Page 52 of Billionaire Games
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Arrivingat Ethan’s grandmother’s house had Kel feeling a bit nervous about getting that close to the man who was trying desperately to dupe her into a roll in the hay. She knew introducing her to his grandmother and some other family members was going too far but she wasn’t ready to call him out on the bet just yet, curious to see how far the man would go.
The estate he took her too was enormous. As they drove up a winding drive, a few deer, with their fawns, frolicked alongside them for part of the way. “How cute they are, Ethan. Are they pets?”
He had no idea. He’d rented the place for the weekend and had actors waiting for their arrival. But he could improvise, so he said, “My grandmother has a way with wild animals. While those deer are not pets, they’re her friends.”
“A Dr. Doolittle?” Kel asked with a grin on her face. She was certain Ethan was kidding with her.
“I guess you could call her that,” he said then wrapped his arm around her and kissed her cheek. “I can’t wait for you to meet my Granny, Kel. I think you two will hit it off. She’s a real spit fire.”
“And why’s she in America?” Kel asked. “Since you’re from Scotland?”
“Oh, she’s American. You see, she’s my step grandmother. My blood grandmother died at only forty-seven. Grandfather married a few years later.”
“Oh? Is he here too?” Kel asked as she looked at the fancy entrance of the home. A red rose covered arch formed the entrance that was filled with more red rose bushes. While it all looked inviting, Kel knew it was full of prickly thorns and one shouldn’t stray from the narrow pathway that led to the green painted wooden door.
“He’s dead too. Six years ago. That’s why Granny moved here.” Ethan got out of the car and held out his hand for Kel to take. “Don’t mention him, Kel. It makes her sad.”
The door swung open just as Kel got out of the car and an old woman shouted, “There he is! My big boy!”
Kel marveled at how old the woman looked.She was ancient!
The old lady strode right up to Ethan with an odd hobbled gait and kissed Ethan smack on the lips. His eyes went wide as did Kel’s as the old woman even tried to slip him the tongue, to which he expertly handled her, pulling her to one side as he introduced Kel, “Granny, this is my girl, Kel.”
Without so much as a glance, as the old woman’s eyes were glued to Ethan, she said, “Great. Hi, Kel. Come on inside, Ethan, your cousins are visiting me this weekend. I bet you’ve missed Herbert and Crenshaw.”
Kel laughed as their names sounded like the title of a law firm. And she earned Ethan’s Granny’s attention for that. A scowl moved over her wrinkly face, prompting Ethan to take her hand and lead her away from Kel. “I have missed the boys from my youth very much.”
“Crenshaw’s a girl, sweetheart,” Granny corrected him.
Ethan was stuck as to what to say. He should’ve known the sex of his own cousins, after all. But when the other two met them at the door, he found it easy to fix his little mistake. They both looked like men. Odd, men. One wore a helmet like a bicycle racer would, in electric blue. He had on a tight little unitard in the same color. The other wore blue jean overalls and had a stick of some kind he was shewing on. The ragged cut of his hair, the shapeless clothing, and the fact they both had manly features made it impossible to figure out which one was the female out of the two.
Looking at Kel over his shoulder, he whispered, “See why I called them both boys, now?”
She nodded and tried not to laugh at the weird looking duo. “Sup, Ethan?” the unitard wearing man called out as they walked into the house.
“Not much,” Ethan looked at the old woman, who was clinging to him, for some help getting which guy that one was.
“Oh, Herbert, do you have to use such language?” she asked the helmet wearing man playing the part of Ethan’s cousin.
“Sorry, Granny,” Herbert said then set his eyes on Kel. “Howdy, pretty lady.”
Kel smiled. “Hi, Herbert.” She extended her hand to the other, she then realized was the woman named Crenshaw. “Hello, Crenshaw. How are you?”
Holding onto the straps that held up her overalls, she didn’t bother to shake Kel’s hand. Instead she turned around with a huff. “She ain’t so great.”
Ethan looked at Kel with a frown. “Don’t listen to her. You’re fantastic, love.”
Granny patted Ethan on his arm. “Never mind her. She’s had a crush on Mr. Tall and Handsome here since they were kids.”
“Not your blood cousins, huh, Ethan?” Kel asked as they had no accents at all.
“Oh, yes, they are. My uncle moved here before they were born. He married a woman from the hills of Tennessee,” Ethan lied.
Kel was a little taken aback but shrugged it off as she leaned in to whisper, “I suppose their mother’s blood line was a bit muddled with incest.”
“Well, to be truthful, that runs on both sides.” Ethan stifled a grin as he followed the cousins to a large room with more red roses, filling vases around the room.
