Page 16 of Grand Slam

“You’re fucking serious?” I glance up in the rearview mirror hoping Emerson can offer me a little help but again I find her staring out the window. She is lost in her own head, still pretending there is the same amount of distance between us that there has been since I left.

“Kelton James’ agent,” Liz says to herself as she types away on her phone. “Oh wow.” Suddenly Emerson turns her attention tomy sister. “Well, hello Jerry.” She holds out her phone to Em and her eyes widen a bit. I’m not one hundred percent sure what that’s about. I don’t speak girl.

“Nice.” Emerson smiles and I’m scowling.

“Single.” She waggles her brows, and I grip the steering wheel a little tighter. “Jerry Phillips wears a suit very well.”

“Mm,” Liz adds, biting her lip.

“Are you two done yet?”

“Nope.” She makes a noise that sounds like a moan and it makes my stomach twist. “We are just getting started.”

“Your agent is hot,” Emerson adds and I look back, but she isn’t looking at me. “Thirty-two, that’s not too bad. What? Ten years is nothing,” she tells my sister. “He looks a little dirty.”

“He does,” she agrees and now I am sitting at a stoplight gaping at the two of them. They must feel me watching them because they both look over at me and say what simultaneously.

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“You really want to know?” Liz asks and I nod, knowing I will probably regret it but in too deep to back out now.

“Like he knows exactly what to do and when to do it. His hands, his mouth, his?—”

“Okay.” I look away and pop my neck to relieve a little tension. It does nothing.

“I bet he has some tricks,” Emerson adds and my jaw muscles instantly flex. “Something about him screams this is a ride you don’t want to miss.”

“I know right?”

I take a hard left instead of a right and they both redirect their attention to me.

“Where are we going?” Liz asks, looking around.

“The fucking mountains,” I state, my nostrils still flaring. “I’m tying you both to a tree, hanging a steak around your necks, and walking away.”

“That’s harsh,” Emerson says low and under her breath.

Looking over, her eyes lock on mine. “Let dirty Jerry save you.”

Em smiles then quickly presses her lips together tightly. She looks at my sister and suddenly they both start laughing.

They both continue to tease me and play around, doing everything they can to get under my skin. What makes it even worse is when we are back at my place and my sister gets ahold of my phone, calling Jerry and he jumps right on the fucking train. He’s never taken it easy on me and suddenly I am surrounded by chaos.

“There’s my boy.”Granny June rushes at me like a raging bull, only she is smiling from ear to ear. Four foot eleven, one hundred and five pounds of fireball. There is nothing she loves more than loud, crazy, and a room full of laughter. She doesn’t have a filter, I don’t think she ever has. If she thinks something is awful you better bet your sorry ass she will tell you. If shedisagrees, she does it loud. And if she loves you, whoever may attempt to hurt you in any way better count their blessings and pray to the heavens above they get out alive. She is tiny but fierce.

She practically launches herself into my embrace as I lift her and spin her in a circle. Laughter, a laugh I’ve missed more than I realized until that very moment, echoes over my living room.

“You get more handsome each time I see you.” Throwing her head back, she places her hands on my cheeks and holds my stare. “How a lucky woman hasn’t snatched you up I don’t understand. Because you sweetheart are a heartstopper.”

“You’re biased,” I tell her and lower her back to the floor, but not yet letting her go.

“Maybe,” she smiles, “but it’s true. Successful, damn good-looking, loyal, strong, and confident.”

“Now you’re making me blush,” I tell her and glance up to see Emerson turning around and walking toward the kitchen.

“Did it work?” Gran asks and I look at her with my brows scrunched in confusion. She holds my stare and then it hits me.

“Does everyone know?” All this time I thought it was a moment only Emerson and I had to hold onto. Something we shared that was only ours and a little fearful of what everyone may think if they found out.

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