Page 31 of Peaches

She shoots me a dirty look over her shoulder and then quickly turns her attention back to Grace.

“A hotel is no place for an engaged couple to stay when family is right here in town.”

She waves over my father and suddenly I get the feeling that I don’t like where this is going. Grace looks on fondly as my father walks over towards us, not a clue as to the master plan Grams is quickly working up for, not just me, but the two of us.

“Have the workers finished Magnolia Cottage?” she asks once my father has made his way over to our side. The hair stands straight up on the back of my neck in anticipation for what my lovely grandmother’s intentions are in asking that question. Although, I’m pretty damn sure I already know the answer.

“The renovations were finished last Friday,” he answers like a good son would.

A genetic trait I obviously didn’t inherit.

Turning to Grace, who is very much in the dark and couldn’t possibly understand my grandmother’s hidden agenda behind that question, Marie grabs her hand and smiles.

“You’ll stay at Magnolia Cottage with Brett, until things are settled and better between you two. Being around family is good for that. For all of us. And then, we can have more talks in the garden, like this, and I can tell you everything you’d like to know about my Bryson.”

So, it looks like Peaches has an odd interest in my grandfather? That’s interesting and damn good to know.

Grace looks up at me with wide eyes and doesn’t answer. I can’t say I blame her. Hell, I don’t have an answer for a situation I never in a million years thought we’d find ourselves in, either. Especially when we both thought this would only be one night.

“Uh,” I stammer, as I take a step closer to Grace’s side. For what reason, I don’t know. Maybe to grab her and run for the car like we both seem to want to and escape even having to answer. “Grams, I don’t think that is such a good idea. You see, we’ve already unpacked at the hotel. And, Jeeves is there, and Grac… I mean… Kimberly has a trainer come every morning, and…”

“Yup, that’s right, sure do,” she chimes in perfectly. A little suspicious, but perfect all the same.

“I just don’t see the reason why…”

“I don’t understand why you keep Jeeves around any ways,” Marie questions with a wave of her hand in disapproval. “He can stay at the main house. It’s only a five-minute walk to the cottage. If you need anything we can send him out that way. Besides,” her face softens as she turns back to Grace, “it’s good to have your alone time to get to know each other before the wedding. You couldn’t have had enough of that time together over the last couple years with Jeeves always in your way.”

I turn and watch as Grace swallows hard and looks at Marie like she’s quickly understanding there is no way out of this. And to be honest, there isn’t. She rises and stands next to me, as if attempting to gain higher ground could make her more powerful and sway the outcome. But there is no way on earth, in heaven, or in hell, either of us are going to be able to change the way this situation ends here tonight. Once my grandmother gets an idea in her head, it’s gospel. No matter what, shewillget her way. She is still the head of this household, after all. A title no one is taking away from her anytime soon. Even though she’s almost as old as a century. But just don’t tell her I said that!

“Grams I…”

“It’s settled,” she sternly says, “Grant!” I hear her slightly shout, calling my father by name and making him jump to attention like only she could. “Have Rosie call the hotel, (Rosie is the head maid), and have them send over Kimberly and Brett’s things. Tell Jeeves he can have the apartment over the garage.” She turns back to Grace and I, and gives us a smile. “You’ll thank me before too long. I know you will.”

With a horrid expression I can’t completely decipher, Grace turns and stares me in the eyes. A mixture of fear, anxiety, perhaps even dread hangs in her stare and I can’t say I blame her. I am entirely unprepared and can’t even begin to give her any kind of reassurance that it’s all going to be okay. Or hell, even some sort of excuse we could use as a way to possibly get out of this, if I wanted to.

Do I?

Suddenly I’m not sure anymore.

But like I said, once Marie sets her mind to something, that’s it. It’s done, and it’s best we all just get out of the way.

She’s a lot like my grandfather was in business when it comes down to it. A fact that is maybe the reason why they always worked well together, as the perfect team, and had a longseeminglyhappy marriage I can only wish to mimic myself someday. An odd thing to say when there was a time I swore I wasn’t marriage material. And even odder to admit that was something I know I didn’t have with Kimberly. But with Grace…

Grace quickly starts shaking her headnowhen she sees the defeat in my eyes and then stares me down angrily when I don’t make any attempt to right the situation in front of us. When she finally gets the hint that I’m not going to say another word, she turns quickly to Marie and shakes her head at her.

“Umm, Marie?”

“Yes, Baby?”

It’s a southern thing. Everyone is baby.

“I don’t think…”

“We’d love to stay at Magnolia Cottage!”

Holy shit, was that me?

Yup! Sure as hell was!

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