Page 95 of Triple Power Play 3
We enter the ‘Bar and Lounge,’ reminiscent of a brightly lit 1920s speakeasy, and she waves as if she’s the Queen of England. A woman with fluffy, stark white hair rolls her eyes and purses her lips. That has to be Maryanne. Beside her is an elderly man with a scowl that rivals Ethan’s, who’s glaring hard at Reece.
Gram stands taller and adds a little pep to her step. “You must come to the Valentine’s Day dance,” she says for all to hear, patting Reece’s forearm. “It’sGreat Gatsbythemed.”
She’s not looking at Reece. Her gaze is fixated on Maryanne and the mystery man. It appears Gram is suspicious of more than Maryanne’s granddaughter earning millions on Only Fans.
“Sure thing, darlin’,” he drawls and covers her hand with his.
“Oh, wow.” I scan my card to exit. “Pulling out the Southern charm for my grandmother. I see how it is.”
They head toward Ethan’s SUV parked at the curb, and she glances over her shoulder with a teasing smile.
“Aurora Belle Embers, don’t be selfish. You have plenty of men to share.”
Reece snorts and opens the door for her. He holds her elbow to assist her until she’s settled. “Wait until Ethan meets you. He thought his hands were full with Aurora and Jackson. He ain’t seen nothing yet.”
“Which one is he?” she asks with feigned innocence. “The daddy?”
I roll my eyes. She knows damn well who he is.
Reece matches her mischievous grin. “Exactly.”
The journey home passes swiftly. Throughout the ride, she rubs my belly, holds my hand, and beams with such joy, it fills me with a sense of guilt for not devoting more time to her. Hopefully, life will calm down, and she can visit more frequently.
It helps that Reece is a medic and understands the nurse’s instructions, even though Gram ignored them. She seemed as irritated as I was by the nurse shamelessly ogling him, and of course, she put up a stink. Who cares about emergency heart meds when you have a tattooed Viking to keep your pulse pumping?
“Your manicure is gorgeous.” She lays her hand on top of mine for comparison. “They can’t do that acrylic stuff, but I got the gel nails.”
Like my own, her nails are painted teal blue, the same color as the hockey team. I don’t remember her getting manicures before, and now that I’m noticing, she’s wearing a Huskies shirt under her cardigan and matching sneakers. Her hair is perfectly styled in a sleek bob, and her skin is glowing.
With a pointed stare, I arch a brow. “It looks likesomeonehas been sending you gifts.”
She raises her nose in the air. “The LA Huskies sent me a PR package,” she boasts. “And a spa gift certificate.”
I grin so hard, my cheeks hurt. “I bet they did.”
“Yup. I even watched the game last night in my apartment with Steward.” She waggles her brows suggestively. “Your boys did well.”
“Yes, they did.” I nod. “Were you not able to watch before?”
“I have cable and Nextflix now.” She flutters her eyelashes. “As a member of the PR team, I can’t go without seeing the games…with all my friends…and snacks.”
My eyes connect with Reece’s in the rearview mirror. He shakes his head and chuckles, “Poor Ethan.”
After the oohs and ahhs over everything from the ‘fancy pants gate’—her words—and the ‘truly delightful courtyard,’ we’re finally walking through the door. Turkey, spices, loud voices, and a packed dining table greet us upon entering.
Gram freezes, and her grip tightens on my arm. “Holy shit on a cracker, there’s more of them.” Her wide eyes, full of awe, find mine. “You have one for every day of the week.”
The room erupts with laughter, and my face burns hot enough to fry an egg. “Gram! They don’t all belong to me.”
Two of them are a complete surprise. I had no idea Desi and Dante were spending the holiday with us. Grant andCharlie were invited, but I wasn’t sure they’d be here.
“It’s like I always say,” Gram pauses for dramatic effect, “we don’t slut shame in this household.”
My eyes prickle with tears, and I can’t help but join the hilarity. “You’ve literally never said that. Ever. In your life.”
“Wait.” My brows rise as I take in the sight before me. “The five of you are going out? Together? That’s…dangerous.”And suspicious.
Reece and I returned home from dropping off Gram to find Jax, Ethan, Grant, and the twins in the entryway, dressed in jeans and button-ups, reeking of expensive cologne.
