Page 23 of The Wife Deception
I accepted a glass of wine, but did not drink it and sat down next to Aelin on the loveseat. She jerked and glanced at me. "You're jumpy today," I said.
"Huh?"
"You have an odd relationship with your grandfather."
"So do most people."
Before I could say hers and Kenneth's was similar to that of two conspirators and I don'tknow why it's like that, Kenneth returned, papers in hand.
"You were wondering why I didn't want to sign the transfer papers." Kenneth sat down in a chair opposite us and threw the papers on the table next to the plate of cheese.
"Straight to the chase." I twirled the glass in my hand.
"That's because I don't like you changing the clause in the prenuptial agreement."
"I didn't know the grandfather of the bride had a say in such matters."
Kenneth ignored the jab. "You removed the clause relating to progeny. I feel, if this deal is to be worthwhile, it should be fruitful. Don't you agree, Aelin?"
Aelin's gaze darted between us. "I, uh?" Worry and confusion were all over her face.
"Forgive my granddaughter. She can be shy when such matters are discussed so crudely. But I am a blunt man. I want a grandson."
14
Aire
It was a carefully planned ambush. I should have expected grandfather to do something like this, but like naïve prey, I had walked into his trap. Nolan was looking at me as though I was in on this whole dastardly business. And grandfather was behaving as though I was in complete agreement with him. Children are the last thing I want out of this marriage. And wasn't it temporary? Introducing a child would only complicate it.
When I learned we would be visiting grandfather, I almost faked sickness. I didn't want to come, but my grandfather had been adamant that I be here. And this was the reason why.
Why did he want grandkids, anyway? That man hated children more than oil hated water.
"Is that what you want, Aelin?"
Nolan yanked me out of my thoughts. I cast my gaze at my grandfather. There was one way he wanted me to answer. I turned to Nolan. He looked pensive. Was he worried on my behalf?. I couldn't tell, but why would he be? He made sure every day that I knew he didn't care about me.
Nolan turned to Kenneth. "Can Aelin and I speak alone?"
Kenneth's jaw ticked. Then he flashed a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "She agrees with me! Don't you Aire? She wants a child."
"Still. I want to talk to my wife alone."
Grandfather muttered something under his breath. "Fine." He staggered up and shuffled out of the room, but not before he gave me a look that said, "know your place."
"Care to show me around?"
"Around here?" I was about to say this was the first time I've ever been at this house, but Nolan was already getting up. I might not have been here before, but Aelin has. "Sure."
When we got out of the house, clouds had dimmed the afternoon sun, and the waves had become choppy, but the wind was calm. I had seen a pond earlier, just before we landed, so I ledhim there.
We were halfway to the pond when Nolan stopped. "What's your grandfather up to?"
I tried to be as nonchalant as I could. "He wants grandkids. What grandfather doesn't."
"Bullshit. That man has no domestic bone in his body."
Nolan was right, but there was no way I was going to confirm his assumption.
