Page 282 of Come Back to Me

I let his insult roll over me because Colt might have been born to shoulder the burden of being a Korhonen, but that doesn’t mean running a billion-dollar corporation in today’s world’s easy.

“You hate it. Zee certainly fucking does. Tee’s the only one who enjoys it because she gets to go shopping on your dime and today she’s traveling business class to Toronto to help Zee?—”

“Leave it, Cody.”

“No. Granted, there’s nothing to be done today, but how will the optics pan out if the press realizes we were exhuming Marcy’s body at the same time as she was sipping Champagne on the front row of a catwalk?” When he blanches, I dig in deep. “Just give it up, Colt. The country’s been spying on us for years without us having to do anything. Don’t invite them in. We can’t afford to borrow trouble.

“You should reschedule everything. Fuck the board of investors. If this is proof of anything, it’s that life’s too goddamn short. And the worst part of all this? Wethinkthis is Marcy. We don’t know what else our monster of a sperm donor might have done when he ruled this particular roost.

“No amount of PR is going to make up for his sins. Embrace the fact we’re going to be blogged about by true crime stans until your grandson is the one dealing with the company.”

He’s silent for so long that I’m pretty sure he’s going to ignore me, then, slowly, he grouches, “You’re right.”

Before I can celebrate the fact he listened to me for fucking once, my cell buzzes.

Despite it being on my personal cell, I half expect it to be Reilly asking for more coordinates—the dipshit’s gotten lost twice now—but it’s not.

I frown at the unknown number. “Hello?”

“Cody?”

Recognizing the faint lilt of her accent, I smile. “Hello, Nonna. Is Tee all right?”

“Hmm, my fool son-in-law might have put her in a bad mood. But over breakfast, she told her mother you’re dating.”

The words are like an instant shot of adrenaline to my heart. “What?” I wheeze. When she chuckles in my ear, low and soothing and warm, I demand, “Why are you telling me this?”

“Can’t a grandmother call her grandson-in-law to shoot the breeze?”

Not when my heart’s still beating like I’m jacked up on speed. “I guess.”

“You okay there, Cody? You don’t have emphysema too, do you?”

I choke out a laugh. “No. I don’t. But… I can’t believe she’s told her mom. What about her dad?”

“No. Look, Cody, he’s actually the reason I’m calling you today. I love my son-in-law and he’s a wonderful father, but he fixates on the mundane. Nothing mundane about Tee, as well you know.”

“No, there isn’t,” I concur with a frown.

“He offered her a job at his school. Wants her to work in the admin block while she studies for a bachelor’s in education.”

“She’d hate that.”

“Yes, she would. They had a massive argument, and I thought she was going to leave, but she didn’t.”

“Nonna, were you eavesdropping?” I half-tease.

She sniffs. “How else would I know what’s being talked about? But that’s neither here nor there. Can I ask you something, Cody?”

I turn away from the sorry state of the bones in the pit, not wanting my father’s toxicity to taint any part of this conversation.

“Ask away.”

“Do you want to clip Tee’s wings, or do you want to let her fly?”

“What do you mean?”

Wafting an arm, I turn away from Colt, who’s shifted to be in my line of sight to mouth: “Who is it?”

---