Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 93140 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 466(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 310(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93140 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 466(@200wpm)___ 373(@250wpm)___ 310(@300wpm)
“He was supposed to see his mother this weekend, but she canceled on him. Which is a good thing, if you ask me. He’ll be back in here within two minutes if I don’t go outside. He’s as impatient as my dick feels tucked into these pants at the moment.”
I laughed and planted a chaste kiss on his lips. “Okay, let’s go.”
Grant made the introductions in the hall, and Leo said Grant’s grandmother had been looking for him because Pops needed to go to the bathroom and was kind of confused right now.
“She wants you to go with him,” he said.
“Shit. Okay.”
Leo smirked and pointed. “Language, Grant.”
Grant shook his head. He looked to me. “I’ll be right back. Why don’t you two go grab something to eat, and I’ll meet you at the picnic tables.”
After Grant disappeared, Leo walked me to the food area. We decided to just get ice cream, so we got in line.
“So Grant’s your Big Brother?”
“I guess so. But we see each other more than most kids see their Big in the program.”
“How long have you two been paired up?”
“As long as I can remember. He used to watch me a lot when I was little. Before my sister got sick.”
My smile fell. “Oh. I’m sorry your sister got sick.”
Leo shrugged. “It’s okay. She’s a lot better now. It’s not like when her and Grant were married.”
The people before us in line walked away, and Leo moved up. I was still stuck in place. “Your sister was married to Grant?”
Leo nodded. “Yeah. My sister is Lily.”
My eyes widened. Grant had mentioned Lily, and he’d mentioned Leo, too. But I guess the connection between the two hadn’t come up. The times we’d spoken about his ex-wife, it had seemed like he wanted nothing to do with her. So I found it interesting that he was the Big Brother to her real little brother. From what he’d told me, their mother was mentally ill, so this little boy had at least two unstable women in his life.
When it was our turn to order, Leo chose a double twist cone of vanilla and chocolate dipped in sprinkles, and I ordered a single scoop of chocolate dipped in chocolate crunchies. We went to sit at a nearby picnic table, where Grant met us a few minutes later.
He straddled the bench, swiped the cone out of my hand, and took a big lick. “Chocolate on chocolate.” He winked. “Good choice.”
“Everything okay with your grandfather?”
“Yeah. He’s just getting tired, so my grandmother is going to take him home. He seems to get more confused when he’s wiped out.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t get to meet her or see your grandfather again. But I understand.” I stole my cone back from Grant.
“She’s not going to be happy when she finds out I brought someone to the carnival and she didn’t get to meet you. But if I’d told her, she would’ve insisted on coming over. I figured Pops needed to rest more than she needed to interrogate you.”
I smiled. “Maybe she won’t find out I was here.”
Grant looked over at Leo. “Not a chance.”
The three of us chatted for a while, and then I noticed two women looking over. The first one I didn’t recognize, but the other I definitely knew.
“Isn’t that your sister, Kate?”
Grant looked over. “Yup. And my other sister, Jillian. If we get up and run the other direction, we might get out unscathed.”
I laughed. “I’m sure you’re exaggerating.”
He shook his head. “You’re about to find out.”
The two women walked over. “Hi,” Jillian said. “Aren’t you Ireland Richardson, the early morning news anchor?”
“I am. And you’re Jillian, right?”
“I am. It’s nice to meet you.”
Kate’s eyes flicked to Grant and back to me.
“How are you, Ireland?”
“I’m good. Enjoying the carnival. Everyone looks like they’re having such a good time.”
“It’s a fun day.” She tilted her head. “Are you a Big Sister?”
“No, but I met Liz earlier, and she gave me some information on the program. It sounds amazing, so I’m looking forward to learning more. I just came to meet Grant.”
Kate squinted at her brother before returning her eyes to me. “Business meeting on a Sunday?”
I shook my head. “No. Grant and I are…dating, I guess.”
Kate’s eyebrow arched, and she and her sister immediately sat down at our table. “Dating, huh? Grant doesn’t tell us anything personal. How long has this been going on?”
Grant hung his head and mumbled. “Should have made a run for it while we could.”
I elbowed him. “A few weeks.”
“Interesting. And you’re on the new committee Grant is spearheading, right?”
“I am.”
“Were you two together before the new committee, or did that come about after?”
If Kate was trying to be discreet about digging for something, she wasn’t doing a very good job. And I had a pretty good idea what she was getting at. I’d been suspicious of Grant’s motives as well.