“All right, no problem. I’ll…uh…be in touch.”
“Bring it here,” she says, and it takes me a minute to realize she’s talking about the laundry. “Paige is counting on you, and I’m doing laundry anyway.”
“You sure?” I ask, realizing I sound a tad eager, evidenced by her deep chuckle.
“Positive. Your boxer briefs can party with my granny panties.”
“Mom!” I hear Paige’s voice in the background and bite my lip not to break out laughing.
“Oh, keep your shorts on,” Robin mutters at her before addressing me, “Not you.”
I lose the battle with hilarity when I hear her daughter’s outraged cry on the other end.
Fuck, I like everything about this woman. Even the teasing way she interacts with her girl.
“Give me half an hour. Do you need anything from town?”
“I think we’re good here. Paige? Need Gray to bring anything?”
“Gray! Bring me a gag for Mom!”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Gray
It’s been a couple of days since Paige showed up.
I started keeping a bit of a low profile at Robin’s place when it became clear concern for her mother was only part of the reason the girl cut her visit to Florida short. Apparently the boyfriend—or now ex-boyfriend—turned out to be a spoiled little son of a bitch. His wealthy parents had looked down their noses at Paige after discovering her mother worked at a diner in nowhere Michigan. She hung in there for almost a week, being made to feel inferior, before she packed her bags and told them they could keep their precious boy.
Paige was still a bit reserved around me and I’d slept in my own bed every night, giving them some much-needed time alone. I’ve kept busy at the shop; joining them for dinner a few nights when weather didn’t have us work overtime at Olson’s.
I miss Robin. I never thought I’d be that guy pining over a woman, but I seem to be doing a fair bit of it.
For almost two decades I’ve worn my solitude like a protective cloak and within a few months it’s become an uncomfortable weight I can’t wait to be rid of.
Because of her.
Robin hasn’t yet enlightened me on exactly what the drama was about when her girl first arrived, but with Paige leaving to get back to New Jersey tomorrow, I plan to remind her.
Despite the early hour on a weekend, the diner already looks quite busy when I walk in. My eyes are immediately drawn to Robin, who appears to be dropping an order with the kitchen. When she sees me, I’m greeted with a big smirk and a slight nudge of her head in the direction of Mrs. Chapman’s table. Enzo Trotti is sitting across from her.
I shake my head at Robin, a grin on my face. Then she raises her eyebrows and points at a booth in the back where Paige is sitting by herself staring out the window. Understanding her message, I walk over.
“This seat taken?”
Paige ducks her head and swipes at her eyes. Shit. Not sure how equipped I am to deal with tears.
“Go ahead,” she says in a soft voice.
I slide in the bench opposite her.
“Have you ordered yet?”
She shakes her head. “Not yet.”
I don’t have to look at the menu; I know what I want. Instead I carefully touch the back of her hands, clenched on the table in front of her.
“Not known for talking, but I’m a decent listener.”
She looks at me with the same hesitation I’ve seen on her face the past week.
“I don’t even know you.”
“You haven’t tried,” I counter her snippy comment. It seems to startle her and I use her momentary shock to soften my accusation with, “Please.”
“Men are pigs.” She lifts her chin in challenge.
“Not gonna argue that.”
I struggle not to chuckle, especially when she narrows her eyes on me. Glad to know at least some of her reservation with me is because I’m one of them.
Finally she drops her eyes to her still-wringing hands.
“I called him last night,” she whispers and I lean forward to catch her words. “I’m heading back tomorrow and hoped maybe we could clear the air beforehand.”
“I take it that didn’t go as planned?”
She shakes her head and I notice her swallowing hard before she speaks.
“No. He wasn’t very nice. Said he’d made a mistake. That I’d upset his mother.” She suddenly snorts derisively and continues with a hiss, her eyes shooting fire. “His mother? You should’ve heard what that stuck-up cow said about Mom.”
Fierce little thing is protective of her mother, and I understand her reluctance toward me better. Still, I get the sense she may have held hope he’d come after her.
I reach out again and take her hand in mine, giving it a squeeze.
“He’s a little sniveling weasel, hiding behind his momma’s apron. Clearly he’s no match for you. He’s not man enough.”
She shows surprise, a small, pleased smile tugging at her mouth.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.”
Becca’s voice is like a pitcher of ice water down my back as I straighten to look up at her. I didn’t see her car in the parking lot and assumed she was on a later shift. Guess not.
To avoid my anger rising to the surface, I turn to Paige.
“What do you want, sweetheart?” I ask her, the endearment slipping from my mouth, but before she can answer I feel Becca leaning over the table.
“Oh? Is this a new one already, Gray? Bit young, don’t you think? I guess after all those years in the slammer, you’ve got plenty of pent-up energy to burn off.”
I hear Paige’s sharp intake of breath as she backs away from the table as far as the booth will allow. I thought Robin might’ve mentioned my past to her, but clearly it’s news to the girl. That’ll teach me to assume so much.
“Awww,” Becca drawls, a calculating glint in her eyes. “You didn’t know he’s an ex-con? Murder too.”
I push out of my seat, ready drag her out of the fucking diner but Robin already has her by the arm.
“You’re fired,” she snarls
