitting with another woman at a picnic table under a large oak tree.
He wondered again how he’d gotten so damn lucky.
They’d spent a fair amount of time together in the last month, yet he couldn’t get enough of her. She was becoming close to a damn addiction, especially after Friday night.
He wanted her body, her laughter, her smile. All of her. He was beginning to understand why people took a risk on love.
“Grimm, you listening to me?” His brother squawked through the phone.
“Sorry. Yeah, I was listening,” Jacob lied, readjusting the phone to his other ear.
He strode across the parking lot to the picnic area. When he reached the two women, he noticed the lady with Greta was familiar but couldn’t place her. He’d met too many new faces at Swift to recall everyone.
He nodded a hello in her direction and leaned in to give Greta a chaste kiss before returning to the phone call. “Will, I have to go.”
“Are you with Greta now?”
“Yes, Mommy. You monitoring my love life too?” He peered down and caught Greta’s curious gaze. “My brother,” he whispered.
“No, asshole,” Will continued. “I don’t want to monitor your love life, except maybe to discover why any woman would want to date your sorry ass.”
Jacob sat, straddling the bench, half listening to his brother. “Uh-huh, says the single guy. Anyway, I gotta go.”
He slid his phone from his ear, but his brother kept talking. Putting it back, he said, “What? I didn’t plan on spending my lunch chatting with you. I’m hanging up.”
“I did have a point asking if you were with Greta.”
“Yeah. Are you going to get to it?” Jacob asked wearily, aware Greta was probably able to hear both sides of the conversation.
“Dad and I are thinking of having a barbeque on the Fourth of July. Inviting over some family and friends. You should ask Greta.”
Jacob glanced at her. The way she was watching him, she’d heard the question. “Um, kinda last minute. I’m not sure if she has plans.”
