He couldn’t help but bust out with a laugh—it was the best he’d felt since walking into his own house. “You mean march to the beat of my own drum, Grandma?”
“No, son.” Her eyes twinkled mischievously. “Unlike sometimes, I know what I’m saying right now. Bongo player. They’re much more fun than drummers.”
A chuckle rumbled in his chest, and he rolled his eyes. “I don’t want to know how you know this. Let me live in ignorant bliss.”
She kissed her fingers and placed them against the screen. Tears sprang in her eyes, causing a chain reaction in him. “I love you so much,” she said.
He met her hand with his own and blinked back tears. “I love you too, Grandma. So much.”
She pulled away with a nod. “And don’t you forget it. You’re not too big to put over my knee.”
“I’d like to see you try,” he laughed.
“Don’t test me, young man.” She shook a crooked finger at him, but the smile on her face told him all he needed to know. She loved him unconditionally.
The call ended, and Gage checked his phone expectantly, disappointed to find no messages from Lily. The performance had finished an hour ago. Where the hell was she? He texted her. Fifteen minutes later, he texted her again. Then he called. To his astonishment, she actually picked up. In the background, he heard the clinking and murmur of a restaurant.
“Where are you?” he blurted.
“Well, how nice of you to call, Professor. I’d almost forgotten what you sounded like.” Her tone dripped with frost.
He barreled on, idiot that he was. “Seriously, Lily, I was worried. Where are you?”
“Funny how that worry thing works when you haven’t heard from someone.”
“I’ve been busy on the ice.” He fought to keep sheepishness from his voice.
“And off, if Facebook and your Kathryn Tappen interview are any indication.”
What the actual fuck? Something told him he was blindly stepping into it and needed to backpedal quick. Before he could form an answer, she continued. “I’m grabbing a bite with Derek and some friends. We had an awesome performance. Brought the house down. Too bad you missed it. Anyway, we’re celebrating.”
He put the sarcasm—and pretty much everything else spinning in his head—aside. “Where’s Daisy?”
“You’re kidding, right?”
“No, I’m not.”
“Look, I’m not having this discussion with you right now. I’m enjoying myself, and I don’t want to ruin it,” she hissed. “You’ve managed to stay out of our lives nicely these past ten days, so just keep on. Daisy’s fine. She’s at Ivy’s tonight.” She hung up.
A veil of red descended. He dragged cleansing breaths into his lungs. Damn it!
She’s out of joint because of an interview? And what the hell’s with Facebook?
Phone in hand, he headed for the stairs. “Mom,” he called, “I’m tired. I’m going to bed. You guys have everything you need, right?” Shit. I still gotta figure out what we’re doing about going to Dillon.
His mother’s surprised voice called back, “We’re set. Anything we can do for you?”
“I’ve got everything I need, thanks.” Except he didn’t.
“Jessica’s staying in the room next to yours.”
Of course she is.
After closing his bedroom door, he sprawled on the bed and texted Ivy. Her curt answer told him Daisy was fine. When he asked about Lily, Ivy’s response startled him. She was fine when I saw her, especially considering she’d just been destroyed by your freight train of a mother.
What?
He texted Ivy again, but she told him to talk to Lily. When he pulled up Facebook and scrolled through the posts, he got an eyeful of what Lily must’ve been talking about. There he was, moronic grin and all, with Kendra looking cozy on his lap. Some idiot had the nerve to leave a comment about a lap dance. Shit, this looked bad.
As far as Lily being pissed about an interview, he had no fucking clue—he’d given lots of interviews on the trip, including a very brief, very chaotic one to Kathryn Tappen where the mic kept bleeping out. They’d delayed him, made him hang around. It’d been nothing but a pain in his ass.
The urge to see Lily and explain the post seized him. He texted her about coming over and got an immediate answer telling him she was tired and didn’t want company.
A soft knock on his door had him absently inviting whomever in. Add one more mistake onto the ever growing pile. Jessica slipped in, closing the door behind her. She looked stunning in sheer silk and lace.
He swallowed hard, ransacking his brain for the right way to word his question. He went with the polite version of “What do you want?” which came out, “What can I do for you?”
“So many things,” she purred as she floated toward him.
Should’ve stuck with blunt.
“Jessica, you’ve got the wrong idea here.”
She gave him a sly smile and sat on the edge of the mattress. “Do I? I saw you looking me over just now.”
Yeah, well, I’m a guy.
He jumped up. “Look, I need to be somewhere.”
She pouted. “You just said you were going to bed.”
“I forgot I need to talk to someone about something.” Lame, but he didn’t care. His brain was ordering him to escape, and he was inclined to obey.
He practically ran to the garage, passing a hiding Hobbes in the mudroom. “Sorry, sweetheart. You’re on your own.”
In the car, he dialed Sarah. “Pick up, pick up, pick up!” Relief flooded him when she did.
“Waffle-butt! How’s it hangin’?”
“Sar, I need your help. Can you come stay for a few days?”
“When?”
“Now.”
Chapter 33
And This Is Why
Twenty minutes later, Gage was a few houses from Lily’s when he spotted the familiar Ford pickup in her driveway. He drove past, U-turned, and
