Page 28 of My Boyfriend's Possessive Daddy

“How much longer are you planning on sticking around?” she asks.

“Honestly, I haven’t given much thought to going back to LA,” I reply.

“Does that have anything to do with this fella you’re spending so much time with?” she asks with a mischievous glint in her eye.

“Of course not. I just enjoy being here with you, Mam.”

“Uh-huh,” she responds with a laugh. “You can’t bullshit a bullshitter, missy.”

Unable to respond intelligently, I laugh and look away. I would object, but Ethan and I have been spending a lot of time together, and when we’re not, the mere thought of him brings a smile to my face and a flush to my cheeks—two things Mam never fails to call me out on.

“So? Who is he?” she asks.

Swallowing hard, I brace myself. “I’ve been spending a lot of time with Dr. Collier, actually.”

“Dr. Collier?”

I nod, waiting for her to give me a lecture about the age difference between us. She surprises me, though, by giving me a sly smile instead.

“He’s a handsome man. Intelligent. Passionate. And kind,” she says. “I can see why you’d enjoy spending time with him.”

“You’re not going to give me a ration of shit about the age difference?”

She shrugs. “You’re a grown woman. You can make your own decisions.”

I sit back in my chair. “Wow.”

Mam laughs. “I’m not some close-minded old bitty, sweetheart. I like to think I’m pretty hip and with it.”

“You use the word gallivanting.”

“All the cool kids are saying it,” she says. “You must not be one of the cool kids.”

“I must not be,” I say with a laugh.

Mam looks at me, her smile fading and her expression growing serious. “The only reason I would have any objection to you dating Dr. Collier is if he treated you badly. But he’s a good man and I know he wouldn’t.”

“He treats me like a princess, Mam.”

“As he should.”

We spend the next hour talking about Ethan, and I share far more than I intended to when this conversation started. I even told her about why my relationship with Ben ended and all the problems I had with him. My grandmother listens to it all, expressing dismay about Ben and his mistreatment of me, but seeming to be genuinely excited about Ethan. I can tell that she likes him a lot. He’s always been good to her, and she sees him for the kind and gentle soul I know him to be. And that makes me happy.

“What’s going to happen when you go back home?” she asks.

“We haven’t even talked about that, to be honest. Right now, we’re just focused on enjoying the time we have together. We’re trying to keep ourselves from taking it too seriously.”

“That’s probably wise since I don’t think you’d be too keen on moving back here and I don’t think he’d be too keen on moving out there,” she says. “But I’m glad you’re getting a chance to see what being treated like you deserve feels like.”

“Yeah, me too,” I say with a rueful laugh.

A knock on the door draws my attention, and I get to my feet and head for the door. Ethan said he’d be stopping by today to follow up with Mam. When I open it, my throat grows dry, and my heart stops dead in my chest.

“Ben,” I say. “What in the hell are you doing here?”

“We need to talk.”

“I told you, there is nothing for us to talk about.”

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