Page 65 of Love is Grand
“Simple. I would have called Jack.”
“Jack can’t rush over here on a whim. He’s not an errand boy and he has a life. So, I called Tony.”
I knew it.
“I’m sure he rushed right over.”
“It’s not like that. He knows I don’t care for him in that way. He’s a friend. That’s all.”
“Oh, I’m sure he knows.”
“All he did was replace the pipe.”
I felt my palms clench. “And Weezie, watching men come in and out of the house?” I could feel the pulse pounding in my neck. Thump-thump. Thump-thump.
“She was getting ready for bed. She felt bad about that because she’d been helping me use a bucket to catch the water.”
“I get that I’m not there, but it’s my job to take care of you and Weezie. Mine,” I said, although I had zero authority to do so.
“No, Cal, it’s not your job. I’m not yours, and neither is Weez.”
“Listen, stop. Please. I’m sorry I messed up, and I’m sure that’s why you didn’t call me. But I want to know these things. You could have stayed at my house. In fact, you should.”
“Grrr.” She actually growled into the phone, and if I had to be honest, I’d admit it hit me everywhere. Pained my heart and made my dick hard. I loved—no, admired—this woman’s conviction. Love wasn’t a word I was equipped to use.
Shell scoffed. “We can’t pick up and move into your mansion. We live here.”
“Listen, I’m going to make things right.” Yes, I ignored her comments on living in my mansion. It was going to happen.
“We’d like to come,” she said next, taking control of the conversation.
“Come?”
“To see you.”
I went from wanting to punch someone to pounding my free fist into my chest. “Great.”
I’d deal with Tony’s faux friendship another time.
“What about July Fourth week?”
“That’s a week from now.”
“So? I’ll arrange it. Weezie will love it.”
“Okay.”
I wasn’t sure how the conversation had turned so quickly, but I liked where it was heading.
“Are you sure you want Weezie to come?” Shell asked warily. “She can be a lot. She’ll make a mess of your place. If we’re going to stay there, I mean. I guess that’s presumptuous.”
“Shell.” Her name came out as a mewl. This woman could be frustrating.
“Okay, okay,” she said again.
“You’re staying with me. We can handle the sleeping arrangements however you want. Of course, I want time alone with you, but I get the whole picture. It may seem like I’m slow on the uptake, and sometimes I am, but Weezie is part of the package. A great part,” I added. “I get that being with you includes Weezie, and I’m cool with that too. It’s summer. We can take a beach day, and maybe go to the Statue of Liberty.” I was rambling, pulling a bunch of touristy things out of my ass.
“Oh yes, she’d like that.”