Page 66 of The Heir

I could tell Marchella was trying not to laugh.

“What?” I whispered when her grandparents went to take care of the bill.

“You eat like a fucking inmate, and you weren’t even in there for a solid week.” Her laughter warmed me and I gave her knee a squeeze beneath the table.

I sat back and tried my best to give her a side eye, but I ended up laughing.

“You two are adorable,” the waitress commented while cleaning the table.

“Yes, she is. And– She’s all mine now,” I informed her, earning myself a swat from Marchella.

I grabbed her hand and kissed her knuckles.

“You two love birds ready?” her grandfather asked, pausing long enough to drop a cash tip on the table.

“Yeah,” Marchella agreed, hopping out of her chair.

I scooted it in for her and claimed her hand. Everyone seemed to know her grandparents. They were stopped twice on the way to the car by folks who just wanted to say hello or comment on last week’s sermon.

“You sure you’re good?” I asked her once we were alone in the back of a super clean Cadillac.

She looked me over and gave a slow nod, “I’m good. You?”

I reached out and gave her thigh another squeeze, “Never better.”

I let go when I saw her grandmother wandering toward the car.

“We have one more surprise for you,” Mrs. Winehopper announced.

“Does it include a phone charger?” I teased, holding my dead phone up.

She smiled at me from the passenger seat, “Actually– Just you wait.”

Don slid in and she grew quiet while he put his seatbelt on and put us in reverse. I settled for teasing my fingers between Marchella’s while we rode.

“Gran says you have another surprise?” Marchella pressed.

“It’s true,” Don confirmed, but he didn't elaborate.

We drove in silence for a few blocks before he turned onto the big hill of the cemetery. I let go of Marchella’s hand and sat up a little. He stopped the car in front of a house beside the graveyard and I glanced at Marchella. Her mustang was sitting in the driveway. A for rent sign had been plucked out of the yard and was resting against the cement ledge of the porch. Each side of itwas flanked by tall, perfectly trimmed bushes. There were carved black shutters, and it looked like it might have a pretty nice yard and a bit of woods in the back.

I couldn’t keep my attention from returning to the cemetery, though.

“What is this? Why is my car here?” Marchella laughed.

“Because I bought it for ya, honey. Well, I leased it for a year. Long enough for Blaze to finish his court business, then you two can get on with your life.”

“There is furniture, clothes, even phone chargers, and dishes inside,” Her grandmother proudly boasted.

I rubbed a hand over my stubbled jaw, unsure of what to say. I didn’t want to seem like an ungrateful bastard. We did need a place to stay, but it was a helluva hand out.

“Don– I– I mean I have a little money, but I can’t pay you back for this. I don’t even have a job.”

“You will have. It’s part of your release,” he assured me, completely unconcerned. “Go on, there’s plenty of groceries, even frozen ones, and canned goods. You guys will be set for a while.”

They’d thought of everything.

“I– I don’t know how to thank you,” I stammered, opening my door.