Page 13 of Doctor Grump

“She left me the lakehouse,” I said. “So that’s something at least.”

“Yes,” Santiago said. “I know how much that place meant to you and her.”

I nodded and started feeling sad again. My grandmother had told me a lot of stories about the lakehouse, telling me that it was the last place she could remember being truly happy. She had hidden there for a few months with the love of her life before her parents caught up to them and made her make the ultimate choice between the company and him. She had chosen the money.

It had been the wrong choice, she later mused.

I had promised I would take her back there once she was feeling a little up to it, but of course, it never happened.

God, I missed Judith.

I knew if I had told her about Ian, she would tell me to give him a piece of my mind or tell him to go fuck himself. Or maybe not. I mean, if she was willing to leave him such a large fortune, then she must have liked him or something like that.

But nevertheless, I needed to stop thinking about Ian Graham.

Easier said than done.

Because right at that moment, walking into the coffee shop was none other than Ian Graham.

And despite my best efforts, I couldn’t prevent my eyes from following him. I watched his easy, confident stride as he walked into the room and ignored the eyes of everyone around him as if he didn’t care who was watching him and what they were thinking. His gaze looked around and scanned the room while he rudely ignored the cashier’s greeting.

Without warning, his eyes snagged mine.

I felt it then, that lethal electric attraction that sped my heart up and made me want to squeeze my legs together every time I saw him.Damn it, get a hold of yourself, Piper.His gaze shifted from mine to behind me. It went dark as if in anger.

Oh jeez, what had I done this time?I thought, irritated.

I had stayed away from him just as he wanted. I hadn’t even put up a hand to wave hello like my southern instinct wanted to.

But then he started walking toward me.

No, he couldn’t really be coming up to me, right? I was sure he wasn’t, but then he kept getting closer. It was probably a mistake. He had made it clear what he thought of me and the fact that he said he would never willingly interact with me. There had to be some other explanation for this. Maybe there was someone behind me that he wanted to talk to.

And I was so sure of it, too, until he stopped right in front of me, looked me right in the eyes, and said, “We need to talk.”

6

IAN

“Me?” She looked at me like I had just sprouted an extra head. “What do you want to talk to me about?”

I glanced at her companion, sure that the distaste was showing on my face. I knew who he was, although I never personally had a conversation with the man. He was the mayor of Gracetown, and like most of the elites in this place, he had serious money—if his designer suits and flashy cars were anything to go by. And he probably came from a long line of it, too, like everyone else who was associated with Piper. The two made a very good fit.

And that’s what’s bugging you, isn’t it? The fact that she’s here with him.

I shut the thought down the same way I ignored the slither of jealousy that ran through me when I walked in here. The emotion didn’t make any sense, and I didn’t even bother to analyze it, chucking it down to the misplaced stress of the past few days. Kendy had been grumpy and especially mouthy this morning when I dropped her off at school, but I refused to get baited into it. And I decided I would keep my end of the deal and get her the nanny she wanted. If only to prevent another escape attempt like the ones that happened before.

So, when I spotted Piper in the coffee shop, I knew I had to come in and talk to her.

But now, as I stood in front of her, that same floral scent teased my nostrils, the usual fresh aura of spring surrounding her. She blinked her pretty eyes up at me, and I had to think about what to say.Damn. What was it about her that I found so endearing? She was pretty enough, I suppose, but this town seemed littered with gorgeous women, so why were this one and her delectable body quickly getting under my skin?

“I think a little privacy might be needed for this conversation,” I said, glancing pointedly at Santiago.

The man cocked his brow at me. “Is that your way of asking me to leave whenyou’rethe one interrupting our lunch?”

Did I have to make it more obvious? “Yeah.”

“Huh.” Santiago stroked his goatee. “I’m not sure if I find your gall admirable or fucking irritating.”

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