Page 28 of Billionaire Games
“Yes, ma’am,” he said as he shook her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“You think?” she asked with a wink. “Let me see if ya still think that after I tell you what I have to say.” She pinched his cheek. “This girl is my baby girl. If she gets hurt, then I get pissed. And I don’t handle anger very well. I tend to take it out on the flesh of who’s pissed me off. Do you understand what I’m sayin’ boy?”
Griffin nodded and thought to himself that she was much scarier than Jess’ dad. “I do, Mrs. Flannigan. I’m just going to be taking Jessica out for the afternoon. No hurting involved.”
“I want to know where it is you’re takin’ my daughter, boy,” she said then went back to beating the hell out of the dough ball.
“Lunch and a movie,” he said as he looked at Jess with wide eyes. “Is that okay with you, Jess?”
“It’ll do. Do I get to pick where we eat and what we see?” Jess asked.
“And the movie better not be one of those nasty, dirty, smutty ones, boy!” her mother warned him as she gave him a wink. Her mother’s body language was just the opposite of the words that came out of her mouth. It was amazing and frightening at the same time.
“Well, the movie is a love story, but I don’t believe there’s anything smutty about it. It’s rated PG, I think,” Griffin said then turned his attention to Jess. “As for you choosing where we eat and what we see, I’ve already made those decisions.”
“Controlling? Dominating?” Mrs. Flannigan asked with a smile.
“No, ma’am, not at all,” Griff said as he shook his head. “It’s just that she asked me to make a date that wasn’t ordinary. That’s why I picked the places. That’s all. Nothing more than that. I swear it!”
“No whips and chains for you, huh boy?” her mother asked, sending him into a heat of embarrassment that Jess didn’t seem to have.
“No! I’m not into that.” He wiped his suddenly sweating brow.
“We can go now,” Jess said. “If you still want to.”
“Yes, yes, I want to. Happy to meet you, Mrs. Flannigan. I’ll have her back here before six this evening.”
“Fine,” the woman told him then added. “Dinner’s at eight if you’d care to join us. I’m making haggis.”
Griffin leaned in to whisper to Jess, “Isn’t that guts boiled in the stomach of a sheep or something like that?”
“It is,” she said with a smile. “I’d love you to join us. Griff.”
The urge to wretch was nearly overwhelming. He swallowed back the bile that had risen in his throat. “Sure, I’d love to join you all for dinner. Thank you so much for inviting me, Mrs. Flannigan.”
“See you then, Griffin,” she said with a grin that told him she was trying to get him to go away. But he wasn’t going anywhere. He’d manage to get some of the terrible food down, he hoped.
Jess led him out a back door, and they walked around the side of the house. When she saw the Lambo parked next to the curb, she stopped. “I wonder who’s that is.”
Griffin pulled the key fob out of the pocket of his jeans and pressed the button to unlock it. “That would be my rental. Would you care to drive, Jess?”
“You’re shittin’ me!” Jess bolted away from him as she couldn’t believe her eyes. It was her favorite color, canary yellow. She ran her hand over the smooth lines of the car. “I can’t drive this. I’m too afraid, Griff.”
“There’s nothing to be afraid of. Come on, jump behind the wheel, baby. You can take some of the lesser traveled roads so you can get used to how it handles before we set off to eat at the Bangkok Hill Thai Restaurant.”
Jess’ mouth dropped open. “How in the hell did you find out I love Thai food? I can’t ever get anyone to go with me!”
“You love it too?” he asked with wide eyes. “Me too!”
She pushed his chest as she shouted, “Shut up!”
“I can’t,” he said with a chuckle. “I do love it. Now climb in and let’s get out of here.”
“You’re really going to let me drive this badass car, Griff?” she asked as she put her hand on the door handle.
“I am. I’m trusting you with my life, Jess,” he said as he got into the passenger side.
She just stood there, wondering if he was really this way all the time or only stepping up his game to win the bet. Then she got into the car and told herself she didn’t care why he was being the way he was, she was going to enjoy the date and driving the car she’d only ever dreamt she would.
