Page 150 of Lovers' Dance

Matt opened the door and strode in, determination stamped across his face.

“Matthew.” Grumps beamed in obvious pleasure as Matt shut the door behind him. “How are you, my boy?”

“Fine.” Matt’s eyes wandered around the space. If he recalled correctly, when he was younger, this room had been a place you were sent to sit and ponder wrongdoings. He and Adam had spent quite a lot of time here. “And yourself?”

“I can’t complain,” Grumps said, closing the laptop screen on the desk where he sat.

Matt frowned suspiciously, replaying his mother’s words in his head. It was quite an unpleasant thought, thinking about Grumps on some seedy website, quite unpleasant indeed.

Matt sauntered across the room and pulled a chair out before collapsing into it, a casual smile on his face.

“You know the reason why I’m here, don’t you?” he asked his grandfather.

Grumps quirked his mouth, a bemused expression shifting over his lined features. “I’m not a mind reader, Matthew.”

Matt sighed. So Grumps wanted to do it the hard way. “Madi told me everything.” He bent the truth a little. Best to make Grumps believe she had confided what was said that night. That way, he’d feel no compulsion to conceal it.

Grumps arched a bushy eyebrow at him. “Did she now?”

“Yes,” Matt replied tersely. “And what do you have to say for yourself?”

Grumps reclined into his high-backed leather chair, steepled hands across his chest, calculating grey eyes locked on Matt’s face as he said, “Not a damned thing. I had a brief conversation with her. If she took offence, that’s not my fault.”

Matt hid his grimace and tried to get the whole story. “Why would you say those things to her, Grumps? She was quite upset.”

“Was she? I only spoke the truth, Matthew.”

“As you see it,” Matt shot back quickly. This wasn’t going the way he’d planned. “How did you think I would feel when I found out? When you told her those things, that she—” Here he paused, a fake disappointed look on his face as he shook his head slowly.

“That she what?” Grumps asked, a gleam taking hold in his eyes. He chuckled lightly. “She hasn’t told you, has she?”

“Of course she has.” Matt went for an indignant tone. Hopefully Grumps would blurt out his transgressions.

“No,” Grumps said as a devious chuckle fell from his mouth. “She hasn’t. You can’t pull one over on me, Matthew.”

Matt glared at his grandfather. Bloody old man. As sly as always.

“I know you told her we won’t work as a couple, and I know about the rest of it, Grumps.”

Grumps laughed before saying, “I know you don’t. If you did, you would’ve graced me with your presence a lot sooner, and you would’ve been much angrier. Of course, it could be that you don’t care about Ms DuMont as much as you’d have us all believe. I assumed she would’ve gone crying to you immediately. I also assumed you would either ignore it or contact me, whichever action you chose indicative of the depth of your feelings.”

“I’m here now,” Matt said in annoyance.

“Strange,” Grumps mused to himself. “I was certain she would’ve told you everything in an attempt to wrap you further around her finger. Maybe she’s—”

“What did you say to her?” Matt exploded.

Grumps’s gaze snapped to him, a disapproving scowl on his face. “Do not forget who you are speaking to, young man. I’m the head of this family and, although you are my favourite, I expect a certain level of respect from you.”

Matt stood up abruptly. “Are you going to tell me what you said to her?”

Grumps shook his head. “If she wants to tell you she will, but it’s telling that she’s willing to keep things from you. One wonders what else she may be hiding.”

“Fine,” Matt said, his own grey eyes glinting dangerously. “I didn’t want to do this Grumps, but you’ve left me no choice.”

Grumps exhaled loudly and scoffed. “Do what?”

“Either tell me what you said to Madi or you’ll suffer the consequences of meddling in my business.”

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