Page 52 of The B!tch List

I grinned. “Leave it to me.”

“You have no idea, do you?”

I took the fifth on that one.

Iwasn’t sure what to think about the bid situation. Shaw seemed pretty clear on the fact he hadn’t told Ruthie anything, but how the hell had she found out otherwise?

“Seriously, Nance,” Shaw said, putting a hand on my elbow. “I’ll sort it.”

I looked up at him and his eyes had to have that stupid glint in them. The one that made them bluer than usual. The one that made my heart add an extra thud to its beat. I swallowed and pushed off the wall… and then Tia started to scream.

Shaw let out a breath and took a step back just as Darcy appeared in the doorway.

“I’ll go, Mom. I know it’s early days but she’s not settling here too well,” he explained as he walked off down the hallway to one of the bedrooms.

“He’s so good with her already,” Darcy said as I heard Shaw greet Tia.

I followed her back into the kitchen where she took a seat at the island. “Sit down, honey.”

“Thanks, Darcy.” I took the stool next to her and leaned on the white granite. “So, a new grandchild. How does it feel?”

She blinked and shrugged at the same time. “Can’t say I’m not shocked. I thought Bronte would be providing us with grandbaby one and two but clearly not.”

“Probably not as shocked as Shaw,” I replied. “When he told me about her, he was sure she wasn’t his. Well, I think he said he was ninety-five percent.”

Darcy shook her head. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m mad at him. He’s got a huge future in front of him and as much as I love that little girl already, she’s going to make things difficult for him. Jim and I are forever telling all the kids to be careful and then we end up with two grandchildren before expected. I mean we all know the drama around Bronte and Carter, I know they’re fine now, but jeez there was a time when I wasn’t sure that would happen.”

I laughed because I’d been a part of that shitshow for a brief misunderstood moment. “I think we all got front row seats.”

Darcy rolled her eyes. “Oh, don’t remind me. And now as well as this I have Austen to deal with. Going around acting like he’s Dayton’s answer to Hugh Hefner.”

“He’ll be fine.” I wasn’t totally convinced on that, after all he shared DNA with Shaw. “You’re okay about Tia though?” I asked.

“Oh yes, she’s a beautiful little thing and I know Shaw will do good.”

At that moment the door pushed open and the man himself walked in. He was holding his arms out and there was something stinky and yellow down the front of his shirt.

“Mom,” he groaned. “She puked on me.”

Darcy and I looked at each other and burst out laughing as Shaw stood in the doorway looking like he might be about to cry.

* * *

After Tia and Shaw were cleaned up, and Tia finally fell back to sleep, we were all, including Shaw’s dad, Jim, sitting down to dinner. I had to admit it felt a little weird. Austen wasn’t there for me to chat and have a laugh with as he’d gone to soccer practice and then for burgers at Delphine’s. Darcy and Jim were lovely and asking me questions but were treating me like I was Shaw’s girlfriend, or at the very least a friend. I was neither. I felt like I wanted to say, ‘you are lovely, but I’m here because your son was supposed to be working on my behalf but is actually doing a crap job’. Clearly, I couldn’t and didn’t say that. It still felt like I was in an alternate universe though.

“Do you have a financial advisor, Nancy?” Jim asked, after I explained all about my plans.

I shook my head as I had a mouthful of lasagna. I finally swallowed and wiped my mouth.

“No, I do know that I need one though.”

Darcy’s eyes gave off an excited glow and she grabbed Jim’s arm. “Oh, Jim,” she cried.

“Darce let’s just get this straight. This will be Nancy’s decision.”

I looked between them wondering what on earth the secret conversation was that they were having.

“You remember what Dad does for a living, right?” Shaw asked as he poured himself some water.

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