Page 118 of Fish out of Water
I was pretty sure of it, actually. “The amount of money my mother and grandmother have spent on him is astronomical. It wouldn’t surprise me if that’s exactly what he’s doing.”
Julia shook her head. “I would never have guessed that about him. He seemed so nice.”
“He’s a con man. Always has been.” He was the first one in line when my parents got married, bringing my mother into the world my father’s family built. “He will use anyone he can.”
I tried to keep the attitude my mother and grandmother had when it came to my uncle. He was what he was. Just deal with it and move on.
But I wasn’t doing it anymore. It’s why the money from his mailbox was locked in a safe, far from anyone looking for it.
Julia shook her head. “And I thought living in a retirement community would be boring.”
I pulled into the garage, parking in the empty bay.
Julia’s brows came together as she looked at the empty side. “Where’s your mom and Sylvia?”
She and my grandmother were on a first-name basis. Awesome.
“Probably out shopping.” They’d brought Helen back at three looking unapologetic as hell for keeping my assistant out for a three-hour lunch break. “That’s what they usually do when they’re here.” I pressed the button to lower the door into place and climbed out, watching as Julia wiggled her way out of the car, pulling at the fabric clinging to her body.
Being gone might make me forgive them for stealing Helen for most of the afternoon. Now I had Julia to myself. I could peel her out of those clothes and scrub down her naked body—
The door leading to the house opened. “You’re here.”
My grandmother grinned out at us. “I thought you got lost.” Her eyes fell on Julia. “What in the hell happened to you?”
“The jerks building the subdivision behind the gardens hit a water main.” She kicked off her soggy shoes and went to work rolling down the socks I’d fantasized about all afternoon.
“What cuntcrackers.” My grandmother tipped back the White Claw in her hand.
I snagged the can, yanking it away. “No White Claw tonight.”
She scoffed.
“I don’t feel like getting barfed on again.” I toed off my shoes right next to Julia’s. “You need to learn to pace yourself.”
“Life’s too short to pace yourself, Granty.” Nonna backed up as I came toward the door. “You gotta fit it all in or else you miss out.”
“And you think I’ll miss catching my grandmother taking pictures of a strange man’s dick in a closet right before she ruins my brand-new shirt?” I went to the sink and poured what was left of the drink down the sink.
“Wilfred isn’t strange.” My grandmother propped both hands on her hips. “I’ve known him for months.” She followed me as I went to toss the can in the recycling. “He owns a boat.”
That sounded like a terrible idea. “You can’t go boating with Wilfred.”
“I don’t want to go boating with him.” She turned to Julia. “Is he always this dense?”
Julia looked from my grandmother to me. “He had a long afternoon.”
Nonna’s brows pinched together. “What in the hell were you doing?” She started to cackle. “Burying a body?”
“I wish.” Julia tiptoed across the kitchen floor, headed for the front room.
“I know a guy that’s got a boat.” My grandmother leaned through the doorway to call down the hall after her. “Keep that in mind.” She turned to me. “I’m hungry. What’s for dinner?”
Could you put old ladies on Adderall?
“Where’s my mother?” I went to the sink and started scrubbing my hands, trying to get off as much of the drying mud as possible.
“She said she had some things to take care of.” My grandmother came to lean against the counter. “You weren’t really burying a dead body, were you?”
